Intensely and silently did the warriors watch the
struggles of his noble features; the time had come in which the minds of
the Shoshones were freed of their prejudices, and dared to contemplate
the prospective of a future general domination over the Western
continent of America. The old chief raised his hand, and he
spoke again:--
"Children, for you are my children! Warriors, for you are all brave!
Chiefs, for you are all chiefs! I have seen a vision. It was a cloud,
and the Manitou was upon it. The cloud gave way, and behind I saw a vast
nation, large cities, rich wigwams, strange boats, and great parties of
warriors, whose trail was so long that I could not see the beginning nor
the end. It was in a country which I felt within me was extending from
the north, where all is ice, down to the south, where all is fire! Then
a big voice was heard! It was not a war-whoop, it was not the yell of
the fiends, it was not the groan of the captive tied to the stake; it
was a voice of glory, that shouted the name of the Shoshones--for all
were Shoshones. There were no Pale-faces among them--none! Owato Wanisha
was there, but he had a red skin, and his hair was black; so were his
two fathers, but they were looking young; so was his aged and humble
friend, but his limbs seemed to have recovered all the activity and
vigour of youth; so were his two young friends, who have fought so
bravely at the Post, when the cowardly Umbiquas entered our grounds.
Pages:
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183