Stranica 23 [23]
OCR
Cornwall Island — Ka-wen-o-ko-wa-nen-ne: “ Big Island." Isle au Gallop (and the rapids beside it)— 7sz-7nko-ten-nit-ser-ron-ti-e-tha: " Where the canoe must be pushed up the stream with poles.” Isle-au-Rapid-Plat— Tte-hon-wi-ne-tha : canoe is towed with a rope.” Lower Long Saut Isle—KXa-ron-hwi. Canada—Aa-na-ta: “A village." Catarogut (ancient name of Kingston): of clay rising out of the waters.” Hochelaga (former name of Montreal)—O-ser-a-ke: “Where a “A bank “ Beaver dam.”’ Massena Springs—Aan-a-swa-stak-e-ras : the mud smells bad." Moria—Sa-ko-ron-ta-keh-tas : are carried on the shoulder.” Montreal — 77o-tr-a-ke : " Deep water by the side of shallow.”’ Toronto — 7ho-ron-to-hen : “Where “Where small trees “ Timber on the water." The following poem is a pen-picture of the contests of long ago :— HOW CANADA WAS SAVED. BY GEORGE MURRAY, B.A. Beside the dark Utawas’ stream, two hundred years ago, A wondrous feat of .arms was wrought, which all the world should know : "Tis hard to read with tearless eyes that record of the past— It stirs the blood, and fires the soul, as with a clarion’s blast. ‘What though no blazoned cenotaph, no sculptured columns tell Where the stern heroes of my song, in death triumphant, fell ; What though beside the foaming flood untombed their ashes lie— All earth becomes the monument of men who nobly die! A score of troublous years have passed since on Mount-Royal’s crest The gallant Maisonneuve upreared the Cross devoutly bless’d, And many of the saintly Guild that fouuded Ville-Marie With patriotic pride had fought—determined to be free. Fiercely, the [roquois had sworn to sweep, like grains of sand, The Sons of France from off the face of their adopted land, When, like the steel that oft disarms the lightning of its power, A fearless few their country saved in danger’s darkest hour. ki BS “a v a their faith for life and death—all kneeling side by h j "aA a . side 3 = =, ú An "ági lis their oath—on flood or field, to challenge face to face | . The Tr uthle: s hordes of Iroquois, the.scourges of their race— "he No qu ao ss “aa ies er to accept or grant—and, loyal to the grave, ____ fodie, like martyrs, for the land they vainly bleed to save. ot d by the Priest within the Church where oft they had adored, Wit = lemn n fervor they receive the supper of the Lord : nd. 10W t e self-devoted Youths from weeping friends have pass "d ) Font of Ville-Marie each fondly looks his last. . 0 steer the frail canoe, or stem the rushing tide, — 4 ú a virgin wilderness, o’er stream and lake they glide, 2a Sr hces dip, they moor their barks below oe flood—the — Long Saut. 7 a * - art ed dof There, where a grove of gloomy pines sloped gently to the shore, | A moss-grown Palisade was seen—a Fort in days of yore— Fenced by its circle they encamped, and on the listening air Before those staunch Crusaders slept arose the voice of prayer, Sentry and scout kept watch and ward; and soon, with glad surprise, They welcomed to their roofless hold a band of dark allies— Two stalwart chiefs and forty ‘‘ braves "—all sworn to strike a blow In one great battle for their lives against the common foe. | Soft was the breath of balmy spring in that fair month of May, The wild-flower bloomed—the wild-bird sang on many a budding spray— A tender blue was in the sky, on earth a tender green, And Peace seemed brooding, like a dove, o’er all the sylvan scene : When, loud and high, a thrilling cry dispelled the magic charm, And scouts came hurrying from the woods to bid their comrades arm, And swift canoes, like floating swans, flashed gaily down the Saut, Manned by three hundred dusky forms—the long-expected foe. They spring to land—a wilder brood hath ne’er appalled the sight— Dark plumes of eagles crest their Chiefs, and broidered deerskins hide | The blood-red war-paint that shall soon a bloodier red be dyed. Hark! to the death-song that they chant—behold them as they bound, With flashing eyes and vaunting tongues, defiantly around— Then, swifter than the wind they fly the barrier to invest, Like hornet-swarms that heedless boys have startled from a nest. As Oceans tempest-driven waves dash forward on a rock, And madly break in seething foam, hurled backward by the shock, So onward dashed that surging throng, so, backward were they hurt d, When, írom the loopholes of the Fort, flame burst, and vapor curl’d. Each bullet aimed by bold Daulac went crashing through the brain, Or pierced the bounding heart of one who never stirred again— The trampled turf was drenched with blood—blood stained the passing wave— It seemed a carnival of death, the harvest of the grave, The sun went down—the fight was o’er—but sleep was not for =a those Who, pent within that frail redoubt, sighed vainly for repose ; The shot that hissed above their heads—the Mohawk’s taunting cries— Warned them that never more on earth must slumber seal their eyes. In that same hour their swart allies, o’erwhelmed by craven dread, Leaped o’er the parapet like deer, and traitorously fled ; And, when the darkness of the night had vanished, like a ghost, Twenty and two were lef:—of all—to brave a maddened host. Foiled for a time, the subtle foes have summoned to their aid Five hundred kinsmen from the Isles, to storm the Palisade ; And, panting for revenge, they speed, impatient for the fray, Like birds of carnage from their homes allured by scent of prey. With scalp-locks streaming in the breeze, they charge—but never yet Have legions in the storm of fight a spaeaice welcome met Than those doomed warriors, as they faced the desolating breath Of wide-mouth musketoons that poured hot cataracts of death. Eight days of varied horror passed : what" boots it now to tell © How the pale tenants of the Fort heroically fell? Hunger and thirst and sleeplessness»Death’s ghastly sds—at eng
