cold and hungry? Is it for this that we have been plundered, and
expelled at the point of the bayonet from the hallowed graves of our
brothers and sires? O, my father, thou hast taught me from my infancy
to love this land of my birth; thou hast even taught me to say that "it
is the gift of the Great Spirit," when yet my beloved mother clasped me
close to her peaceful breast while she sang of the warlike deeds of the
great Algonquins. O, my father, our happiest days are o'er, and never
again shall we enjoy our forest home. The eagle's eye could not even
discover where once stood thy wigwam and thy peaceful council fire. Ah,
once it was the happy land, and all the charms were there which made
every Indian heart swell with thanks to the Great Spirit for their
happy homes. Melodious music was heard in every grove, sung by the wild
birds of the forest, who mingled their notes sweetly with the wild
chant of my beloved sisters at eve. They sang the song of lullaby to
the pawpose of the red man whilst swinging in the cradle from the shady
trees, wafted gracefully to and fro by the restless wind. The beautiful
old basswood tree bending so gracefully stood there, and the brown
thrush sang with her musical voice. That tree was planted there by the
Great Spirit for me to sport under, when I could scarcely bend my
little bow. Ah, I watched that tree from childhood to manhood, and it
was the dearest spot to me in this wide world. Many happy youthful days
have I spent under this beautiful shady tree. But alas, alas, the white
man's ax has been there! The tree that my good spirit had planted for
me, where once the pretty brown thrush daily sat with her musical
voice, is cut down by the ruthless hands of the white man. 'Tis gone;
gone forever and mingled with the dust. Oh, my happy little bird, thy
warbling songs have ceased, and thy voice shall never again be heard on
that beautiful shady tree. My charming bird, how oft thou hast aroused
me from my slumber at early morn with thy melodious song. Ah, could we
but once more return to our forest glade and tread as formerly upon the