and fish. He took a wife of the Onondagas, by whom he had an only
daughter, whom he tenderly loved, and most kindly and carefully treated
and instructed, so that she was known far and near as his favorite child,
and was regarded almost as a goddess. The excellence of his character,
and his great sagacity and good counsels, led the people to regard him
with veneration, and they gave him, in his sublunary character, the name
of Hi-a-wat-ha (a wise man). People came to him from all quarters, and
his abode was thronged by all ages and conditions who came for advice.

He became the first chief of all the land, and whomsoever he made his
companions and friends were likewise clothed with the authority of chiefs
in the tribe. In this manner all power came naturally into his hands, and
the tribe rejoiced that they had so wise and good a man as their ruler.
For in those days each tribe was independent of all others; they had not
yet formed a league, but fought and made war with each other.

Nothing that belonged to Hiawatha, in his character of Tarenyawagon, was
more remarkable than his light and magic canoe, which shone with a
supernatural lustre, and in which he had performed so many of his
extraordinary feats. This canoe was laid aside when he came to fix his
residenee at Cross Lake, and never used it but for great and
extraordinary purposes. When great councils were called, and he assembled
the wise men to deliberate together, the sacred canoe was carefully
lifted from the grand lodge; and after these occasions were ended, it was
carefully returned to the same receptacle, on the shoulders of men, who
felt honored in being the bearers of such a precious burden.

Thus passed away many years, and every year saw the people increasing in
numbers, skill, arts and bravery. It was among the Onondagas that
Tarenyawagon had located himself, although he regarded the other tribes