or Five Indian Nations of Canada. 263 



toiTi of ibis, by reason of its crookedness and depth, could 

 jiot he traced by the eve. 



" On bcintr told that the tree h:id been eradicated ac- 

 cording to his^rcquest, the feeble youth begged that hennght 

 be conveyed to the side of the chasm and seated there, it 

 was believed the odov.r of the fresh earth might tend to re- 

 vive him. This hein<r done, he turned his languid eyes 

 toward the thronjrinc: people, and, espying a bo-.utitul young 

 ienKile spirit standmc: near hun, signified his desire that 

 she niicht also be brought lo the brink of the prec.pice and 

 be seated beside him. 



" 'i'his having been immediately performed, and the 

 n-irl placed by the warrior on the margin of the hole, he 

 watched a favourable r,pportunity, and suddenly pushed her 

 into it headlong. She rapidly descended, and m a lew 

 seconds disapjK-arcd from their view. 



" She continued rolling and tumbling down tlie perfora- 

 tion until she fell throuiih into this lower world. 



" The youno man tlK^n told them that he had been de- 

 '^pcratelv sick of love ; that he had been intolerably tor- 

 nienttdbviealousv ; and that the damsel whom he had 

 precipitated into the pit, had i:ecn the object oj his most 

 ardent passion. lie informed then^ she had slighted his 

 fondest overtures, and oiven a preference to anoiher. But 

 havin^Miow plunocd hef lo perdition in revenge for her neg- 

 lect and scorn, he should soon recover his wonted health. 



" The attentive spirits at first ftlt mucli concern and 

 •shuddering at the accident. But finding their favourite's 

 recovery was insured at a price so inconsiderable as the loss 

 of the <nrl, their sadness was immediately converted to joy. 

 And tluis quiet was restored to the nation of spirits. 



« She continued to fall for several successive days, and 

 at IcuLnh drew near to the confines of this lowvr world. 

 Her nearer anproach was descried by a bald ea^;le, who was 

 soariro- verv 'ln<rh upon the wins. Struck with the noveltv 

 of the'' appcaraTice, he immediately gave the alarm lo all 

 the fowls of the air and iniiabitanis of the waur. ! hey 

 quickly assembled, and held a consullaiion v. hat -a as to be 



done. . , 



" It was unanimously eoiuluded in the meeting, that 

 ihp falling bodv, bo it what it miglit, shmild not be sufier- 

 cd to pluime into the abyss and perish by drowning; but 

 that some one of their number sboiild immedi .lelv prepare 

 himself to receive and sust.iin it on-bis back. 



i« First the ca'de utlcred his services to buoy up the cb- 



