1763, Apuil.] allegory OF THE DELAWARE. 205 



evening meal, when, looking up, he saw three 

 hirge openings in the woods before him, and three 

 well-beaten paths which entered them. He was 

 much surprised ; but his wonder increased, when, 

 after it had grown dark, the three paths were more 

 clearly visible than ever. Kemembering the impor- 

 tant object of his journey, he could neither rest nor 

 sleep ; and, leaving his fire, he crossed the meadow, 

 and entered the largest of the three openings. He 

 had advanced but a short distance into the forest, 

 when a bright flame sprang out of the ground 

 before him, and arrested his steps. In great amaze- 

 ment, he turned back, and entered the second path, 

 where the same wonderful phenomenon again 

 encountered him ; and now, in terror and bewilder- 

 ment, yet still resolved to persevere, he took the 

 last of the three paths. On this he journeyed a 

 whole day without interruption, when at length, 

 emerging from the forest, he saw before him a vast 

 mountain, of dazzling whiteness. So precipitous 

 was the ascent, that the Indian thought it hopeless 

 to go farther, and looked around him in despair : 

 at that moment, he saw, seated at some distance 

 above, the figure of a beautiful woman arrayed in 

 white, who arose as he looked upon her, and thus 

 accosted him : ' How can you hope, encumbered 

 as you are, to succeed in your design? Go down 

 to the foot of the mountain, throw away your gun, 

 your ammunition, your provisions, and your cloth- 

 ing ; wash yourself in the stream which flows 

 there, and you will then be prepared to stand 

 before the Master of Life.' The Indian obeyed, 



