50 THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 
and Seers in this crucial hour foretold the downfall of Indian 
supremacy on the continent, dreams were dreamt, visions were seen, 
woe and the crying of women filled the land, for now the glory and 
prominence given to the women of old Canada was lost forever, 
henceforth woman would be degraded, and in her humiliation walk 
with downcast eyes and in humbleness of spirit until the hour of her 
redemption sounded. 
Distracted by these prophecies and their implied reproaches on 
her conduct, self-accusations swiftly followed in their train. The 
stings of an aroused conscience now rent her soul. Where once quar- 
rels and disputes had been settled by peaceful council and arbitration, 
feuds and seditions ruled, her reign as arbitrator was ended, her in- 
fluence and claims to be regarded as the judge of her people’s rights 
and wrongs were openly jeered at and derided, her wishes once 
law were set at naught and disregarded. 
“Were these really truths which were daily being hurled at her 
“as she endeavored to resume her old home life ?” 
‘“‘ Had she indeed been the first to set the law of antiquity at 
‘‘defiance? Was it not owing to her failure in preserving the laws 
‘* soverning totemic, joined to the violation of her vows of virginity, 
“that had brought on such disastrous results ?” 
These and similar questions tortured her soul with the spirit of 
despair, but at last her courageous spirit whispered hope, “ All is 
not lost,” and she vowed yet again that if repentance and atonement 
could wipe out her bitter shame, that on her part should be done. 
She determined to make a last appeal to the neutre nations to rally 
to her standard, beacon fires were lit, and her runners sent forth to 
summon a grand council. She there confessed her sorrow and bit- 
ter repentance, and appealed to the noted chivalrous spirit of her 
audience for volunteers to aid her in recuperating their losses. Ac- 
companied by her vestals, noted women, counsellors and the chief 
warriors who still remained loyal to her, she retired to Buffalo. The 
flower of the nation left her after the first war, those still faithful and 
believing with their dethroned Queen that ‘‘all was not lost” for them, 
numbered fifteen hundred warriors ; these left the disaffected in 
possession of the central and western towns of the peninsula and 
gathered themselves around their Queen at Teosah-wa (Buffalo). 
The Secessionists were composed of bands of young warriors 
