ABORIGINAL PLACE NAMES OF NEW YORK 87 



to his Vigil of Faith, published in 1842 and' reaching the fourth 

 edition in 1845. An enthusiastic woodman and man of letters, he 

 gathered much from his Indian guides. The poem in cjuestion is 

 founded on the death of an Indian girl, whose assassin hopes to be 

 slain in turn that he may become her companion in the spirit land, 

 rather than his favored rival. The latter follows and guards him 

 everywhere lest he should die first and have his wish. This gave 

 Hoffman an opportunity for an attractive array of wilderness names. 

 The faithful guardian followed his guilty foe. 



Midst dripping crags where, foaming soon, 



Through soaking mosses steals the Schroon, 



To where Peseka's waters lave 



Its silvery strand and sloping hills ; 



From hoarse Ausable's caverned wave 



To Saranac's most northern rills ; 



Mid Reuna's hundred isles of green ; 



By Tunesasah's pebbly pools ; 



And where through many a dark ravine 



The triple crown of rocks is seen, 



By which grim Towarloondah rules. 



Each rocky glen and swampy lair 



Has heard his bowlings of despair. 



Beneath Oukorla's upward eye. 



Daring at times to lift his own — 



My sudden glance upon him thrown 



Has changed into a whispered moan 



His gasping prayer "to die" — "to die!" 



Where naked Ounowarlah towers. 



Where wind-swept Nodoneyo lowers, 



From Nessingh's sluggish waters, red 



With alder roots that line their bed. 



To hoary Wahopartcnie — 



As still from spot to spot we fled. 



How often his despairing sigh 



The very air has thickened 



On v.-hich that fruitless prayer was sped ! 



Oft in that barren hollow where 



Through moss-hung hemlocks blasted there 



Whirl the dark rapids of Yowhayle ; 



Oft, too, by Tioratie blue. 



And where the silent wave that slides 



Tessuj^a's cedar islets through, 



Cahogaronta's cliff divides 



In foam through deep Kurloonah's vale ; 



Where great Tahawus snlits the sky; 



Where Borr-has greets his melting snows ; 



By those linked lakes that shining lie 



Where Metauk's haunted forest grows ; 



And where through many a grassy vlie 



The winding Atatea flows ; 



Through, often tbrou.gh the fearful pass. 



Reft by Otneyarh's f^iant band. 



Where splinters of the mountain vast. 



Though lashed by birchen roots, aghast, 



Toppling amid their ruin stand. 



