Niagara Falls 



1879 A tone that since the birth of man 



Longfellow Was never for a moment broken, 



A word that since the world began, 

 And waters ran, 

 Hath spoken still to man, — 

 Of God and of Eternity hath spoken. 



And in that vision, as it passed, 



Was gathered terror, beauty, power; 

 And still, when all has fled, too fast, 

 And I at last 

 Dream of the dreamy past, 

 My heart is full when lingering on that hour. 



Anonymous. 

 1880-1831 

 1880-81 SMITH, ERMINNIE A. A Seneca legend of Hi-nun and Niagara. (In 



Smith \ m Myths of the Iroquois. Pp. 54-55.) (Sec. ann. rep't of the 



bureau of ethn. to the sec'y. of the Smith, inst. 1880-81. By J. W. 

 Powell, Director. Wash.: Gov't, print, off. 1883.) 



A beautiful Indian maiden was about to be compelled by her 

 family to marry a hideous old Indian. 



Despair was in her heart. She knew that there was no escape 

 for her, so in desperation she leaped into her canoe and pushed 

 it from shore on the roaring waters of Niagara. She heeded not 

 that she was going to her death, preferring the angry waters to 

 the arms of her detested lover. 



Now, the God of Cloud and Rain, the great deity Hi-nu n , 

 who watches over the harvest, dwelt in a cave behind the rush- 

 ing waters. From his home he saw the desperate launching of 

 the maiden's canoe; saw her going to almost certain destruction. 

 He spread out his wings and flew to her rescue, and caught her 

 just as her frail bark was dashing on the rocks below. 



The grateful Indian girl lived for many weeks in Hi-nu n 's 

 cave. He taught her many new things. She learned from him 

 why her people died so often — why sickness was always busy 



780 



