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242 THE COURANT; A SOUTHERN LITERARY JOURNAL.

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But Panigwun had no sooner got ashore, than Mish-
osha pushed his canoe a little from the land, and ex-
claimed - "Listen, ye gulls! you have long expected an
offering from me. I now give you a victim. Fly down
and devour him." Then, striking, his canoe, he left the
young man to his fate.
The birds immediately came in could around their
victim, darkening the air with their numbers. But the
youth seized the first that came near him, and drawing
his knife, cut off its head. He immediately skinned the
bird and hung the feathers as a trophy on his breast. -
"Thus," he exclaimed, "will I treat every one of you
who approaches me. Forbear, therefore, and listen to
my words. It is not for you to eat human flesh. You
have been given by the Great Spirit as food for man. -
Neither is it in the power of that old magician to do
you any good. Take me on your backs and carry me to
his lodge, and you shall see that I am not ungrateful."
The gulls obeyed; collected in a could for him to rest
upon, and quickly flew to the lodge, where they arrived
before the magician. The daughters were surprised at
his return, but Mishosha, on entering the lodge, con-
ducted himself as if nothing extraordinary had taken
place.
The next day he again addressed the youth: "Come,
my son," said he, "I will take you to an island covered
with the most beautiful stones and pebbles, looking like
silver. I wish you to assist me in gathering some of
them. They will make handsome ornaments, and pos-
sess great medicinal virtues." Entering the canoe, the
magician made use of his charm, and they were carried
in a few moments to a solitary bay in an island, where
there was a smooth sandy beach. The young man went
ashore as usual, and began to search. "A little further,
a little further," cried the old man. "Upon that rock
you will get some fine ones." Then, pushing his canoe
from land - "Come, thou great king of fishes," cried the
old man; "you have long expected an offering from me.
Come, and eat the stranger whom I have just put ashore
on your island." So saying, he commanded his canoe
to return, and it was soon out of sight.
Immediately a monstrous fish thrust his long snout
from the water, crawling partially on the beach, and
opening wide his jaws to receive his victim. "When!"
exclaimed the young man, drawing his knife and put-
ting himself in a threatening attitude, "when did you
ever taste human flesh? Have a care for yourself. You
were given by the Great Spirit to man, and if you, or
any of your tribe, eat human flesh, you will fall sick and
die. Listen not to the words of that wicked man, but
carry me back to his island, in return for which I will
present you with a piece of red cloth." The fish complied,
raising his back out of the water, to allow the young
man to get on. Then taking his way throguh the lake,
he landed his charge safely on the island before the re-
turn of the magician. The daughters were still more
surprised to see that he had escaped the arts of their
father the second time. But the old man on his reutrn
maintained his taciturnity and self-composure. He
could not, however, held saying to himself - "What
manner of boy is this, who is escaping from my
power! But his spirit shall not save him. I will entrap
him to-morrow. Ha, ha, ha!"
Next day the magician addressed the young man as
follows: "Come, my son, said he, "you must go with
me to procure some young eagles. I wish to tame
them. I have discovered an island where they are in
great abundance." When they had reached the island,
Mishosha led him inland until they came to the foot of
a tall pine, upon which the nests were. "Now, my
son," said he, "climb up this tree and bring down the
birds." The young man obeyed. When he had with
great difficulty got near the nest, "Now," exlaimed
the magician, addressing the tree, "stretch yourself up
and be very tall." The tree rose up at the command.
"Listen, ye eagles," continued the old man, "you have
long expected a gift from me. I now present you with this
boy, who has had the presumption to molest your young.
Stretch forth your claws and seize him." So saying, he
left the young man to his fate, and returned.

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But the intrepid youth, drawing his knife, and cut-
ting off the head of the first eagle that menaced him,
raised his voice and exclaimed: "Thus will I deal with
all who come near me. What right have you, you raven-
ous birds, who were made to feast on beasts, to eat hu-
man flesh? If it because that cowardly old canoe-man
has bid you do so? He is an old woman. He can
neither do you good nor harm. See, I have already
slain one of your number. Respect my bravery, and
carry me back, that I may shew you how I shall treat
you."
The eagles, pleased with his spirit, assented, and,
clustering thick around him, formed a seat with their
backs, and flew toward the enchanted island. As they
crossed the water they passed the magician, lying
half asleep in his canoe.
The return of the young man was hailed with joy by
the daughters, who now plainly saw that he was under
the guidance of a strong spirit. But the ire of the
old man was excited, although he kept his temper un-
der subjection. He taxed his wits for some new mode
of ridding himself of the youth, who had so success-
fully baffled his skill. He next invited him to go a-
hunting.
Taking his canoe, they proceeded to an island and
built a lodge to shelter themselves suring the night -
In the meanwhile the magician caused a deep fall of
snow, with a storm of wind and severe cold. Accord-
ing to custom, the young man pulled off his moccasins
and leggings, and hung them before the fire to dry. -
After he had gone to sleep, the magician, watching his
opportunity, got up, and taking one moccasin and one
legging, threw them into the fire. He then went to
sleep. In the morning, stretching himself as he arose,
and uttering an exclamation of surprise, "My son,"
said he, " what has become of your moccasin and leg-
ging? I believe this is the moon in which fire attracts,
and I fear they have been drawn in." The young man
suspected the true cause of his loss, and rightly at-
tributed it to a design of the magician to freeze him to
death on the march. But he maintained the strictest
silence, and drawing his conaus over his head, thus
communed with himself: "I have full faith in the
Manito who has preserved me thus far; I do not fear
that he will forsake me in this cruel emergency. -
Great is his power, and I invoke it now that he may
enable me to prevail over this wicked enemy of man-
kind."
He then drew on the remaining mocassin and legging,
and taking a dead coal from the fire-place, invoked his
spirit to give it effecacy, and blackened his foot and leg
as far as the lost garment usually reached. He then
got up and announced himself ready for the march. In
vain Mishosha led him through snows and over mo-
rasses, hoping to see the lad sink at every moment. -
But in this he was disappointed, and for the first time
they returned together.
Taking courage from this success, the young man
now determined to try his own power, having previously
consulted with the daughters. They all agreed that
the life the old man led was detestable, and that who-
ever would rid the world of him, would entitle himself
to the thanks of the human race.
On the following day the young man thus addressed
his hoary captor: "My grandfather, I have often gone
with you on your perilous excursions, and never murmured.
I must now request that you will accompany me. I
wish to visit my little brother, and to bring him home
with me." They accordingly went on a visit to the
main land, and found the little lad in the spot where
he had been left. After taking him into the canoe, the
young man again addressed the magician: "My grand-
father, willl you go and cut me a few of those red wil-
lows on the bank, I wish to prepare some smoking mix-
ture." "Certainly, my son," replied the old man;
"what yuo wish is not very hard. Ha, ha, ha! do you
think me too old to get up there?" No sooner was
Mishosha ashore, than the young man, placing himself
in the proper position, struck the canoe with his hand,
and pronouncing the charms, N'chimaun Poll, the

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canoe immediate flew through the water on its return
to the island. It was evening when the two brothers
arrived, and carried the canoe ashore. But the elder
daughter informed the young man that unless he sate up
and watched the canoe, and kept his hand upon it, such
was the power of their father, it would slip off and re-
turn to him. Panigwun watched faithfully till near the
dawn of day, when he could no longer resist the drow-
siness which oppressed him, and he fell into a short
doze. In the meantime, the canoe slipped off and sought
its master, who soon returned in high glee. Ha, ha,
ha! my son," said he; "you thought to play me a trick.
It was very clever. But you see I am too old for you."
A short time after, the youth again addressed the
magician. "My grandfather, I wish to try my skill in
hunting. It is said there is plenty of game on an
island not far off, and I have to request that you will
take me there in your canoe." They accordingly went
to the island and spent the day in hunting. Night
coming on, they put up a temporary lodge. When the
magician had sunk into a profound sleep, the young
man got up, and taking one of Mishosha's leggings and
moccasins from the place where they hung, threw them
into the fire, thus retaliating the artifice before played
upon himself. He had discovered that the foot and leg
were the only vulnerable parts of the magician's body.
Having committed these articles to the fire, he besought
his Manito that he would raise a great storm of snow,
wind and hail, and then laid himself down beside the
old man. Consternation was depicted on the counte-
nance of the latter, when he awoke in the morning and
found his moccasin and legging missing. "I believe,
my grandfather," said the yuong man, "that this is the
moon in which fire attracts, and I fear your foor and leg
garments have been drawn in." Then rising and bid-
ding the old man to follow him, he began the morning's
hunt, frequently turning to see how Mishosha kept up.
He saw him faltering at every step, and almost be-
numbed with cold, but encouraged him to follow, saying,
we shall soon get through and reach the shore; although
he took pains, at the same time, to lead him in round-
about ways, so as to let the frost take complete effect.
At length the old man reached the brink of the island
where the woods are succeeded by a border of smooth
sand. But he could go no farther; his legs became
stiff and refused motion, and he found himself fixed to
the spot. But he still kept stretching out his arms and
swinging his body to and fro. Every moment he found
the numbness creeping higher. He felt his legs grow-
ing downward like roots, the feathers of his head turned
to leaves, and in a few seconds he stood a tall and stiff
sycamore, leaning toward the water.
Panigwun leaped into the canoe, and pronouncing the
charm, was soon transported to the island, where he re-
lated his victory to the daughters. They applauded the
deed, and agreed to put on mortal shapes, became wives to
the two young man, and for ever quit the enchanted
island. And, passing immediately over to the main land,
they lived lived of happiness and peace.

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A FRAGMENT. - There are scenes in life which the
pencil cannot paint, and which the pen can not describe.
The parting of friends torn asunder by stern and invin-
cible fate, the leaving behind the family, friends, and
your natal soil, the house in which the innocent days of
your boyhood have been passed, when the mind, free
from the cares incident to an advanced age, is buoyed up
with hope, and sweeps along the current of time, reck-
less of the future - exulting in the past; the parting
from those whom you have loved - the romantic walks,
every step hallowed by the remembrance of her on whom
you delighted to gaze - the thought that you press for
the last time the hand of her who watched over your
infancy, protected and shielded you in every danger -
the idea of having the beloved associate who was the
first to hear - the first to sympathize in all your woes;
to turn from your native land, to throw yourself
among strangers, and form new connections; the idea is
horrible, is agonizing. I know no misery equal to it.
A whole train of recollections rush through the mind,
in quick, vivid succession. Hope itself seems denied
us, and life appears a thing to be despised.

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A FASHIONABLE PROVERB. - Heaven sent us women,
and France - crinoline.