The American Indians Part 49

Under such circ.u.mstances, a few short and broken sentences are enough to keep alive the theme in his mind; and he is not probably conscious of the fact, that, to an unimpa.s.sioned and calm listener, with note book in hand, there is not sufficient said to give coherence to the song. And that such a song, indeed, under the best auspices, is a mere wild rhapsody of martial thought, poured out from time to time, in detached sentences, which are, so to say, cemented into lines by a flexible chorus and known tune. The song and the music are all of a piece. Vivid and glowing, and poetic pictures will float in such a train, and often strike the imagination by their graphic truth and boldness; but the poet must look elsewhere for finished melody, and refined and elaborate composition.

The Indian is to be viewed here, as elsewhere, as being in the highest state of his _physical_, not of his _mental_ phasis. Such glimmerings may however be picked out of these warlike rhapsodies, as denote that he is of a n.o.ble and independent tone of thinking. We shall at least enable the reader to judge. The following specimens, which have been derived from actors in the depths of the forest, consist of independent songs, or stanzas, each of which is sung by a different or by the same warrior, while the dance is in progress. The words have been taken down from a young Chippewa warrior of lake Superior, of the name of Che che-gwy-ung.

It will be perceived that there is a unity in the _theme_, while each warrior exercises the freest scope of expression. This unity I have favoured by throwing out such stanzas as mar it, and afterwards arranging them together.

WAR SONG.

_a_. In beginning this song the warrior has turned his eyes to the clouds.

O sha wan ong (From the place of the south) Un dos' e wug, (They come,) _repeat_.

Pe na' se wug, (The birds, _i.e._ the warlike birds.) Ka baim wai wa dung-ig. (Hear the sound of their pa.s.sing screams on the air.)

_b_. The idea of ravenous birds hovering in the sky, still prevails--

Tod ot' to be (I wish to change myself to be) Pe na' se. (A bird.) Ka dow' we a we yun'. (His swift body--to be like him.) */

_c_. The warrior now rises above all thoughts of fear.

Ne wa be na, (I cast it away.) Ne ow a. (My body.) Ne wa be na, (_Repeats_.) This is a high symbolical Ne ow a. boast of personal bravery.

_d_. He appeals to the Great Spirit for extraordinary power.

Na bun a k.u.m ig, (On the front part of the earth,) Tshe ba be wish' em ug. (First s.h.i.+nes [strikes] the light.) In do main' em ik, (Such power to me,) Mon' e do, (My G.o.d,) Sha wa nem id. (In thy mercy give!)

By the boldness of this figure he claims the omnipotent power of the sun to see and discover his enemies.

_e_. He upbraids such of his people as hold back, and do not join in the dance--that is to say, enlist in the war.

Wa go nain', e win? (Why do ye, warriors,) A be yun ah, (Stand back?) Wa wos is se, we yun. (Ye who bear the mark of the Awasees.) */

The Awasee is a kind of fish, which is the _totem_ of a clan.

_f_. He declares his full purpose to enter into the war.

Ne ma je, e yeh! (I go to the spot--the war path!) Ne ma je, e yeh! (_Repeats_.) Ne me kun ah, e yeh! (My war path!) Ge zhig neen wa tin, (My sky is fair and clear.) The common phrase to denote good fortune.

Hoh! Ne monedo netaibuatum (Let others linger. Onward! my o win. G.o.d!--my right!)

In presenting these specimens of the original words of some of our western warriors, we are permitted to give the annexed versions of them from the pen of one of our most gifted writers.

WAR-SONG--"Pe-na' se-wug."

(From the Algonquin of Schoolcraft.)

BY C.F. HOFFMAN.

I.

Hear not ye their shrill-piping screams on the air?

Up! Braves for the conflict prepare ye--prepare!

Aroused from the canebrake, far south by your drum, With beaks whet from carnage, the Battle Birds come.

II.

Oh G.o.d of my Fathers, as swiftly as they, I ask but to swoop from the hills on my prey: Give this frame to the winds, on the Prairie below, But my soul--like thy bolt-- I would hurl on the foe!

III.

On the forehead of Earth strikes the Sun in his might, Oh gift me with glances as searching as light.

In the front of the onslaught, to single each crest, Till my hatchet grows red on their bravest and best.

IV.

Why stand ye back idly, ye Sons of the Lakes?

Who boast of the scalp-locks, ye tremble to take.

Fear-dreamers may linger, _my_ skies are all bright-- Charge--charge--on the War-Path, FOR G.o.d AND THE RIGHT.

Take the following additional example, of a death song. These stanzas have all been actually sung on warlike occasions, and repeated in my hearing. They have been gleaned from the traditionary songs of the Chippewas of the north, whose villages extend through the region of lake Superior, and to the utmost sources of the Mississippi. Those bands are the hereditary foes of their western neighbours, the Dacotahs or Sioux, who are generally called by them, by way of distinction, Na do wa' sees, that is to say, OUR ENEMIES. The allusions in the songs are exclusively to them. In writing the original, I omit the chorus, as it is not susceptible of translation, and would increase considerably the s.p.a.ce occupied.

DEATH SONG.

1. In opening this song the warrior is to be contemplated as lying wounded on the field of battle.

A' be tuh ge zhig, (Under the centre of the sky,) Ne ba baim wa' wa. (I utter my baim wa wa.)

Baimwawa, is the sound of pa.s.sing thunders, which will convey a just idea of the violence of this figure.

2. His thoughts revert to the star of his destiny.

Ain dah' so gezhig (Every day, thou star!) Ke ga gun o wa bom in. (I gaze at you.)

It is the morning star that is here alluded to.

3. He sees the birds of carnage hovering over the field.

A' be tuh geezh-ig (The half of the day) Ai be yaun (I abide--gazing) Pe na se wug (Ye warlike birds.)

4. He keeps the flight of these birds before his mind and hears their shrill cries.

Pe misk wosh e wug (They fly round the circuit of the sky.) Pe na' se wug (The birds--circling) A' be tuh geezh ig oag. (Round half the circuit of the sky.) The meaning is, approaching him in circle more nearly, as life becomes fainter in him.

5. This figure is continued. He lies bleeding.

A' zha waush e wug (They cross the enemy's line) Pe na se wug. (The birds.)

6. He feels that he is called to another world.