He next proceeded to sketch their history, as affected by the coming of
the white man among them. The friendly relations, that marked their early
intercourse. Their small beginnings, and the imperceptible manner of their
increase. How they began to line the eastern shores,--plant themselves
upon the borders of their rivers, and gather into neighborhoods, and
towns, and cities. How these new and wonderful things engaged the
attention of the Indians, and kept them spell-bound, so that they were
insensible to what had been going on till the whites were firmly planted,
like a tree that has taken deep root, and sends its branches out over the
land.
He next drew their attention to a time when the signs of a great tempest
began to appear. When the clouds began to overspread the heavens, when the
lightning flashed, and the thunders rolled, and the land was shaken by
their power. A mighty whirlwind came sweeping through the land, the tall
trees of the forest were uprooted, the branches torn off and sent flying
through the air. So has our nation he said been uprooted,--the strong men
torn from us, and scattered, and laid low. Thus he went on recounting as
few could, the circumstances of their history, and as he advanced, his
expressions matured in their intensity, his thoughts appeared to be
winged, and came glowing, as if from some furnace in nature, where all her
materials are wrought under intense heat, and sent forth in forms of
highest brilliancy, and beauty.
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