SHINGABAWOSSIN.
[A ruling chief of the Chippewa nation, of noble mien and respected character, who died and was buried on the banks of lake Superior in 1828, aged about 76.]
Blest be the spot that marks the chieftain’s tomb— There let the bright red flowers of summer bloom, And, as the winds sweep heavily along, Be they the warrior’s chant and funeral song; And yearly there, his native woods shall fling Their leafy honors o’er their sylvan king, While far around, the big and stormy wave Casts foamy incense o’er his rustic grave.
Footnotes:
[1] A name inveterately recorded in our annals, under the false orthography of Tecumseh—which is not true Shawanoe.
[2] Print of the Loon’s foot.
[3] An abbreviation of Git-chi-go-mee,—the Indian name for Lake Superior.
[4] This attack was made by troops commanded by the late Judge Hugh L. White.
[5] Gen. Jackson.
[6] The fall of Tuscaloosa, or the Black Warrior, is here symbolically fixed on as the fall of the nation. This noted chief was not, however, killed in battle; he came voluntarily to Gen. Jackson’s camp and surrendered himself. He had disguised himself in mean clothes to prevent his being shot down by the soldiers, as a price had been set on his head. Hence the nobility of his declaration, on entering the General’s tent—“I am Tuscaloosa.”
[7] An Indian who invokes spirits, and professes to foretell events—a seer; a prophet.
[8] A leggin.
[9] The Algic name for Niagara.
[10] Betula papyracæ.
[11] You only I love.
[12] A literal translation of the Chippewa name for this fish—Ad dik Kum maig.
[13] French orthography for the Indian name of this fish.
[14] A tale of such transformation may be seen, by reference to Algic Researches.
Transcriber's Note:
Uncertain or antiquated spellings or ancient words were not corrected.
Errors in punctuation and inconsistent hyphenation were not corrected unless otherwise noted.
Typographical errors have been silently corrected but other variations in spelling and punctuation remain unaltered.
Where double quotes have been repeated at the beginnings of consecutive stanzas, they have been omitted for clarity.