13. While our fathers were always boating and navigating, they saw in the east that the snake land was bright and wealthy. (Here begins a fine poetical rhyming narrative).—See Last Note.
14. The head-beaver Wihlamok, and the big-bird Kicholen, were saying to all, let us go to the Snake Island Akomen.
15. By going with us, we shall annihilate all the snaking people, Wemaken.
16. Having all agreed, the northerlings and easterlings, went over the water of the frozen sea to possess that land.
17. It was wonderful when they all went over the smooth deep water of the frozen sea, at the gap of the Snake sea in the great ocean.
18. They were ten thousand in the dark, who all go forth in a single night in the dark, to the Snake island of the eastern land Wapanaki in the Dark, by walking all the people.—Olini.[27]
19. They were the manly north, the manly east, the manly south; with manly eagle, manly beaver, manly wolf; with manly hunter, manly priest, manly rich; with manly wife, manly daughter, manly dog. (12 words all homophonous rhymes.)
20. All coming there, they tarry at Firland Shinaking. But the western men doubtful of the passage, preferred to remain at the old turtle land.
Thus end these interesting and positive ancient traditions, by a fine poem on the passage to America over the ice; the Shawanis have a similar poem: the Illinois had also one, and almost every Linapi tribe. They are perhaps lost; but this being at last rescued, will preserve the memory for ever. Now begin the second series of songs, in a different style, seldom rhyming, but made metrical by an equal number of words in each verse, 4 in the 4 first which carry the tribe till their conquest of the Talegas; but only 3 in the 3 later poems on the subsequent history. Thus these songs diminish in details as they advance; but they are mere abridgment of better annals now probably lost. Numbers shall be annexed to each successive king or ruler, so as to compute the generations.
1. Song. At Shinaki till the 10 Kings or Civil Wars.