Then the chieftain called his people,
Beat the drum that called assembly.
O'er the hills and through the valley,
Rolled the urgent call of Tomo—
"Gather 'round me, O My People,
Quickly let the tribe assemble,
For the Sheriff seeks a White Girl."
Gathered then the Indian people
From the twenty sombre wigwams,
From the hunting in the forest,
From the fishing in the river,
From the scouting in the valley.
When the tribe had thus assembled,
In the space before the wigwams,
Spake the chieftain, crafty Tomo,—
"Ne-top-ki-ki-ta, Ski-dem-bak.
Harken unto me, My People,
Here are Constable and Sheriff
From the Mighty Central River,
Looking for a pretty White Girl,
Lovely White Girl, Molly Barber.
Golden yellow are her tresses
Banked in ringlets o'er her shoulders,
Lovely White Girl, Molly Barber,
Fleeing from her father's wigwam,
With her Indian husband, Chaugham.
"Listen well and look around you,
For the Constable and Sheriff
Think she's hiding in our village.
Have you seen her, O My People?
Pretty White Girl, Molly Barber,
With her golden, yellow tresses
Banked in ringlets o'er her shoulders?
Have you seen her? Have you seen her
By the river, in the forest?
Is she with us in the village?
"If you see her, quickly tell me
And I'll send her to her father."
When the chief had finished speaking,
No one moved and no one answered.
All were silent in the village.