18 THE LIFE or

ge-wah-noong, while my father and mother were attend-
ing the annual distribution of the presents from the govern-
ment to the Indians. I was the third of our family; a
brother and sister being older, both of whom died. My
brother died without the knowledge of the Saviour, but
my sister experienced the power of the loving grace of
God. One brother, and two step-brothers, are still
alive.

I remember the tall trees, and the dark woods-the
swamp just by, where the little wren sang so melodiously
after the going down of the sun in the west—the current
of the broad river Trent—the skipping of the fish, and
the noise of the rapids a little above. It was hereI first
saw the light; a little fallen down shelter, made of ever-
greens, and a few dead embers, the remains of the last
fire that shed its genial warmth around, were all that
marked the spot. VVhen I last visited it, nothing but
fur poles stuck in the ground, and they were leaning on
account of decay. Is this dear spot, made green by the
tears of memory, any less enticing and hallowed than
the palaces where princes are born? I would much
more glory in this birth-place, with the broad canopy of
heaven above me, and the giant arms of the forest trees
for my shelter, than to be born in palaces of marble,
stud ed with pillars of gold! Nature will be nature

still while palaces shall decay and fall in ruins. Yes,

Niagara will be Niagara a thousand years hence! the
rainbow, a wreath over her brow, shall continue as long
as the sun, and the flowing of the river! While the
Work of art, however impregnable, shall in atoms fall.
Our wigwam we always carried with us wherever we