 | Ouâbi : or the virtues of nature |  |
AZÂKIA.
Does the turtle learn to roam,
When her mate has left his home?
Will the bee forsake her hive?
In the peopled wigwam thrive?
Can Azâkia ever prove,
Guardless of Ouâbi's love!
While the shivers from the tree,
Which the warrior broke with me,
Straight as honor, bright as fame,
Have not felt the wasting flame!
Think of all his guardian care,
How he train'd thy steps to war;
How, when press'd by ev'ry harm,
Stretch'd his life-protecting arm;
Rais'd thee from the trembling ground,
Drew the arrow from thy wound,
Brought thee to his peaceful plain,
Cloth'd thy cheek with health again!
When her mate has left his home?
Will the bee forsake her hive?
In the peopled wigwam thrive?
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Guardless of Ouâbi's love!
While the shivers from the tree,
Which the warrior broke with me,
Straight as honor, bright as fame,
Have not felt the wasting flame!
Think of all his guardian care,
How he train'd thy steps to war;
How, when press'd by ev'ry harm,
Stretch'd his life-protecting arm;
Rais'd thee from the trembling ground,
Drew the arrow from thy wound,
Brought thee to his peaceful plain,
Cloth'd thy cheek with health again!
Shall I from such virtue part?
Must I break that gen'rous heart?
Ev'ry pang, which kills thy rest,
Then will pierce his faithful breast,
His and thine I cannot be:
Must I break his heart for thee?
Must I break that gen'rous heart?
Ev'ry pang, which kills thy rest,
Then will pierce his faithful breast,
His and thine I cannot be:
Must I break his heart for thee?
The marriage contract of the North American Indians is not necessarily during life, but while the parties continue agreeable to each other. The ceremony is performed by their mutually breaking small shivers or sticks of wood in the presence of their friends, which are carefully deposited in some safe place, till they wish a separation; when with like ceremony the sticks are thrown into the sacred fires, and the marriage consequently dissolved. Mrs. Brooks observes, that the greatest obstruction to the conversion of the Canadian Indians to christianity, was their reluctance at forming marriages for life.
| Ouâbi : or the virtues of nature | |