as its own traditions. I wish to
hear what the Senecas say about this floating tree; but first have the
goodness to point it out to me."

The young Indian did as Fuller requested. Aided by the keener vision of
the red man, our traveler at length got a glimpse of a distant speck on
the water, which his companion assured him was the object of their
mutual search. He himself had been looking for the "Jew" a week, but
had asked no assistance from others, relying on the keenness of his
sight and the accuracy of his traditions. That very morning he had
first discovered the speck on the water, which he now pointed out to
his companion.

"You think, then, that yonder object is the 'Wandering Jew?'" asked
Fuller.

"It is the Swimming Seneca. Five hundred winters has he been obliged to
keep in the chilled waters of the lake; in five hundred more the
Manitou will let him rest on its bottom."

"What was the offense that has drawn down upon this chief so severe a
punishment?"

"Listen to our traditions, and you shall know. When the Great Spirit
created man, He gave him laws to obey, and duties to perform--"

"Excuse me, Seneca, but your language is so good that I hardly know
what to make of you."

An almost imperceptible smile played about the compressed lip of the
young Indian, who, at first, seemed disposed to evade an explanation;
but, on reflection, he changed his purpose, and communicated to Fuller
the outlines of a very simple, and, by no means, unusual history. He
was a chief of the highest race in his tribe, and had been selected to
receive the education of a pale-face at one of the colleges of that
people. He had received a degree, and, yielding to the irrepressible
longings of what might almost be termed his nature, he no sooner left
the college in which he had been educated, than he resumed the blanket
and leggings, under the influence of early recollections, and a
mistaken appreciation of the comparative advantages between the
civilized condition, and those of a life passed in the forest and on
the prairies. In this respect our young Seneca resembles the white
American, who, after a run of six months in Europe, returns home with
the patriotic declaration in his mouth, that his native land is
preferable to all other lands. Fuller soon understood the case, when
both reverted to their common object in coming thither. The young
Seneca thereupon resumed his explanation.

{the young Indian = almost certainly based o