about to assume belonged to Atotarho, the Onondaga,
but the old Onondaga assigned it for the occasion to Thayendanegea, and
there was no objection. Thayendanegea was an educated man, he had been
in England, he was a member of a Christian church, and he had translated
a part of the Bible from English into his own tongue, but now he was all
a Mohawk, a son of the forest.

He spoke to the listening crowd of the glories of the Six Nations, how
Hah-gweh-di-yu (The Spirit of Good) had inspired Hiawatha to form the
Great Confederacy of the Five Nations, afterwards the Six; how they had
held their hunting grounds for nearly two centuries against both English
and French; and how they would hold them against the Americans. He
stopped at moments, and deep murmurs of approval went through the Long
House. The eyes of both men and women flashed as the orator spoke of
their glory and greatness. Timmendiquas, in a place of honor, nodded
approval. If he could he would form such another league in the west.

The air in the Long House, breathed by so many, became heated. It seemed
to have in it a touch of fire. The orator's words burned. Swift and deep
impressions were left upon the excited brain. The tall figure of the
Mohawk towered, gigantic, in the half light, and the spell that he threw
over all was complete.

He spoke about half an hour, but when he stopped he did not sit down.
Henry knew by the deep breath that ran through the Long House that
something more was coming from Thayendanegea. Suddenly the red chief
began to sing in a deep, vibrant voice, and this was the song that he
sung:

This was the roll of you,
All hail! All hail! All hail!

You that joined in the work,
All hail! All hail! All hail!

You that finished the task,
All hail! All hail! All hail!

The Great League,
All hail! All hail! All hail!

There was the same incessant repetition of "Haih haih!" that Henry had
noticed in the chant at the edge of the woods, but it seemed to give a
cumulative effect, like the roll of thunder, and at every slight pause
that deep breath of approval ran through the crowd in the Long House.
The effect of the song was indescribable. Fire ran in the veins of all,
men, women, and children. The great pulses in their throats leaped up.
They were the mighty nation, the ever-victorious, the League of the
Ho-de-no-sau-nee, that had held at bay both the French and the English
since first a white man was seen in th