hes, and
the still water reflected the great pine-trees of the forest. Every
trace of sorrow was gone from Hiawatha's face, and with a smile of joy
he lifted his open hands toward the blazing sun to shade his eyes. He
was watching something that floated far out on the water--some image
which he could not plainly see, but which was drawing nearer and nearer
to the village. At last he saw that it was a birch canoe, with paddles
flashing as they rose and fell; and in it came the white-faced people
from the Land of Sunrise, led by a bearded chief in a black robe, who
wore a cross upon his breast.

The canoe grated on the pebbles, and Hiawatha, with his hands stretched
outward as a sign of friendship, called to them in welcome.

"The sun is fair to look upon, O strangers," cried out Hiawatha. "Our
town waits for you in peace, and the doors of all our wigwams stand open
to receive you. Our tobacco never was so sweet and pleasant, and our
waving cornfields never seemed so beautiful to behold as this morning,
when you visit us from far-off lands." And the chief of the strange
people, the bearded man in the black robe, answered, stammering a
little, for the language of the Indians was strange to him: "May the
peace of Christ be with you and your people, Hiawatha!"

Then the noble-hearted Hiawatha led them to his wigwam, where he seated
them on skins of bison and ermine, while Nokomis brought them water in
cups of birch-bark and food in bowls of polished basswood; and when they
were done with eating, peace-pipes were filled with willow-bark and
lighted for them to smoke.

All the warriors, and old men, and the magicians of the village came to
welcome the great strangers, and they sat around the doorway of
Hiawatha's wigwam in a large circle, smoking their pipes and waiting for
the strangers to come forth and to speak to them. The black-robed chief
went out of the wigwam and greeted all the Indians, while they said to
him: "O Brother, it is well that you have come so far to see us!"

Then the bearded man in the black robe commenced to speak, showing them
the cross that he wore upon his breast, and he told them about Christ
and the Virgin Mary and how the wicked tribe, the Jews, had taken Christ
and crucified him long ago, and the Indians smoked on in silence,
listening to his words.

"It is well," they said when he had finished; "we will think upon your
words of wisdom. We are pleased."

Then they rose and went home to the