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NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 
 
To 
 
 CHIEF WILBUR CLIFFORD SHONGO 
 Wolf Clan, Seneca Tribe, 
 
 Iroquois Confederacy. 
 
 Late Curator, Indian Department Buffalo 
 Historical Society, in recognition of his helpful 
 suggestions both as to text and illustrations. 
 
 Copyright 1922 
 
 WILLARD PARKER 
 
 Conshohocken, Pa. 
 
 PRESS OF DUDDY & NYCE, Conshohocken. Pa. 
 
NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 
 
 THE LEGEND OF THE 
 
 WHITE CANOE 
 
 BY 
 
 WILLARD PARKER 
 
 ILLUSTRATIONS BY 
 
 MARY MUSE FLETCHER 
 
 WILLARD PARKER PUBLISHING CO. 
 
 Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, U. S. A. 
 1922 
 

 \ 
 
 6 
 
 
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 ©C(.A(574550 
 
 
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INTRODUCTION 
 
 ""FHE Legend of the White Canoe, substantially 
 as told by Mr. Parker in his poem, is one of 
 the oldest and best authenticated of the many 
 Indian Legends which cluster about the great 
 Niagara Falls. The phenomenon of the Rain- 
 bow, which shows itself in the sprays of Niagara 
 in greater perfection than anywhere else on the 
 globe, is also well known to visitors and resi- 
 dents at the Falls. It seems, however, to have 
 remained for Mr. Parker's poetic imagination to 
 first discover the connection between the sacrifice 
 and the bow. 
 
 WILBUR CLIFFORD SHONGO 
 
 Chief Seneca Tribe, Wolf Clan, 
 
 Iroquois Confederacy. 
 May, 1922. 
 
NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 
 
 OLD YA-GAO-TAH'S TALE 
 
 I 
 
 Yon Rainbow, circling great Niagara's brow, 
 
 Tells, children, of a chieftain's awful vow; 
 
 Hark to its tale of sadness and of love, 
 
 All other legends of our race above: 
 
 The story of Wenona's White Canoe, 
 
 The grand devotion of her lover true. 
 
 The fate that swept their youthful lives 
 away. 
 
 Marked by Niagara's Rainbow to this day. 
 
"Yon Rainbow, circling great Niagara's brow' 
 
NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 
 
 II 
 
 For know, my children, in the days of yore. 
 
 Or ever w^hite man's foot had pressed this 
 shore, 
 
 In forest deep and dark our fathers dwelt, 
 
 Before the Manitou devoted knelt, 
 
 Craved His protection and His mighty aid 
 
 Against the foe and famine — to Him 
 prayed 
 
 When pestilence up-raised its baleful head, 
 
 Swelling the gruesome ranks of warrior 
 dead. 
 
"Craved His protection and His mighty aid" 
 
NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 
 
 But comes a day wrhen prayer and offering 
 fail, 
 
 When medicines of wise men naught avail. 
 
 When through the tribe, with footsteps 
 grim and gaunt. 
 
 Stalk the twin spectres, Pestilence and Want. 
 
 In terror then, around the council fire 
 
 Gather the chiefs, their head Wenonah's sire; 
 
 "What can we offer Thee, Oh! Manitou?" 
 
 Speaks the Great Spirit then: " The While 
 Canoe ! " 
 
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NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 
 
 IV 
 
 Full well they know the precious sacrifice 
 
 Demanded, but, though terrible the price, 
 
 To save the few still left it must be paid — 
 
 Niagara's Water-god the fairest maid 
 
 Of all the tribe as offering must claim — 
 
 Her sacrifice to cleanse the tribe of blame. 
 
 Who shall it be? Alas! there is but one 
 
 On whom the lot can fall ! The deed is 
 done ! 
 

 
 
 
 
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NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 
 
 V 
 
 Like arrow to the mark each glance now 
 turns 
 
 Toward fair Wenonah, and her sire's heart 
 yearns 
 
 At thought that she — his dear — his only 
 child, 
 
 Must seek her fate beneath the w^aters wild. 
 
 Stately he rises in his place: " Nay ! nay !" 
 
 He cries, "If naught but that our doom can 
 stay, 
 
 We'll brave the famine's pestilential breath, 
 
 Till all the tribe lies stark and cold in 
 death ! " 
 
"Stately he rises in his place: 'Nay ! nay !' he cries' 
 
NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 
 
 VI 
 
 Up springs Wenonah : " Father ! hear me 
 speak ! 
 
 Though but a woman, think me not so weak 
 
 That I would shrink, a coward, from flood 
 or fire, 
 
 To save my tribe! My blood is thine, my 
 sire! 
 
 Lead on, Oh ! warriors, to Niagara's Fall, 
 
 Its might shall not my woman's heart appal ! 
 
 Farewell, my sire ! Uncas, my love, farewell ! 
 
 Great Water-god ! sound thou Wenonah's 
 knell!" 
 
'Great Water-god ! Sound thou Wenonah's knell" 
 
NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 
 
 VI 
 
 And now, through leagues of forest have 
 they tracked 
 
 Their mournful way toward the Cataract. 
 
 Before that band of dusky warriors grim 
 
 Stalks, stern and silent, the gaunt form of 
 him 
 
 Who, savage chieftain of a savage race. 
 
 Yet, sorrow pictured in his w^arrior face. 
 
 Now, torn with anguish, offers up his child, 
 
 A sacrifice unto the waters wild. 
 
"Before that band of dusky warriors grim" 
 
NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 
 
 VIII 
 
 Amid the circle of her dusky maids, 
 
 Wenonah treads the darksome forest glades, 
 
 The fairest of her tribe— her Nation's pride^ 
 
 While Uncas walks dejected by her side. 
 
 And though her own brave eyes are filled 
 w^ith tears, 
 
 She strives with cheerful w^ord to calm his 
 fears. 
 
 But nought can give his troubled spirit rest, 
 
 Or loose those savage lips, with grief 
 compressed. 
 
"And though her own brave eyes are filled with tears" 
 
NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 
 
 IX 
 
 Now, as she hears Niagara's deep boom, 
 
 A premonition of her dreadful doom, 
 
 Reverberating through the forest aisles. 
 
 Up in her lover's face she faintly smiles. 
 
 And whispers of that land beyond the 
 grave, 
 
 That bourne of maiden pure and warrior 
 brave. 
 
 Where she, though now torn weeping from 
 his side. 
 
 In the Great Spirit's home may be his bride. 
 
Up in her lover's face she faintly smiles' 
 
NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 
 
 X 
 
 The White Canoe receives its precious 
 freight 
 
 Of flowers and fruit, and, clad in mimic 
 state, 
 
 Reclines amid the bloom, Wenonah fair — 
 
 Most luscious fruit, and fairest blossom 
 there. 
 
 The warriors grim, smile on such beauteous 
 bribe. 
 
 To lure the spirits blessing on their tribe. 
 
 And all save Uncas gaze with eager eye, 
 
 As bark and burden down the current fly. 
 
'As bark and burden down the current fly' 
 
NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 
 
 XI 
 
 But not alone must poor Wenonah brave 
 
 That dreadful vortex, for, though nought 
 can save, 
 
 A love there is, death even cannot part. 
 
 And such the love that fills brave Uncas' 
 heart; 
 
 A single stroke and they are side by side. 
 
 Alone — together — 'mid the boiling tide! 
 
 Hand clasped in hand as plunging o'er the 
 brink — 
 
 Heart throbs with heart as in the flood 
 they sink. 
 

 
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NIAGARA'S RAINBOW 
 
 X 
 
 The stricken warriors turn In mute dismay. 
 
 Then silent— saddened — take their home- 
 ward w^ay, 
 
 And on their heads, from out the cloudless 
 blue. 
 
 The spray-drops fall, tinted with rainbow's 
 hue. 
 
 "The Spirit weeps," they cry, "for Uncas 
 brave — 
 
 The Spirit's bow lies upon Uncas' Grave ! " 
 And still the mists from her vexed bosom 
 
 rise, 
 Niagara's tears for Love's great sacrifice. 
 
 And still o'er Uncas' grave the spirit's rain- 
 bow lies. 
 
'The Spirit weeps," they cry, "for Uncas brave 
 The Spirit's bow Hes upon Uncas' grave"