Tecumseh: A Drama

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Title: Tecumseh: A Drama
Author: Charles Mair
Release Date: November, 2004 [EBook #6843]?[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule]?[This file was first posted on January 31, 2003]
Edition: 10
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
? START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TECUMSEH: A DRAMA ***
Produced by Georgia Young, Juliet Sutherland, Charles Franks and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team.?This file was produced from images generously made available by the Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions.
TECUMSEH
A DRAMA
BY CHARLES MAIR.
"When the white men first set foot on our shores, they?were hungry; they had no places on which to spread?their blankets or to kindle their fires. They were?feeble; they could do nothing for themselves. Our?fathers commiserated their distress, and shared freely?with them whatever the Great Spirit had given to his?red children."
From_ TECUMSEH'S _speech to the Osages.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE.
INDIANS:
TECUMSEH _(Chief of the Shawanoes)_.
THE PROPHET _(Brother of Tecumseh)_.
TARHAY _(A Chief in love with Iena)_.
STAYETA _(Chief of the Wyandots)_.
MIAMI, DELAWARE, KICKAPOO and DAHCOTA CHIEFS.?Warriors, Braves, Josakeeds and Runners.
MAMATEE _(Wife of Tecumseh)_.
IENA _(Niece of Tecumseh)_.
WEETAMORE, WINONA and other Indian Maidens.
AMERICANS:
GENERAL HARRISON _(Governor of Indiana?Territory)_.
GENERAL HULL.
COLONEL CASS.
BARRON _(An Indian Agent)_.
TWANG, SLAUGH, GERKIN and BLOAT _(Citizens of?Vincennes)_.
_Five Councillors of Indiana Territory, Officers,?Soldiers, Volunteers, Orderlies and Scouts_.
BRITISH AND CANADIANS:
GENERAL BROCK _(Administrator of the Government of?Upper Canada)_.
COLONEL _(afterwards General)_ PROCTOR. GLEGG,?MACDONELL, Aides-de-camp to General Brock.
NICHOL, BABY, ELIOTT, _Colonels of Canadian?Volunteers_.
McKEE, ROBINSON, Captains of Canadian Volunteers.
LEFROY _(A poet-artist, enamoured of Indian life, and?in love with IENA.)_
_Two Old men of York, U. E. Loyalists, and other?Citizens, Alien Settlers, Officers, Soldiers,?Volunteers, Orderlies and Messengers_.
TECUMSEH
ACT I.
SCENE FIRST.--THE FOREST NEAR THE PROPHET'S TOWN ON?THE TIPPECANOE.
Enter the PROPHET.
PROPHET. Twelve moons have wasted, and no tidings?still!
Tecumseh must have perished! Joy has tears?As well as grief, and mine will freely flow--?Sembling our women's piteous privilege--?Whilst dry ambition ambles to its ends.?My schemes have swelled to greatness, and my name?Has flown so far upon the wings of fear?That nations tremble at its utterance.?Our braves abhor, yet stand in awe of me,?Who ferret witchcraft out, commune with Heaven,?And ope or shut the gloomy doors of death.?All feelings and all seasons suit ambition!?Yet my vindictive nature hath a craft,?In action slow, which matches mother-earth's:?First seed-time--then the harvest of revenge.?Who works for power, and not the good of men,?Would rather win by fear than lose by love.?Not so Tecumseh--rushing to his ends,?And followed by men's love--whose very foes?Trust him the most. Rash fool! Him do I dread,?And his imperious spirit. Twelve infant moons?Have swung in silver cradles o'er these woods,?And, still no tidings of his enterprise,?Which--all too deep and wide--has swallowed him.?And left me here unrivalled and alone.
Enter an INDIAN RUNNER.
Ha! There's a message in your eyes--what now?
RUNNER. Your brother, great Tecumseh, has returned,?And rests himself a moment ere he comes?To counsel with you here.
[Exit Runner.]
PROPHET. He has returned!?So then the growing current of my power?Must fall again into the stately stream?Of his great purpose. But a moment past?I stood upon ambition's height, and now?My brother comes to break my greatness up,?And merge it in his own. I know his thoughts--?That I am but a helper to his ends;?And, were there not a whirlpool in my soul?Of hatred which would fain ingulf our foes,?I would engage my cunning and my craft?'Gainst his simplicity, and win the lead.?But, hist, he comes! I must assume the role?By which I pander to his purposes.
Enter TECUMSEH.
TECUMSEH. Who is this standing in the darkened robes?
PROPHET. The Prophet! Olliwayshilla, who probes?The spirit-world, and holds within his ken?Life's secrets and the fateful deeds of men.?The "One-Eyed!" Brother to the Shooting Star--
TECUMSEH. With heart of wax, and hands not made for?war.
PROPHET. Would that my hands were equal to my hate!?Then would strange vengeance traffic on the earth;?For I should treat our foes to what they crave--?Our fruitful soil--yea, ram it down their throats,?And choke them with the very dirt they love.?'Tis you Tecumseh! You, are here at last,?And welcome as the strong heat-bearing Spring?Which opens up the pathways of revenge.?What tidings from afar?
TECUMSEH. Good tidings thence.?I have not seen the