Then he called aloud to Kwasind, To his friend, the strong man, Kwasind, Of its sunken logs and sand-bars." To his arm-pits in the river, Swam and shouted in the river, Tugged at sunken logs and branches, With his hands he scooped the sand-bars, With his feet the ooze and tangle. And thus sailed my Hiawatha Down the rushing Taquamenaw, Sailed through all its bends and windings, Sailed through all its deeps and shallows, While his friend, the strong man, Kwasind, Swam the deeps, the shallows waded. Up and down the river went they, In and out among its islands, Cleared its bed of root and sand-bar, Dragged the dead trees from its channel, To the bay of Taquamenaw. 7 98 VIII. HIAWATHA'S FISHING. FORTH upon the Gitche Gumee, All alone went Hiawatha. Through the clear, transparent water He could see the fishes swimming Like a sunbeam in the water, See the Shawgashee, the craw-fish, On the white and sandy bottom. With his fishing-line of cedar; On the white sand of the bottom Lay the monster Mishe-Nahma, There he lay in all his armor; On each side a shield to guard him, Dor M Plates of bone upon his forehead, Down his sides and back and shoulders In his birch canoe came sailing, "Take my bait!" cried Hiawatha, Down into the depths beneath him, "Take my bait, O Sturgeon, Nahma! Come up from below the water, Let us see which is the stronger! And he dropped his line of cedar Through the clear, transparent water, Waited vainly for an answer, Long sat waiting for an answer, |