Aniwee; or, the Warrior Queen A tale of the Araucanian Indians and the mythical Trauco people

THE DUCHESS OF ALBANY.

God gave thee life,—a life of noble aims, Brief, yet inspired by loftiness of thought,— Thought, the great offspring of a mighty pow’r, Which thou didst wield to lead thy fellow-men Along great duty’s hard and ruggèd path. Thine was a bright example. High aloft Thy virtues flash’d their pure inspiring rays, Piercing the murky clouds of human sin, And lighting up the realm where goodness dwells. To know thee was to love thee. Thine the pow’r To weave thy spell around the hearts of men. A noble life is wondrous, beautiful. And such was thine, brief—yea, alas! too brief,— Yet not one mis-spent hour could claim of thee Its stern account, as o’er the bound’ry line, Across the frontier, ’twixt life and death, With fearless step thou sought’st the better land. They call thee dead! Nay, surely ’tis not Death To pass from one world to another realm? ’Tis but a pilgrimage, a heavenly tour Throughout the vast creation of our God. Nay, dead thou art not, for thy spirit lives, And its pure influence will never die. Hist’ry will bid the rising youth behold A bright example and a stainless life. If, then, to others ’tis a beacon light, A model for the Imitator’s art, Ah! surely, brief as was thy sojourn here, Thou hast not dwelt amongst us all in vain. F. D.

INTRODUCTION.

I was once a child myself, and dearly loved those books of adventure which told of strange lands and strange people I had never seen. Yet, when I read about the North American Indians and their wild ways, I would often wonder why there were so few books which told us about the Indians of South America and the beautiful countries contained therein; and I determined some day to visit those lands if I lived, and tell the generation of girls and boys following me all about them. Well, my young friends, I have told you a good deal in “The Young Castaways,” and now I am going to tell you still more in the following pages. I am going to tell you about a splendid unexplored country, and several adventures that happened therein, and I hope some day that some of you will go and see those countries, and penetrate even further into their mysteries, than did the girls and boys who figure in this book. Those amongst you who have read “The Young Castaways” will renew acquaintance with old friends, which, no doubt, will give you pleasure.

I remain, my dear girls and boys, Your sincere friend, THE AUTHORESS.

CONTENTS.