I reckon that nowhere else on the earth's
surface are so many fine and wonderful things crowded into one region."
He took a deep breath and gazed with responsive eyes at the dim blue
crests of the mountains.
"It's all that you call it," said Robert, whose soul was filled with the
same love and admiration, "and I'm glad I was born within its limits.
I've noticed, Dave, that the people of old lands think they alone have
love of country. New people may love a new land just as much, and I love
all this country about us, the lakes, and the rivers, and the mountains
and the valleys and the forests."
He flung out his arms in a wide, embracing gesture, and he, too, took
deep long breaths of the crisp air that came over the clean forest.
Tayoga smiled, and the smile was fathomless.
"I, Tayoga, of the clan of the Bear, of the nation Onondaga, of the
great League of the Hodenosaunee, can rejoice more than either of you,
my white friends," he said, "because I and my fathers for ages before me
were born into this wonderful country of which you speak so well, but
not too well, and much of it belongs to the Hodenosaunee.
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