I was born within twelve miles of a principal tribe of Indians, within
two miles of a small band, and within six miles of two other small bands,
of that tribe. They were a remnant of the Pawkunnawkuts, who, at the
first settlement of the country, were a very numerous, powerful, and
warlike nation, but at the time of my birth had dwindled in numbers to
about five hundred souls, and were restricted in territory to some
six or seven thousand acres. They then, and at present, sank their
primitive appellation in the less poetic name of Gayheads, which was
given them by the white people with reference to the little elbow or
promontory of land where they lived. Though the manners and customs of
the Whites had made sad inroads on the primitive Indian character,
there yet remained, at the time of my birth, enough to make them
objects of ardent and profitable interest.
The recollections of my earliest childhood are of Indians. My
grandfather had an old Indian woman in his house for the greater part
of the first fifteen years of my life. Our house-servants and
field-labourers were chiefly Indians. It was my grandfather's custom,
and had been that of his ancestors, ever since their settlement, a
hundred and fifty years ago, in the vicinity of the tribe, to take
Indian boys at the age of four or five years, and keep them until they
had attained their majority, when they usually left us, chiefly to
become sailors--an employment in which their services were specially
valued. During my minority we had three of these little foresters in our
house, and these drew around them their fathers, and mothers, and
sisters, and brothers: very frequently our house was an "Indian Camp"
indeed. From the boys I learned the sports and pastimes of Indian
childhood, and, from the aged, their traditional history and wild
legends of supernatural horrors. So thoroughly has my mind become imbued
with their superstitions, that at times I find difficulty in reconciling
myself to the plain matter-of-fact narratives of the men of my own creed
and colour. I have to pinch myself like one awaking from an unpleasant
dream, and to say to the wild creations of Indian fancy, "Ye are shadows
all."
It is quite impossible that any one, who has not been among and "of"
the North American Indians, should be able to form even a tolerable idea
of the extent to which they are acted upon by their superstitions. They
are governed entirely by them; they enter into their conceptions of
every occurrence. The old Indian woman, before mentioned, afforded a
striking example of the strength of their faith in these "thick coming
fancies." There was nothing, I believe I may say in the world, which was
not with her a "spirit." The waves were "spirits"--the meteors were
"spirits"--the winds singing their lullabies were "spirits"--the
thunders were "spirits." In the long winter evenings, when seated before
the wood fire, which at that season of the year is perpetually burning
on a New England hearth, the sound was heard of a cricket chirping in
the hollow wood; starting with alarm she would exclaim "a spirit!" and
minutes would elapse before she would regain her composure. Seated in a
little chair at her side, how I used to enjoy her long but never tedious
stories of the wonderful things she had seen and heard--of the phantoms
which had visited her bedside, or whispered strange things in her
ear--of the several conversations she had had, face to face, with the
Father of Evil! Once in particular she had seen the latter grim
personage when she was returning from a "husking frolic," _i.e._ an
assemblage of persons met for the purpose of stripping the husks from
Indian corn. She described him as a rather tall and exceedingly gaunt
old gentleman, wearing his hair much as Andrew Skurliewhitter is
described as wearing his in "The Fortunes of Nigel;" his face the colour
of flame, his eyes green as grass, an enormous yellow cocked hat upon
his head, and his robe of woven sea-weed. She averred that he had
neither a club foot as some have pretended, nor a "sooty black skin"
according to the opinion of others. She described the spot where she saw
him with such exceeding accuracy, that I never thereafter, for more than
ten years, passed the particular "bush in the little valley, three steps
from the gate," by daylight, without a shudder, and never at all by
night. She had seen the spirit of her mother, too, employed in knitting
woollen hose for her father's spirit. There was not one of my ancestors
to whom she had been personally known--and she was very aged at the time
of my birth--who had not appeared to her after death, each "with a
circumstance" whose simplicity and truth to nature almost impressed you
with a belief that such a thing had really been.--I implicitly believed
all old Mima's stories, for could I be made to entertain a suspicion
that she who watched every night by my pillow, and gathered me berries,
and waded into the water to pluck lilies for me, and procured me a
thousand playthings--the devices of savage ingenuity--could tell me
false tales? It was from this aged Indian woman that I heard some of
the traditions which are recorded in these volumes; and from these
preceptors and playmates of my childhood I acquired that acquaintance
with their manners, customs, and superstitions, and knowledge of their
disposition, and imbibed that sympathy with their sufferings, which have
led to the publication of these volumes. I feel, indeed, a singular
interest in them--an interest the strength of which is scarcely to be
accounted for on the common principles of youthful friendships.
My acquaintance with them did not terminate with the period which sent
me forth into the wide world a traveller for gain or pleasure, an
adventurer in quest of wealth or happiness. I have since travelled among
the Chickasaws, the Cherokees, the Creeks, and the Shawanos, besides the
nondescripts who figure in the drunken riots which daily occur on the
Levee of the city of New Orleans. And my frequent visits to the scenes
of my childhood, and renewal of acquaintance with the red associates of
my youth, have served to keep alive and vivid the recollections of
the period which may be said to have afforded me almost as many
opportunities of studying their character as if I had been born an
Indian.
I conceived, more than ten years ago, the idea of collecting the various
traditions and popular Indian stories, with a view to their publication
at a convenient day. Believing that a collection of their traditions,
illustrated by elaborate notices of their peculiar customs and manners,
would be both instructive and amusing, I set myself down to the reading
of the books which should add to the fund of legendary lore I had
acquired by my residence among them. In all my travels, and these have
been through every state but one in the American Union, and the
"territories," with the exception of Michigan and the "North Western,"
my inquiries have been for "Indians," and respecting "Indian
traditions." If I saw an Indian, I questioned him as to his ideas of a
future state, the creation of man, &c. and endeavoured to wile from him
an "auld warld story," to use Edie Ochiltree's language. I think I have
never lost sight of my object in any situation where any thing could be
done for its advancement.
I had been early led to place a greater value upon the traditions of the
Indians than has been attached to them by those who do not view them as
a series of authentic annals. For myself, I hold them in the light of
historical records, mixed up indeed with much that is fabulous, but not
in a greater degree than the early annals of other unenlightened
nations, who could not perpetuate them by means of letters. After all it
will remain for the reader to fix the degree of estimation in which
these traditions shall be held, and to determine the degree of credit
that is to be attached to them.
I cannot but think that I have rendered an acceptable service to the
world in preserving these traditions from the oblivion that surely
awaits them in their uncollected state. The North American Indians are a
people, who, in the nature of things, and according to that which has
happened to all, are doomed to be of the number of those
The sole memorial of whose lot
Remains--they _were_, and they _are not_.
In a very few years nothing will remain of them but a nameless barrow.
The day may come, when even conjecture will be at fault, as with the
builders of the western mounds, in determining who they were, from whom
they originated, what were their peculiar opinions, and the various
other matters and things concerning them.
It has been by some thought necessary that I should present to the
public proofs of the genuineness of these traditions. I shall proceed to
give such as I have been able to collect, and the nature of the case
will admit of my offering. Where they rest on my own word that they are
authentic, the corroborating testimony I rely upon is their asserted
conformity with Indian ideas, opinions, customs, and phraseology.
The first tradition, in the collection, "The Man of Ashes," is referred
to by Mr. Johnstone, residing at Piqua, in the state of Ohio, and acting
as agent for the American government among the Shawanos tribe at that
place, in a communication made by him to the American Society of
Antiquaries, and published in the first volume of their Transactions.
Not having that work at hand, I cannot name the page. I also heard it
from a Shawano when I was at Piqua, in 1823. It is probably an account
mixed up with much that is fabulous of their first meeting with, and
massacre of, a party of white people in alliance with a hostile tribe.
The second tradition, "Pomatare, the Flying Beaver," was related to me
at the same time by the same Indian. It is also briefly referred to by
Mr. Johnstone, in the communication in which mention is made of the
first tradition. Many other writers speak of a tradition current among
the Indians, of their having crossed the sea to arrive at their present
place of residence. I cannot help regarding it as a very strong
corroboration of this tradition, that all the American Indians call the
world--_i.e._ the place where they dwell--their ideas extend no
further--an "island." Does not the universality of this opinion prove
that they are from a common stock, and once--perhaps ages ago--had
demonstration of the fact that water flows between the continent upon
which they now dwell, and that from which the tradition supposes they
came?
The tradition entitled "The Alarm of the Great Sentinel," (Vol. 1, p.
61,) rests on the authority of Heckewelder, the well-known Moravian
missionary at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and may be found in "Transactions
of the American Philosophical Society." (Phila., 1819, Vol. 1, p. 206).
Much controversy has prevailed in America respecting the degree of
credit to be attached to this writer. None have pronounced him
dishonest, but several have accused him of having a very strong bias
towards the Indians, and of permitting his prejudices to colour his
elaborate accounts of their modes and manners. Two very able writers,
Mr. Duponceau, and Mr. Rawle, have come forward to vindicate him from
the charge of partiality, and I think have fully done so. The tradition
probably refers to an unsuccessful attempt at surprisal by their
enemies.
"The Mother of the World" is told briefly in Hearne's "Journey to the
Northern Ocean," p. 342. Hearne has been generally reckoned an accurate
reporter of what he heard and saw on that journey. His assertion that
the Indians have no religion is, however, totally untrue. Mackenzie also
refers to the same tradition, in his "General History of the Fur Trade,"
prefixed to his "Voyage to the Northern Ocean." (London, 1801, _quarto,_
cxviii). Mackenzie is a high authority in all that relates to the
Indians.
"The Fall of the Lenape" (Vol. 1, p. 87) is told by Mr. Heckewelder, in
the volume before referred to, page 36. It is undoubtedly an authentic
account of the overthrow of the Delawares by the Iroquois, aided by the
insidious counsels of the white people.
"The Marriage of the Snail and the Beaver" (Vol. 1, p. 103) is referred
to by Lewis and Clarke, in "Travels to the Pacific Ocean." (London,
1815, Vol. 1, p. 12.) It probably relates to the marriage and consequent
settlement of the founder of the Osage Indians with a woman of a tribe
whose _totem_ or badge was a beaver.
"The Choice of a God" (Vol. 1, p. 117) was related to me by my old
Indian nurse. I heard a rather different version of it from a venerable
clergyman of the name of Thaxter. He had it from a Captain Richardson,
who was killed at Cape Breton in the "Old French War." It is a very
common tradition, though it has not, as far as I know, been before in
print. This tradition also refers to the first meeting of the natives
with the whites.
"The Resurrection of the Bison" (Vol. 1, p. 143) is told by James in his
"Account of an Expedition to the Rocky Mountains." (London, 1823, Vol.
1, p. 257). I have been informed that it is a common tradition among the
Rocky Mountain Indians.
"The Wahconda's Son" (Vol. 1, p. 147) is also from James's "Account of
an Expedition to the Rocky Mountains" (London, 1823. Vol. 1, 251), and
is mentioned by other writers and travellers. This also refers to a
transaction in which white people were concerned.
"The Idols" (Vol. 1, p. 173) is referred to by Lewis and Clarke in
"Travels to the Pacific Ocean" (London, 1815, Vol. 1, p. 146). It is a
genuine Indian superstition.
"The Discovery of the Upper World" (Vol. 1, p. 201) is referred to by
James in his "Account of an Expedition to the Rocky Mountains." (London,
1823, Vol. 1, p. 258); by Heckewelder in the work before referred to, p.
242, and numerous other writers.
For the tradition entitled "Love and War" (Vol. 1, p. 213) I am indebted
to Mr. Henry Schoolcraft. It is taken from a work of his published some
years ago, the title of which I forget. No other alterations had been
made in this tradition than those which were requisite to make it
conform strictly to what I deemed were Indian manners, customs,
phraseology, and opinions.
The series of traditions entitled "Legends of the Happy
Hunting-Grounds," (commencing at p. 225 of volume first) being in my
estimation by far the most interesting and valuable in the volume,
deserve a more elaborate commentary with a view to the authenticating
them. They are all of them genuine, but there is but one of them that
belongs, as has been supposed in the tradition, exclusively to the tribe
of whom it is related. Thus "Akkeewaisee, the Aged," which is supposed
to describe the heaven of the people called the Dahcotahs, describes
also that of many other tribes. Keating assigns the belief to the
Dahcotahs. (See his Narrative of an Expedition to the Source of St.
Petre's river. London, 1825, Vol. 1., p. 410).
The second tradition in the series, "The Delaware Heaven," I believe is
peculiar to the tribes which compose that nation, and rests upon the
authority of Loskiel. (History of the Missions of the United Brethren.
Lond. 1794, p. 35). He was a Moravian missionary, and has been esteemed
an accurate and faithful relator of what he saw.
The third of these series of traditions relating to the future residence
of the soul, entitled "The Hunting-Grounds of the Blackfoots," is a
current tradition with many tribes, but, in order to give it a more
distinct shape, I have assigned it to the Blackfoot tribe.
The legend entitled "The Stone Canoe" is referred to by Mackenzie.
("Voyages from Montreal to the Frozen Ocean." Quarto, London, 1801,
Prelim. Account, cxix).
"The Little White Dove" I have heard of frequently, and yet I cannot
at this moment give any authority. It was probably an American
author--certain I am that it is a genuine tradition.
The last of the Legends, entitled "The Teton's Paradise," is so well
and so generally known to be a genuine tradition, that I shall content
myself with referring only to Hearne. ("Journey to the Northern Ocean,"
p. 346). He does not indeed speak of it as a Teton tradition, but as it
is known to prevail over the entire northern and western region, I have
assigned it to the Tetons.
"The Legends of Creation," with which the second volume commences, are
very interesting, for a number of them clearly refer to the great
Deluge. The first of these legends, "The Two Chappewees," is in two
parts: one is copied nearly verbatim from Captain (now Sir John)
Franklin's admirable account of his Journey to the Polar Ocean; the
other is referred to by Hearne.
The second of these legends, "Sakechak, the Hunter," is referred to by
Charlevoix, (in his Journal. London, 1761. Vol. 11, p. 228). The accuracy
of this writer is well established: no traveller in that region may be
so safely relied on. P. de Acosta is of opinion that this and all the
other traditions do not respect the universal deluge, but another peculiar
to America. I do not agree with him in opinion: I have always thought
that all refer to the deluge mentioned in the first Chapter of Genesis.
"The Bird of Ages." This legend of the Creation is referred to by
Mackenzie. ("General History of the Fur Trade." _Quarto_. London, 1801,
p. cxviii). Reference is made to the same tradition in Hearne's "Journey
to the Northern Ocean."
"The Great Hare" is referred to by Charlevoix in his "Journal." (London,
1761, vol. 11. p. 142.) He refers to another tradition in which there is
mention made of another deity who opposed the designs of the Great Hare.
This he thinks of foreign extraction, and so do I, from the circumstance
that the opposing god is there called the "Great Tyger," which animal is
not found in Canada.
Legend of the "The Six Nanticokes" is referred to by Loskiel. ("History
of the Mission of the United Brethren." London, 1794, p. 24). The
version I have given is from the relation of an old Indian preacher by
the name of Hiwassee.
"The Coming of Miquon" (Vol. 2, p. 99) is told by Heckewelder ("Trans.
of American Philos. Soc." Vol. 1, p. 54), and is the genuine Delaware
tradition of the first meeting of the Lenni Lenape with the white
people, whom they say they were the first to welcome. Mr. Heckewelder
says "he had the relation from an intelligent Delaware Indian," and that
it "may be considered as a correct account of the tradition existing
among them of this momentous event." It will be seen that the first
coming of the white people is referred to in several other traditions.
"The Funeral Fire" (Vol. 2, p. 115) is copied from the volume of Mr.
Schoolcraft before referred to. I have made the additions and alterations
required to make it in keeping with Indian phraseology and opinions.
"The Portioning of the Sons" (Vol. 2, p. 125) is referred to by Keating
in his "Narrative of an Expedition to the Source of St. Peter's River."
(London, 1825. Vol. 1, p. 233).
"The Maiden's Rock" (Vol. 2, p. 131) is copied from Keating's Narrative,
Vol. 1, p. 290.
"The Expedition of the Lenni Lenapes" (Vol. 2, p. 141) is told by
Heckewelder in the Vol. of Philosophical Transactions before referred
to, p. 29.
"Ghitshee Gauzinee." (Vol. 2, p. 181). For this tradition I am indebted
to the excellent work of Mr. Schoolcraft.
"Ampato Sapa" (Vol. 2, p. 189) is told by Keating. ("Narrative," &c.
Vol. 1, p. 310).
"The Caverns of the Kickapoo" (Vol. 2, p. 201) is referred to by Keating
in the before-mentioned narrative, Vol. 1, p. 250.
"The Mountain of Little Spirits" (Vol. 2, p. 207) is referred to by
Lewis and Clarke in "Travels to the Pacific Ocean." (London, 1815, Vol.
1, p. 72). This may be regarded as a genuine Indian superstition.
"The Valley of the Bright Old Inhabitants" (Vol. 2, p. 223) is referred
to by Adair in his "History of the American Indians." (Quarto. London,
1775, p. 237).
"The Legend of Moshup" (Vol. 2, p. 261) is one of those related to me by
my old Indian nurse. It is, I think, corroborated in a communication
made to the Massachusetts Historical Society, and published in their
Transactions; but, not having been able to find a copy in England, I
must beg the reader to rest satisfied with my assertion that,
independently of my nurse's version, a communication made to the
before-mentioned society stamps the tradition as genuine.
"The Phantom Woman" (Vol. 2, p. 273) I heard from a Winnebago Indian at
Washington, and I have somewhere met with it in print; I dare not
assert, but I think, that it is referred to by a Mr. McKenney, in a
book of travels published some years ago in America.
"The Two Ghosts" (Vol. 2, p. 285) is from Mr. Schoolcraft's work.
"The Vision of the Abnakis Chief." (Vol., 2, p. 303). This was a legend
of my old nurse, and evidently refers, like several others, to the
coming of the Whites.
"The Lake of the White Canoe" (Vol. 3, p. 1) is a common tradition in
the region where the incidents are supposed to have happened. I should
remark, however, that the tale is not always told of Indians, but by
some is supposed to have happened to a pair of White lovers. The better
account, however, makes them Indians. What adds to the interest of this
tradition is, that Mr. Thomas Moore has made it the subject of a
beautiful ballad entitled "The Lake of the Dismal Swamp." His having
taken up the story should, I am aware, have prevented me from attempting
to tell it, since it is impossible that any thing from my pen should
equal his beautiful poetical version.
"A Legend of the Bomelmeeks" (Vol. 3, p. 33) I heard from an Indian of
the Seneca tribe, whom I saw at Albany, in the State of New York. I am
not aware of its having been in print before.
"The King of the Elks" (Vol. 3, p. 47) I heard from the same old Indian
story-teller. I am not aware of its resting on any other foundation.
"The Daughters of the Sun" (Vol. 3, p. 77) is referred to by Leyden in
his "Scenes of Infancy," and by Bertram in his "Travels through the
Carolinas." (London, 1794. p. 25).
"The Island of Eagles"--(Vol. 3, p. 117). I heard this tradition from an
Indian whom I saw at Wheeling, in the State of Ohio, in 1823. I had
before read Carver's description of this island, and upon meeting with
this Indian, who had been there, and questioning him, he related this
tradition.
"Legend of Aton-Larre." This I heard from an old Indian at Fayetteville,
North Carolina, while I was travelling through that state in 1819.
"The Fire Spirit." (Vol. 3, p. 167). This was derived from the same
source as the last. I have read or heard a rather different version, but
I cannot recollect where.
"The Origin of Women." (Vol. 3, 175). For this tradition I have to
confess my obligation to a work which has, I suspect unjustly, been
considered a very indifferent authority--"Hunter's Memoirs." I have
never been able to convince myself that Hunter had not passed a part of
his life among the Indians.
"The Hill of Fecundity" (Vol. 3, p. 183) is referred to by James in his
"Account of an Expedition to the Rocky Mountains." (London, 1823, Vol.
1, p. 253).
"Legend of Coatuit Brook." (Vol. 3, p. 305) This is mentioned in the
"Transactions of the Massachusetts Historical Society;" but I cannot,
for the reason before given when referring to these transactions, name
the volume and page. However, the tradition I have given--much fuller
than the former--was told me by an Indian of the Marshpe tribe, dwelling
in the vicinity of the Brook Coatuit.
"The Spirit of Vapour" (Vol. 3, p. 313) is referred to by Mackenzie in
his "General History of the Fur Trade," page cvi, prefixed to his
"Journal of a Voyage to the Frozen Ocean." (_Quarto._ London, 1801).
"The Devil of Cape Higgin" (Vol. 3, p. 321) was related to me by my old
nurse, and is a well known tradition, though not otherwise in print than
through my means.
"The Warning of Tekarrah" is a genuine tradition related to me by a Mr.
Clarke, an American gentleman of worth and intelligence, who left
England in June last for the United States.
But, while I distinctly aver the authenticity of those traditions which
rest upon my own authority, and submit the proofs of the genuineness of
the others, it must be understood that they have, with a few exceptions,
been much elaborated, though always with a careful reference to the
manners, customs, rites, opinions, &c. of the people whose history they
were supposed to tell. I have endeavoured to tell these stories as I
thought a genuine Indian would tell them, using only their figures,
types, and similitudes, and rejecting all inappropriate phrases, and
those which savoured of a foreign origin. I cheerfully submit to the
public whether I have not faithfully executed the task which I proposed
to myself--that of giving a collection of genuine Indian traditions in
the peculiar phraseology, and in strict consonance with the known habits
and customs, of that singular people.