"Give me my furs," he cried, "or pay me for them."
"But," added the old man, "they were stronger than I, and had taken
away, not only my gun, but my axe and knife, so I was helpless before
them."
"`Where is my wife?' I then asked. But they only laughed at my
question, and it was weeks before I heard that they had insulted her,
and would have foully treated her but that she had pulled out her knife
and threatened to kill the first man that touched her. While keeping
them away with her knife she moved around until she got near an open
window, when she suddenly sprang out and fled like a frightened deer to
the forest. After long weeks of hardship she reached the far-off home.
She had had a sad time of it and many strange adventures. Footsore and
nearly worn out she had been at times, but she bravely persevered. Her
food had been roots and an occasional rabbit or partridge which she
snared. Several times she had been chased by wild animals. Once for
several days the savage wolves madly howled around the foot of a tree
into which she had managed to climb for safety from their fierce
attacks. Fortunately for her a great moose deer dashed along not far
away, and the wolves which had been keeping watch upon her rushed off on
its trail. Hurrying down, she, although half starved, quickly sped on
her way. Thus had she travelled all alone, her life often in jeopardy
from savage beasts; but she feared them less than she did the rude white
men from whom she had just fled. The clothing she had on when she
reached home, was principally of rabbit skins taken from the rabbits she
had captured, and made to supply that in which she had started, but
which had been almost torn in rags by the hardships of the way."
The man when kicked out of the place of the white traders had
fortunately for himself, after a couple of days' wanderings, fallen in
with some friendly Indians, who took pity on him, clothed and fed him,
and sent him back in care of some of their best canoe men. The result
was he reached home long before his brave wife, who had to work her way
along as we have described.
Oowikapun listened to this story of the old man, whose name was
Mookoomis, Indianlike, with patience, until he closed; and then in
strong language expressed his horror and indignation. It was most
unfortunate that he should have heard it in the state of mind that he
was in at that time. From his meeting with Memotas and Astumastao he
had inferred that all white men were good people, but here was a rude
awakening from that illusion. Terrible indeed have been the evils
wrought by the white men in these regions where dwell the red men, as
well as in other lands. The native prejudices and even their
superstitious religions are not as great hindrances to the spread of the
Gospel among them as are the abominable actions and rascalities of white
men who bring their fire water and their sins from Christian lands.
For a time Mookoomis exerted a strong influence over Oowikapun, and many
were the hours they spent together. Oowikapun was in such a state of
restlessness that the only times he could be said to be at peace were
when either engaged in the excitements of hunting, or when listening to
Mookoomis's excited words as he talked away, hour after hour, of the old
legends and traditions of his people, whose glory, alas! was now
departed.
One evening, when a few interested listeners were gathered around the
wigwam fire of the old story-teller, whom they had made happy by gifts
of venison and tobacco, Oowikapun said to him, "Good father, you are
wise in many things about which we are ignorant, and long ago the old
men of our people handed down to you from our forefathers the stories to
be kept in remembrance; tell us how the white men come to be here, and
if you know, we should like to hear also of the black people of whom the
runners from other tribes have told us, who also exist in great
numbers." All joined in this request; and so, when the old man had
filled and smoked his calumet again, he told them the Indian tradition
of the origin of the human races:
"Long ago, perhaps as many moons as there are stars in the sky, the
Great Spirit made this world of ours, and fitted it up as a dwelling
place for his people. Then he set to work to make man. He took a piece
of white clay, and moulded it and worked at it until he had formed a
man. Then he put him into an oven which he had prepared, and there he
baked him to make him firm and strong. When he took him out of the oven
he found that he had kept him in too long, and he was burnt black. At
this the Great Spirit was not pleased, and he said, `You will never do;'
and he gave him a great kick which sent him away south to that land
where they have no snow, and where it is very hot, and told the black
man that that was to be his land.
"Then the Great Spirit took another piece of clay, and moulded it and
formed another man, and put him into the oven to bake. But as he had
burnt the first one so badly he did not leave the second one in very
long, and so when he took him out he found that he was still very white;
and at this he was not pleased, and he said: `Ugh! you will never do.
You are too white. You will show the dirt too easily.' So he gave him
a great kick, which sent him across the sea to the land where the white
man first came from to this country.
"Then," said Mookoomis, "the Great Spirit tried again, and he gathered
the finest clay he could, and moulded it and worked it until he was well
pleased with it; and then he put it into the oven to bake it; and now
having the wisdom which came from the experience of the other two
failures, he kept this one in just the right time, and so when he took
him out he was of a rich red colour, and he was very much pleased, and
he said: `Ho! ho! you are just right; you stay here.' So he gave this
country to the Indian."
This account of the origin of the human race, which differs considerably
from Darwin's, very much interested Oowikapun and his companions, and so
they urged Mookoomis to tell them from Indian traditions how it was that
the races had got into the condition in which they now are. So when the
old man had filled and smoked his pipe again, and had seemed to be lost
in thought for a time, he began once more:
"When the Great Spirit had made these different men, and given each
wives of their own colour, he went away to his dwelling place beyond the
setting sun, and there abode. After a while he thought he would come
back and see how these men were getting on. So he called them to meet
him at a certain place, and as he talked with them he found they were
unhappy because they had nothing to do. When the Great Spirit heard
this he told them to come back to-morrow and then he would make this all
right for them. On the morrow, when they had met, they saw that the
Great Spirit had three parcels. He laid them on the ground, and told
them they were to choose which they would have. As the parcels differed
very much in size it was decided that they would cast lots, and thus
settle who should have the first choice. When this was done it was
found that the black man was to choose first, the red man second, and
the white man would have to take what was left. So the black man chose
the largest parcel; and when he opened it he found that it contained
axes and hoes, and spades and shovels, and other implements of toil.
The Indian selected the next largest bundle; and when he had opened it
he found that it contained bows and arrows, and spears and lances, and
knives and other weapons used by the hunter. Then the turn of the white
man came, and he took up the last parcel, which was a small one; and
when he had opened it there was nothing in it but a book.
"When the black man and the red man saw that the white man had nothing
but a book they laughed out loudly, and ridiculed him very much. But
the Great Spirit reproved them, and said, `Wait a while, and perhaps you
will think differently.' And so they now do; for it has come to pass
that because of the possession of that book the white man has become so
learned and wise that he is now much stronger than the others, and seems
to be able to make himself master of the other races, and to take
possession of all lands."