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About The west shore. (Portland, Or.) 1875-1891 | View Entire Issue (April 1, 1886)
THE WEST SHORE. 117 send them back to their own country. The spirits told him the strangers were great warriors, and if sent away would not heed the warnings of the spirits, and would surely return. The Mdieino Man wo again very des pondent, but the Great Spirit told hira the spirits could gut rid of his enemies, but he must promise for his tribes implicit obedience to their divine will for all time to come. He was told that mouutain lions, cougars, panthers, wolves and all kindred animals were spirit, that for the people of his tribe to kill or partake of tho flesh of any of them, would be considered rebellion against the Great Spirit, and that if this injunction were ever violated the animals would appear in great num bers, and eat np every Bannack and Shoshone Indian in the land. He was then told to go to his home and re turn as soon as possible with all his people, when an other great oounoil would be held He again entered the dark and dismal forest, and following the bright star as before, reached the Indian oouucil mount before the dawning of another day. The Medioine Man related the strange Btory of his journey, told them of the promises exacted of him, and ordered all the warriors, old men, womon and children gathered together on the mount as soon as ixwsiblo. Some of the warriors denounced him, saying that no In dian could see the Great Spirit and talk with him, when he touched a stone, and it took fire, molted and ran like water. The Indians then believed in him, and started on their mission to gather the people together, Several "suns" later they were all collootod on tho mount to go to the land of spirits. This journey was also made in the night, and when the opening was reached nothing could be seen save animals silting around on their haunches, and the Indians again doubt ed him and commenced making preparations to put him to death, when he called piteously to the Groat Spirit, who appeared before them and addressed to them words of caution and wisdom. He exacted a promise from all the Indians in council not to go to war any more with out first securing the advice and instruction of the spirits, which would be imparted to the Medicine Man and his successor for all time to come, and in return promised that their prayers to be restored to their ooun try would be fulfilled. Then the Medicine Man was lifted hieh into the air, and bis companions ecxm lost sight of him in the darkness. He was carriod above tho tree-tops to a high, rocky mountain in the valley. He was ordered to touch the pinnacle with his finger, and when he did bo it instantly ignited and burned fiercely. He was carried back and told to dopart with his people immediately to the mount on which they had held their previous councils. On thoir journey a bright light cleamed through occasional openings in the forest, and the return waa easv and rapid. On reaching tho mount all beheld the mountain of fire, with melted rock run nina down it side like red water. The fire increased; adiaoent hilla and cliffs smelted and rolled into the val- ley; the foreata were rapidly conaumed, and in a short time the Talley waa a lake of fire aa far aa the eye could see. iue invading warriors woro totally destroyed. After many " moons" tho lava ooolod, but it was several hiiowm" More tho LroU Iwgnu to apoar again on tho foothills, and game and fish became plentiful. The valley was left barren by the Great Spirit, and when others of tho destroyed race catno and saw what a terri ble calamity had Mullen those who had preceded them, they hastened back to tho land whence they came. The Shoshones and llannaoka are to this day firm believers in the truthfulness of this tradition, and point proudly to tho great lava beds as indisputable evidence of tho fact Tho injunction never to kill or eat of the flesh of mountain lions, panthers, wolves or kindred ani mals is strietly obeyed by the members of these trilas. It may bo that when tho eruptions took place some ex traordinary Indian among thorn deceived the ignorant raooa, and impressed them with the idea that ho hail oonvorsed with the Groat Spirit on soma important event in thoir history, from which this strango tradition originated. li. W. JoNltri. Til it native Newfoundland deor is the oarilou, or reindeer, a aooimen superior to those of Lapland or Norway, and sometimes weighing as much as six hun dred pounds. These door inhabit the interior of tho island, not in hundreds, but in thousands; soiuo who have soon their armies in the marching season think in hundreds of thousands. Tho interior Isting a wilder ness, they find no interruption, save now ami again when an explorer pushes his way serosa tho region, which, through tho summer, they make their homo. 1 ho marching time of tho herds is as regular as tho season. When snow covers tho ground in the northwestern sr tioti of the island they turn their faces toward tho south, and by steady marches along thu leads, resell the south western, or less severe part of tho island, whore, through the winter mouths, they can get browse and lichens. Parties who have camd near the main lead in march ing time, havo loft on record that tho door do not move in very largo Ixslies, as that would prevent them grim ing freely, hut that they march in herds of irom twenty to two hundred; that one such laxly Is connected with another by means of a sort of picket, and that each de tachment is led by a tall stag. It is glorious sight for tho huntsman, from his eminence, to see body after Ixxly of those bright-eyed, niinlilo-footed animals bending thoir oourso in truo parallel lines, either toward the north or tho south, with tho regularity and order of mass of soldiers. Ciiemation Pol-run IN AusK.-Most of the In- dians of Alaska Isdiove in cremation. No dead Indian is taken out through the door, but through the roof or side of tho house. Tho body is then plrwnl on s pile of logs, while tho Msiplo stand round and dn j I eating time with carved poloa while the body burns. When all is consumed, the ashea are put In a box ami placed in one of the dead bouse built near tlie town lor the purpose of holding the ashea of each partieuUr family.