PREHISTORIC ABORIGINES OF MINNESOTA 223 



much that he has reversed the direction of the main movement, making 

 it westward instead of eastward, thus making it conform to the direc- 

 tion of historic migrations, with which he seems to think it should be 

 made to agree. He supposes the Lenni-Lenape " at some remote period 

 dwelt far to the northeast, on tidewater, probably Labrador. They 

 journeyed south and west till they reached a broad water full of islands 

 and abounding in fish, perhaps the St. Lawrence about the Thousand 

 Islands." This is quoted verbatim from Dr. Brinton. With similarly 

 violent alterations from the legend, the Lenape are carried into Ohio 

 and Indiana and thence back again to northern New York, having 

 united with the Talamatan (Hurons) to drive out the Talega or Chero- 

 kees from the upper Ohio, which they only succeeded in doing finally 

 in the historic period. These alterations from the sense of the tradi- 

 tion, as formerly understood, he claims to be warranted by the dis- 

 covery of errors in the earlier translations. 



The Snake people are relegated to myth, perhaps with correctness. 

 He thinks the legend here relates a conflict between the Algonquian 

 hero-god and the serpent of the waters, a myth which is found also 

 among the Iroquois. After the conclusion of this conflict, the people 

 found themselves in a cold northern country, whence they departed in 

 search of warmer lands. Not recognizing the repetition in the legend 

 of the same story, Dr. Brinton has the Snake war continue on through, 

 and after, the settlement in Shinaki or the "land of spruce pines." 

 Then comes the Lenap 'Allegewi war and the possession of the con- 

 quered country. 



Neither time nor your patience would warrant me in entering upon 

 a detailed consideration of the validity of the changes introduced by 

 Dr. Brinton. I have carefully examined some of them that have some 

 geographic relation to the country concerned, and will mention only 

 that relating to the so-called " Yellow " Biver, where, according to the 

 legend, the Lenape dwelt and raised corn " on a stoneless soil." 

 Dr. Brinton considers this stream (Wissawanna) a small river in 

 Indiana, a branch of the Kankakee, saying that on Hough's map of 

 Indian names of Indiana that word has been corrupted to " Wethogan," 

 and that the Minsi, one of the Lenape sub-tribes, were found there in 

 1721 by Charlevoix, and that they made their first migration from the 

 east about 1690. This involves a historical anachronism, inasmuch as 

 it makes an event occurring in 1690 to 1721 explain a doubtful point 

 in a legend which is wholly confined to prehistoric time. If the Yel- 

 low Biver was first named in 1690-1721 it is not likely to have had 

 that name when the Lenape were waging their war in prehistoric time 

 before they had yet settled in New Jersey. Again the region is said to 

 have a " stoneless soil," which could hardly be affirmed of northern 



