258 



whole is then cut by a large green stone dike running in an approximately 

 north and south direction, from which stringers have been sent out across 

 and through the other rocks. The dike itself is faulted in one place. As 

 seen, it strikes about iKtrth and south ; the mica schists strike N. 58 degrees 

 E. and dips to the south of this direction at an angle of 70 degrees, except 

 just at the northeast point where the rocks, as we have seen, dip northeast 

 into the lake. 



In the re\'olving years following the glacial epoch the region was inhab- 

 ited by Indians. These peoples visited this picturesque island. There the 

 medicine man danced and "made medicine", and the Indian wooed his 

 squaw in the squaw dance. From there the deities called the dusky inhab- 

 itants to partake with them the eternal bliss of the happy hunting ground. 

 Furthermore, to commemorate the events of that far away time, the 

 medicine man chiseled the then life scenes on the polished rock surface 

 of their island home. These are pictographs of human beings, dance 

 scenes, and outlines of the animal gods worshiped by the men making the 

 pictures. These have been preserved to the in^'estigator, though all history 

 of their purpose has vanished and but only a very faint legendary history 

 of the people who made them can be had from the legends of the aborigines 

 who now occupy the country. The pictographs, thus preserved, are of dance 

 scenes, medicine ceremonies, scenes of the hunt, and dream scenes. 



This island has one peculiar feature. The iwlished rock area is hollow 

 beneath ; and, on walking over it, it gives a hollow, drum-like sound. For 

 this reason it is considered sacred by the Indians of the reservation even to 

 this day. They say it is the home of their god and that he "drums" when- 

 ever they go on the island to tell them they are on sacred ground. Conse- 

 quently, to appease this god and keep his good will and to have their lives 

 more happy, they place "medicine", tobacco, and smelling herbs in the 

 crevices and the "hollow" place in the rock as an offering to him. 



This island is also called "Ghost Island." Tradition has it that in the 

 second generation back a corpse in a coffin was taken there for interment. 

 There it was left for a little while, while the people went back to the 

 village in accordance with their burial customs. When they returned, the 

 corpse had disappeared. "The god of the island had taken him to his 

 abode." 



It is also a fact that in the old times and even now God and the drum 

 have a close relationship among Indians in this northern country. In the 

 old times there was a drum house ; and some one was always left to keep 

 charge of the drum. To lose the drum was to incur the enmity of the gods. 

 Their reverence for the drum has had influence, no doubt, in causing them 

 to worship the "drum place" on this island and cause them to honor it with 

 their sacred drawings. 



AVho made the pictographs of this island V The drawings seem to be 

 similar to those at Pipestone. Minnesota, which are known to be Siouan. 

 Furthermore, the Chippewas of the region say: "Our people did not make 

 the 'rock pictures:' but have this tradition as to what beings made them 



