SOURCE OP ST. Peter's river. 135 



the night. Prophets formerly existed in great number, 

 and were much revered ; but the failure which attended 

 the predictions made by the great prophet of the Shawa- 

 nese, the brother of Tecumseh, has opened their eyes on 

 this subject, and satisfied them that he, as well perhaps as 

 the others who had enjoyed reputation among them, was 

 merely a tool in the hands of a designing chief, to deceive 

 the Indians into measures which he wished to effect. 



The Potawatomis have a number of war songs, formed 

 for the most part of one or two ideas, expressed in short 

 and forcible sentences, which they repeat over and over, 

 in a low humming kind of tune, which to our ears ap- 

 peared very monotonous ; they have no love songs, the 

 business of singing being always connected with warlike 

 avocations. We took down the words of one of their sonscs 

 as follows : — 



Y6-wa-kwa ta-m^-noi me-ch^-mo-ko-man. 



IFhat do I hear behind me? the Americans 



n^-to-ta-wa-n^-ka pe-te-ksi-wa, 



are entering our village. Prepare yourselves to fight. 



Ka-na-m^-ta-s^ we-ta-se ne-p6-vv^n. 



We must die. Victory or death. 



The translation of two others is annexed, with a view- 

 to give an idea of the purport of their songs. " When I 

 march against mine enemies, the earth trembles under my 

 feet:" this is sung with considerable force by a warrior: 

 the others joining in chorus, to the words ya, wa, often re- 

 peated, and concluded with a general whoop. 



Another, which is very short, consists merely in the re- 

 petition of the words, " The head of the enemy is cut off, 

 and falls at my feet;" with the exclamation ha-ha-ha, fre- 

 quently repeated. 



Singing is always attended by the dance, and if pos- 



