170 Miscellaneous Facts and Observations. 



those days, we had such men among us, who could 

 live as well in the water as on land." 



' Conversing one day with a Monsy (advanced in 

 years) on ancient times, on the migration of the In- 

 dians, Sec, he, in order to convince me (says Mr. 

 Heckewelder) what the Indians once were, mentioned 

 the killing of the Big Snake, the history of which, 

 according to his relation, differing only in the follow- 

 ing points : 



*' a. He did not think it had been a rattle-snake, but 

 understood the old men, from whom he had heard 

 it so often related (when he was young), that it was 

 a snake of a peculiar kind, and had feet ; and that 

 never since had a snake of this kind appeared : 



" b. That he was not sure as to the place where this 

 snake kept ; believed it had been higher up the 

 country, and kept in a wide and deep place of the 

 river, and in the country of the Munsees (or Min- 

 sy), and was killed by a Mannitto Munsee ; 



*' c. That after the nation had met in council, and the 

 above questions put, a Munsee man of no character, 

 nor seemingly of any consequence to the nation, 

 said and declared, that he had Mannittoie Powers; 

 could and would destroy the monster, prescribing 

 the ceremonies the assembly were to observe during 

 the expedition. That he then made a very strong- 

 arrow, or spear, sharp at boili ends ; and being- 

 equipped, took leave of the assembly — plunged 



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