SMOKERS' STORIES. 79 



tian religion is founded, and particularly 

 the fall of our first parents, was thus 

 answered by an old Indian orator: 'What 

 you have told us is very good ; we thank 

 you for coming so far to tell us those 

 things you have heard from your mothers ; 

 in return we will tell you what we have 

 heard from ours. In the beginning we 

 had only flesh of animals to eat ; and if 

 they failed, we starved. Two of our 

 hunters having killed a deer and broiled 

 a part of it, saw a young woman descend 

 from the clouds, and seat herself on a 

 hill hard by. Said one to the other : " It 

 is a spirit, perhaps, that has smelt our 

 venison ; let us offer some of it to her." 

 They accordingly gave her the tongue. 

 She was pleased with its flavor and said : 

 " Your kindness shall be rewarded ; come 

 here thirteen moons hence, and you shall 

 find it." They did so, and found maize 

 growing; where her left hand had been, 

 kidney beans; and where she had sat 

 they found tobacco? " 



