190 SEA FABLES EXPLAINED. 



Amongst the historical chants of the Lenni-Lenape, or 

 Delaware Indians, is one entitled the "Song of the Flood," 



open space front in, with their doors toward the centre ; and in the 

 middle of this stands an object of great religious veneration, on 

 account of the importance it has in connection with the annual 

 religious ceremonies. This object is in the form of a large hogshead, 

 some 8 or 10 feet high, made of planks and hoops, containing within 

 it some of their choicest mysteries or medicines. They call it the 

 ' Big Canoe.' " 



This is a representation of the ark, and further on, in the same 

 volume (p. 158), Mr. Catlin describes the great annual rites and cere- 

 monials of which it is the centre. He says : 



" On the day set apart for the commencement of the ceremonies, a 

 solitary figure is seen approaching the village. During the deafening 

 din and confusion within the pickets of the village, the figure dis- 

 covered on the prairie continued to approach with a dignified step, 

 and in a right line towards the village. All eyes were upon him, and 

 he at length made his appearance within the pickets, and proceeded 

 towards the centre of the village, where all the chiefs and braves stood 

 ready to receive him, which they did in a cordial manner by shaking 

 hands, recognizing him as an old acquaintance, and pronouncing his 

 name Nu-mokh-muck-a-nah the first or only man. The body of 

 this strange personage, which was chiefly naked, was painted with 

 white clay, so as to resemble at a distance a white man. He enters 

 the medicine lodge, and goes through certain mysterious ceremonies. 

 During the whole of this day Nu-mokh-muck-a-nah travelled through 

 the village, stopping in front of each man's lodge, and crying until the 

 owner of the lodge came out and asked who he was, and what was 

 the matter. To which he replied by relating the sad catastrophe 

 which had happened on the earth's surface by the overflowing of the 

 waters, and saying that he was the only person saved from the 

 universal calamity ; that he landed his big canoe on a high mountain 

 in the west, where he now resides ; that he has come to open the 

 medicine lodge, which must needs receive a present of an edged tool 

 from the owner of every wigwam, that it may be sacrificed to the 

 water, for if this is not done there will be another flood, and no one 

 will be saved, as it was with such tools that the big canoe was made. 

 Having visited every lodge in the village during the day, and having 

 received such a present from each as a hatchet, a knife, &c. (which is 

 undoubtedly always prepared ready for the occasion), he places them 

 in the medicine lodge, and on the last day of the ceremony they are 

 thrown into a deep place in the river sacrificed to the Spirit of the 

 Waters." 



