mooney] HECKEWELDER ON THE PROPHET 6G7 



Across these inside lines, others of about an inch in length were drawn with sundry 

 other lines and marks, all winch was intended to represent a strong inaccessible 

 barrier, to prevent those without from entering the space within, otherwise than at 

 the place appointed tor that purpose. When the map was held as he directed, the 

 corners which were not closed lay at the hit-hand side, directly opposite to each 

 other, the one being at the southeast by south, and the nearest at the northeast by 

 north. In explaining or describing the particular points on this map, with his fingers 

 always pointing to the place he was describing, he called the space within the inside 

 lines "the hca\ -nly regions," or the place destined by the Great Spirit for the habita- 

 tion of the Indians in future life. The space left open at the southeast corner he 



called the "avenue," which had I n intended lor the Indians to enter into this 



heaven, but which was now in the possession of the white people; wherefore the 

 Great Spirit had since caused another "avenue" to be made on the opposite side, at 

 which, however, it was both difficult and dangerous for them to enter, there being 

 many impediments in their way, besides a large ditch leading to a gulf below, over 

 which they had to leap; hut tin' evil spirit kept at this very spot a continual watch 

 for Indians, and whoever lie laid hold of never could get away from him again, but 

 was carried to his regions, where there was nothing hut extreme poverty; where the 

 ground was parched ii|i 1>\ the heat for want of rain, no fruit, came to perfection, 

 the game was almost starved for want of pasture, and where the evil spirit, at his 

 pleasure, transformed men into horses and dogs, to be ridden by him ami follow him 

 in his hunts and wherever he went. 



The space on the outside of this interior square was intended to represent the 

 country given to the Indians to hunt, fish, and dwell in while in this world; the 



east side of it was called tl cean or "great salt-water lake." Then the preacher, 



drawing the attention of his hearers particularly to the southeast avenue, would say 

 to them. '-Look here! See what we have lost by neglect and disobedience; bj 

 being remiss in the expression of our gratitude to the Great Spirit for what he has 

 bestowed upon us; by neglecting to make to him sufficient sacrifices; by looking 

 upon a people of a different colour from our own, who had come across a en-at lake, 

 as if they were a part of ourselves: by suffering them to sit clown by our side, and 

 looking at them with indifference, while they were not only taking our country from 

 us. hut this i pointing to the spot i, this, our own avenue, leading into those beantiful 

 regions which were destined lor us. Such is the sad condition to which we are 

 reduced. What is now to he done, and what remedy is to be applied? 1 will tell 

 you, my friends. Hear what the Great Spirit has ordered me to tell yon ' You arc- 

 to make sacrifices, in the manner that I shall direct; to put off entirely from your- 

 selves the customs which you have adopted since the white people came among us. 

 You are to return to that former happy state-, in which we lived in peace and plenty, 

 before these strangers came to disturb us; and, above all, you must abstain from 

 drinking their deadly beaon, which they have forced upon its, for the sake of increas- 

 ing their gains and diminishing our numbers. Then will the Great Spirit give- 

 success to our arms; then he will give us strength to conquer our enemies, to drive 

 them from hence, and recover the passage to the heavenly regions which they have 

 taken from us." 



Such was in general the substance of his discourses. After having dilated more 

 or less on the various topics which 1 have mentioned, he commonly concluded in 

 this manner: "And now-, my friends, in order that what I have told you may remain 

 firmly impressed on your minds, and to refresh your memories from time to time-, 1 

 advise you to preserve, in every family at least, such a book or writing as this, which 

 I will finish off for you. provided you bring me the price, which is only one buck- 

 skin or two doeskins apiece." The price was of course bought (sic), and the book 

 purchased. In some of those maps, the figure of a deer or turkey, or both, was 

 placed in the heaA enly regions, and also in the dreary region of the evil spirit. I In- 

 former, however, appeared fat and plump, while the latter seemed to have nothing 

 but skin and bones. (Heckewelder, 1.) 



