720 THE GHOST-DANCE RELIGION [eth.ann. 14 



have hundreds of thousands of educated white people who believe in similar falla- 

 cies, tfi is is not more unlikely in an Indian subjected to such influence. 



In studying Smohalla we have to deal with the same curious mixture 

 of honest conviction and cunning' deception that runs through the 

 history of priestcraft in all the ages. Like some other prophets before 

 him, he seeks to convey the idea, that he is in control of the elements 

 and the heavenly bodies, and he has added greatly to his reputation 

 by predicting several eclipses. This he was enabled to do by the help 

 of an almanac and some little explanation from a party of surveyors. 

 In this matter, however, he was soon made to realize that a little 

 knowledge is a dangerous thing. He could not get another almanac, 

 and his astronomic prophecies came to an abrupt termination at the 

 end of the first year. Concerning this, Major MacMurray says: 



He showed mean almanac of a preceding year and asked me to readjust it for 

 eclipses, as it did not work as it had formerly done. I explained that Washington 

 (the Naval Observatory) made new ones every year, and that old ones could not be 

 fixed up to date. lie had probably obtained this one from the station agent at the 

 railroad, now superseded by a new one, who had cut oil' Smohalla's supply of astro- 

 nomical data. My inability to repair the 18S2 almanac, for use in prognosticating 

 in 1SS4 cost me much of bis respect as a wise man from the east. (MacMurray MS. ) 



Smohalla had also a blank book containing mysterious characters, 

 some of which resembled letters of the alphabet, and which he said 

 were records of events and prophecies. MacMurray was unable to 

 decide whether they were mnemonic or were simply unmeaning marks 

 intended to foster among his followers the impression of his superior 

 wisdom. It is probable that they were genuine mnemonic symbols 

 invented by himself for his own purposes, as such systems, devised 

 and used by single individuals or families, and unintelligible to others, 

 are by no means rare among those who may be called the literary men 

 of our aboriginal tribes. 



As their principal troubles arose out of the disputed title to their 

 lands, Major MacMurray was asked by the Indians to explain the 

 Indian homestead law and how white men divided land. This was 

 carefully done with the aid of a checkerboard, and they were shown 

 how the laud was mapped out into equal squares arranged on straight 

 lines so that every man could hud his own. They were then urged by 

 the officer to apply for homesteads and settle upon them so as to avoid 

 further trouble with the new settlers who were pouring into the country. 

 Smohalla replied that he knew all this, but he did not like the new law, 

 as it was against nature. He then went on to expound in detail the 

 Indian cosmogony. Said he: 



I will tell you about it. Once the world was all water and God lived alone. \{a 

 was lonesome, be bad no place to put his foot, so be scratched the sand up from the 

 bottom and made the land, and he made the rocks, and he made trees, and be made 

 a man ; and the man bad wings and could go anywhere. The man was lonesome, and 

 ( Sod made a woman. They ate fish from the water, and God made the deer and other 

 animals, and be sent the man to hunt and told the woman to cook the meat and to 



