408 THE WINNEBAGO TRIBE [eth. ann. 37 



it (what I told him) very much. "That is what I am anxious to 

 hear," said he. Then we went after the horses. We caught one of 

 them but we could not get the other. He got away from us and we 

 could not find liim. We hunted everywhere for the horse but could 

 not discover where he had rim to. Long afterwards we found it 

 among the whites. 



Now since that time (of my conversion) no matter where I am, I 

 always think of this religion. I still remember it and I think I will 

 remember it as long as I live. It is the only holy thing I have been 

 aware of in all my life. 



After that whenever I heard of a peyote meeting, I went to it. 

 However, my thoughts were always fixed on women. "If I were 

 married (legally) perhaps these thoughts will leave me," I thought. 

 Whenever I went to a meeting now I tried to eat as many peyote as 

 possible, for I was told that it was good to eat them. For that reason 

 I ate them. As I sat there I woidd always pray to Earthmaker (God) . 

 Now these were my thoughts. If I were married, I thought as I sat 

 there, I could then put all my thoughts on this ceremony. I sat 

 with my eyes closed and was very quiet. 



Suddenly I saw something. This was tied up. The rope with 

 which tliis object was tied up was long. The object itself was run- 

 ning around and around (in a circle). There was a pathway there 

 in which it ought to go, but it was tied up and imable to get there. 

 The road was an excellent one. Along its edge bluegrass grew and 

 on each side there grew many varieties of pretty flowers. Sweet- 

 smelling flowers sprang up all along this road. Far off in the distance 

 appeared a bright light. There a city was visible of a beauty inde- 

 scribable by tongue. A cross was in full sight. The object that was 

 tied up would always fall just short of reaching the road. It seemed 

 to lack sufficient strength to break loose (of what was holding it). 

 (Near it) lay sometliing which would have given it sufficient strength 

 to break its fastenings, if it were only able to get hold of it. 



I looked at what was so inextricably tied up and I saw that it was 

 myself. I was forever tliinking of women. ''Tliis it is to which I 

 am tied," I thought. "Were I married, I would have strength 

 enough to break my fastening and be able to travel in the good road," 

 I thought. Then daylight came upon us and we stopped. 



Then I thought of a man I used to know who was an old peyote- 

 man. He always spoke to me very kindly. I went over to see him. 

 I thought I would tell him what had happened to me. ^Vhen I 

 arrived there he was quite delighted. It was about noon and he 

 fed my horses and asked me to eat with him. Then when we were 

 through eating, I told him what had happened to me. He was very 

 glad and told me that I was speaking of a very good thing. Then 

 (finally) he said, "Now I shall tell you what I think is a good thing 



