214 THE MENOMINI INDIANS [eth.ann.H 



medicine, aud succeeded iu obtaining four. These were mosh'kikwas, 1 

 pina'sse-oshet, 2 as'kaa'qpuku, 3 aud isha'wasket. 4 



When he had gathered a small bundle of each of these plants — they 

 altogether being as much as he could grasp in his hand — he pounded 

 them very flue. Then, when the medicine was prepared, he put it in a 

 little pouch which he always carried with him wherever he went. 



One day, when he found himself near a large oak, he thought he 

 would test the medicine which he had made. So he took a pinch of 

 tbe powder out of the pouch, put it in some water, aud drank it. Then, 

 to make the medicine still more effective, he sang, "Who is going out 

 hunting, for I go out to hunt !" 



Then the Skunk faced the oak, and shot at the roots — not with an 

 arrow, but with a foul smelling liquid, which, when it struck the tree, 

 caused it to be consumed to ashes. 



The hunting medicine that was made by the Skuuk is the same that 

 we make to this day. 



THE CATFISH 



Once when the Catfish were assembled in the water an old chief said 

 to them, " I have often seen a Moose come to the edge of the water to 

 eat grass; let us watch for him, and kill aud eat him. He always comes 

 when the sun is a little way up in the sky." 



The Catfish who heard this agreed to go and attack the Moose; so 

 they went to watch. They were scattered everywhere among the grass 

 and rushes, when the Moose came slowly along picking grass. He 

 waded down into the water, where he began to feast. Tbe Catfish all 

 watched to see what the old chief would do, and presently one of them 

 worked his way slowly through the grass to where the Moose's leg was, 

 wheu he thrust his spear into it. Then the Moose said, " What is it 

 that has thrust a spear into my leg?" and looking down he saw the 

 Catfish, when he immediately began to trample upon them with his 

 hoofs, killing a great number of them, while those that escaped swam 

 down the river as fast as they could. The C'ltfish still carry spears, but 

 their heads have never recovered from the flattening they received wheu 

 they were trampled by the Moose into the mud. 



THE FIRST MEETING OF THE MENOMINI AND THE WHITES 



The first meeting between the Indians and whites is accounted for 

 in the following story, told by Waios'kasit, and iu this instance, as in 

 like tales of other tribes, liquor is referred to as having been given to 

 the Indian to make him temporarily demented. 



When the Menomini lived on the shore of the sea, 5 they one day were 

 looking out across the water and observed some large vessels, which 



1 An aquatic plant found in cedar swamps. 



2 The word signifies eagle-leg, and refers to a prairie plant bearing yellow flowers. 



3 An aquatic plant, growing to the height of about 4 feet, the roots of which are used. 



4 Also an aquatic plant. 



5 Trobably Lake Michigan is here referred to. 



