SMITH.) ORIGIN OF TOBACCO, ETC. 79 



being cropped. At last, when the warriors were despairing of success, 

 a little boy from a neighboring tribe came to satisfy his curiosity by 

 seeing the wonderful bird of which he had heard, but as his people were 

 at war with this tribe he was not permitted by the warriors to try his 

 skill at archery, and was even threatened with death. But the head 

 chief said, " He is a mere boy; let him shoot on equal terms with you 

 who are brave and fearless warriors." His decision being final, the boy, 

 with unequaled skill, brought the coveted bird to the ground. 



Having received the daughter of the head chief in marriage, he 

 divided the oh-ko-ah between his own tribe and that into which he had 

 married, and peace was declared between them. Then the boy husband 

 decreed that wampum should be the price of peace and blood, which 

 was adopted by all nations. Hence arose the custom of giving belts of 

 wampum to satisfy violated honor, hospitality, or national privilege. 



ORIGIN OF TOBACCO. 



A boat filled with medicine men passed near a river bank, where a 

 loud voice had proclaimed to all the inhabitants to remain indoors; but 

 some, disobeying, died immediately. The next day the boat was sought 

 for and found, containing a strange being at each end, both fast asleep. 

 A loud voice was then heard saying that the destroying of these crea- 

 tures would result in a great blessing to the Indian. 



So they were decoyed into a neighboring council-house, where they 

 were put to death and burned, and from their ashes rose the tobacco 

 plant. 



ORIGIN OF PLUMAGE. 



In the beginning the birds, having been created naked, remained hid- 

 den, being ashamed of their nakedness. But at last they assembled in 

 a great council and petitioned the gods to give them some kind of cov- 

 ering. They were told that their coverings were all ready, but were a 

 long way off, and they must either go or send for them. Accordinglj^, 

 another council was held to induce some bird to go in search of the 

 plumage, but each had some excuse for not going. At last a turkey- 

 buzzard volunteered to go and bring the feathery uniforms. It being 

 a long journey to the place whence he must bring them, he (who had 

 been a clean bird heretofore) was obliged to eat carrion and filth of all 

 kinds; hence his present nature. At length, directed by the gods, he 

 found the coverings, and selfishly appropriated to himself the most 

 beautifully colored one, but finding he could not fly in this, he continued 



