40 Bringier on the Region of the Mississippi, <^c. 



wards me, one from sun set and the other from sun rise. 

 They were as bright as the sun of noon, and exhaled a 

 perfume which laid my senses asleep for a few seconds; 

 when I awoke I was in the hands of one of the children ; 

 my spirit had passed into the blaze of the star, and I per- 

 ceived my body leaning on the stump where I had left it. 

 (Atea.) Skaquaw, said the child which held my spirit, 

 we are the messengers of the Ever Great Spirit ; we have 

 come to bring the word of truth, for the red children of our 

 beloved father, who lives beyond the blue world above, as 

 nothing from there can have any communication with the 

 impure matter here below, we have parted your spirit from 

 its mortal body, v/hich we have purified in this celestial fire, 

 its present body. Now you are ready to hear the word of 

 the Great Spirit, open your ears Skaquaw. The Ever- 

 Great spirit, with your mouth, speaks to his beloved red 

 children, that he has determined to put an end to mankind,* 

 their mortal enemy, and save his children alone; the fire 

 of war is burning already in all four corners of the earth. 

 Watch for a sign, and the earth will soon shake, like a horse 

 who shakes the dust from his back; but be sure to move 

 away from St. Francis before the next sign manifests itself: 

 go towards the sun set, and travel until you are stopped by 

 a big river which runs towards sun rise; there stop, plant 

 corn, and hunt in peace, until the last sign prepares you to 

 hope for days of happiness, (it says days without clouds) — 

 a spark brighter than the moon, will give light to the earth, 

 drive away the winter, and drain the swamps; corn will 

 grow in all seasons ; and there will be but two families on 

 the globe, (it repeats earth,) one to the sun rise, and his be- 

 loved red children to the sun set.' (Atea.) As soon as he 

 had thus spoken, the other child blowed out the blaze ; my 

 spirit resumed its mortal body, and I perceived them no 

 more. (Atea.)" 



The singularity of the ideas of this prophet, induced me 

 to set down his prophecies, which I did nearly in his own 

 metaphors. 



I must observe, that the Cherokees, like most of the In- 

 dians, speak aphoristically. The result of these prophe- 

 cies was the total evacuation of St. Francis river. Two or 



"■ It sayS; '■' tnankinilj'fhe mortal enemy of mankind." 



