106 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



further to what I say. The name of the one that steals away your 

 breath is S'hondowek'owa. He has no face and does not see any 

 one. You can not see him until he grasps you. He comes some- 

 times for a visit and sometimes he stays with us until many are 

 dead. Sometimes he takes away the best men and women and 

 passes by the lesser ones. I was not told why he does this thing. 

 He wants to destroy every person. He will continue to work for- 

 ever. Every one who hears me and every one not yet born will 

 die. There is more about you than living. Any moment you may be 

 snatched by S'hondowek'owa, he who works in the thick darkness. 

 You must now divide yourselves into nine bands, five to sit on 

 one side of the fire and four on the other and these bands shall 

 care for its members. You must seek out all good things and in- 

 struct one another, and those who do good things will see when they 

 die the place where the Maker of all things lives." 



