142 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



party, or bandied back by their opponents, 

 until the victory is decided by its passing 

 the goal. 



Of the religious opinions of the Crees, it 

 is difficult to give a correct account, not 

 only because they show a disinclination to 

 enter upon the subject, but because their 

 ancient traditions are mingled with the in- 

 formation they have more recently obtained 

 by their intercourse with Europeans. 



None of them ventured to describe the 

 original formation of the world, but they all 

 spoke of an universal deluge, caused by an 

 attempt of the fish to drown Wcesack- 

 ootchacht, a kind of demi-god, with whom 

 they had quarrelled. Having constructed 

 a raft, he embarked with his family and all 

 kinds of birds and beasts. After the flood 

 had continued for some time, he ordered 

 several water-fowl to dive to the bottom; 

 they were all drowned : but a musk-rat 

 having been despatched on the same errand, 

 was more successful, and returned with a 

 mouthful of mud, out of which Wcesack- 

 ootchacht, imitating the mode in which the 



