58 
We slept together on the ledge, and on waking enjoyed a quiet meal. Then, 
with any companion following, I examined the sides of the cliff, and found that I 
could safely descend for some distance down its irregular projections. As we 
approached the light the chasm widened, and at the* bottom of the abyss I saw a 
broad, level road that seemed to be self-luminous. I bethought me of our old 
traditions, that evil manidos dwell within the bowels of the earth; and I hesitated 
to continue. But my companion illumined the path with his bright light, and I 
pressed on. Suddenly the evil manido dashed out at us, but the powerful rays of 
my companion blinded 1 him and checked his assault. One arrow after another I 
shot into its body, and it fell with a thud, squealing in agony. We dared not approach 
it, so evil was its smell; and when we heard another sound like that of our dead 
adversary we rushed across the mouth of the dangerous chasm. Instantly there 
appeared another monster. My companion attacked it while I tugged desperately 
at the arrows in its mate; but 'by the time I had recovered them our enemy, half 
serpent, was dead. 
We burned both their corpses, and travelled along the luminous road, looking 
for some resting place. Then we heard a voice saying ‘ It is not safe for you to rest 
below beside the road. Come up with me/ We climbed up, and found a very 
old man, who called us his grandchildren. We rested there* with our grandfather, 
who instructed us on all the dangers that lay ahead of us at certain points, and 
warned us against the false people who dwell along the great road to the under- 
world. Some of them appeared to be in great agony and travelled alone; others 
were in company, some railing against the Great Spirit, some speaking nought but 
good 1 concerning him. Still others passed by quietly, of whom a few were crippled, 
or suffering from some incurable malady. All appeared in haste to reach their desti- 
nation. Scarcely could I sleep for watching them pass by, some dressed in white, 
some in various costumes, some naked. The rich were the dreadfullest sight of all. 
Our grandfather explained to us each class of people as they passed, all going in the 
same direction, but a few returning swiftly, with heads held high as though no danger 
could appal or work them harm. 
My trusty companion doubled my courage and halved the journey’s length. 
We travelled along in the direction followed by the multitude. The road seemed 
steep, yet those who passed us appeared not to notice its steepness and its slope. 
At another crevasse that joined out road diagonally we encountered another light, 
diffused, and soft and silvery as from the northern lights. Thence the road widened 
rapidly like the lower end of some vast funnel, and split in twain, one path leading 
to a valley. I heard the indescribable murmurs of voices raised in agony, and 
paradoxical laughter echoed through the gTeat hallways, for it was here that sinners 
repented of their deeds, and the old man whom they had left far behind came and 
spoke to them. For this was the first layer of the underworld. 
We came now to a warden, black, half horse, half cow. To its tail was tied an 
arrow head of flint, which it lashed* from side to side. It tried to assail us but could 
not approach. ‘ This,’ the old man told us, ‘ is one of the bad spirits that led the 
people into wrong because it wanted great power. Nanibush surrendered the 
wicked into its hands, and hence our poor Indians suffer. Yet most of them will be 
forgiven/ 
Without halting, we continued on our way. Here and there were fires around 
which contented Indians sat. Some glanced at us and invited us to stay with them, 
asking why we should seek to visit the underworlds. When I briefly explained to 
them our mission they looked from one to the next and seemed quite eager for our 
success. So we travelled on until we came to a great open space intersected) by a 
swift river. Crossing safely, we stayed to hunt and gather rations for the remain- 
ing stages of our journey. In this river were rich deposits of precious stones and an 
abundance of fish; and on its banks we stayed and feasted until we grew quite 
stout, although often, of course, we explored round about. 
Again we journeyed on. Now we encountered mist, and moved silently along 
the great road, groping our way. Close by I heard a sound between a snort and a 
hiss, and, turning sha*rply, beheld a vast and terrible head emerging from a dark 
fissure in the rock. Its jaws gaped wide, its eyes were dull and hungry and alto- 
gether ghastly. Some monstrous reptile it seemed, yet larger than the largest creature 
I had ever encountered in my travels. I and my companion fled back in terror to 
