As I have said before, the purpose of these dreams is to dive into futurity. Everything in nature appears unto them, but in the shape of a human being. They dream they meet a man who asks them (after some preliminary conversation of course), "Dost thou know me?" (who or what I am?). "No." "Follow me then!" replies this stranger. The Indian follows. The other leads him to his abode and again makes the inquiry. The answer is perhaps as before. Then the stranger assumes his proper form, which is perhaps that of a tree, a stone, a fish. And after rechanging several times in this manner, until such time as the Indian becomes perfectly to know him, then this stranger gives him to smoke, [teaches] him _his_ song, thus addressing him, "Now do you remember my song? Whenever you will wish to call upon me, sing this song, and I shall not be far. I will come and do for you what you require." [Principal Spirits] They know many of _these Spirits_ as soon as they see them (in their dreams) by the description the other Indians have given of them. Some, however, they know from their nature. When the _Snow_ addresses them, he they know because he is perfectly white--the _Ice_ also. The Sun and Moon [they know] from their beautiful brilliancy and the elegance of their abode--the houses of the two last being uncommonly neat and handsome such as those of {6} the white (i.e. civilized). [Wee-suck-ā-jāāk / Gey-Shay-mani-_to_] One principal amongst all these, and everything in nature appears at least to some of them, is the Supreme Being, whom they term Wee-suck-ā-jāāk (the last a's being pronounced as in 'all', 'hawk' etc.; the first as ale, bail etc.) i.e. by his proper name, his common name, Gey-Shay-mani-_to_ (this is among the Crees nation), which signifies "the Greatly charitable Spirit." He is uncommonly good and kind, addresses them and talks to them as to children whom he most tenderly loves and is extremely anxious for. Thus far everything is very well, and is perhaps a better _idea_ than many of the vulgar christians can give. But on the other hand again, their mythology, or stories relating to him, are many of them absurd and indecent in the highest degree, reducing him to the level of his creatures, and not unfrequently their making him dupe, but become so by such vile, such abominable deception as I doubt to be equalled by the most absurd and romantic of the Arabian tales. For there are many of these tales the author durst not publish for the obscenity and indecency. There are some obscene passages also in these tales (of the Indians) but not more than might be expected from a people yet in a perfect state of nature as to their mental powers, to our eternal shame and scandal. This one they love, they love him a great deal, and are by no means afraid of him, because he always addresses them "my little children" and all the rest of his character is of a piece with this. [Key-jick-oh-kay (Old Nick)]