I had a dream the latter part of which I shall relate to you as it is
perfectly descriptive of the manner or form in which the Sun
appears. I related it the next day to some of my half-breeds, when one
of them replied, "What a pity! Had you now forborne for a few days
mentioning _this_, he would have appeared again to you, and then you
would have had a fine opportunity of learning (from the fountain-head,
as we might say) how it is the Indians come to perform those things
the white will never credit." And he continued that it was precisely
the form he assumed when he appears to the Indians.
In my dream I thought we were travelling a road from which some of our
party had the utmost to dread from the ambush of an Indian who could
transport himself to what place he pleased. As we were walking, I
happened to look above and was much struck with the appearance of a
man walking in the heavens. His dress was that of a neat _Southern_
Indian, composed mostly of red and yellow, but also of a few other
colors. The garters of his leggings were also neat and handsome and
had a tuft of swans-down that had been powdered with vermillion
attached to the knot on the back part of the leg. To his shoes were
attached two long swan quills inclosing the foot thus [Transcriber's
Note: Image of the footwear] with a tuft of down at each end and in
the middle on both sides all powdered with vermillion. With these
quills and down, and the down on his garters, [he was buoyed] up in
the air. I addressed [him] in broken Cree. He answered in the same
broken accent. Upon my second address, I thought he did not understand
more of that language than I did myself. The Sauteux seemed to me his
proper tongue, and I was glad of having an opportunity of speaking
that language. So I the third time addressed him in it, asked him from
whence he came, whither he was going. He was very {8} high, insomuch
that the others thought it preposterous in my addressing him--that he
could not hear from that distance. Upon this he came down and talked
with us, saying he was an _ambassador_. Such is the habillement, and
manner in which the Sun shews himself.
[Thunder]
The Thunder also appears to them, in the shape and form of a most
beautiful bird (The Pea-Cock).
[Roots and Herbs (Medicines)]
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