The American Nations, Vol. I.: Or, Outlines of a National History of the Ancient and Modern Nations of North and South AmericaRafinesque, C. S. (Constantine Samuel)
History
The American Nations, Vol. I.: Or, Outlines of a National History of the Ancient and Modern Nations of North and South America
Rafinesque, C. S. (Constantine Samuel)
Indians; Indians -- Origin; Taino Indians; Taino language
1. After the flood, the manly men _Linapewi_, with the manly turtle beings
dwelt close together at the cave house, and dwelling of _Talli_.
2. It freezes was there, it snows was there, it is cold was there.
3. To possess mild coldness and much game, they go to the northerly plain,
to hunt cattle they go.
4. To be strong and to be rich the comers divided into tillers and
hunters. _Wikhi-chik_, _Elowi-chik_.
5. The most strong, the most good, the most holy, the hunters they
are.(26)
6. And the hunters spread themselves, becoming northerlings, easterlings,
southerlings, westerlings. _Lowaniwi_, _Wapaniwi_, _Shawaniwi_,
_Wunkeniwi_.
7. Thus the white country _Lumonaki_, north of the turtle country, became
the hunting country of the turtling true men.
8. Meantime all the snakes were afraid in their huts, and the snake priest
_Nakopowa_ said to all, let us go.
9. Easterly they go forth at Snakeland _Akhokink_, and they went away
earnestly grieving.
10. Thus escaping by going so far, and by trembling the burnt land
_Lusasaki_ is torn and is broken from the snake fortified land.
_Akomenaki_.
11. Being free, having no trouble, the northerlings all go out,
separating, at the land of Snow _Winiaken_.
12. The fish resort to the shores of the gaping sea, where tarried the
fathers of white eagle and white wolf. _Waplanewa_, _Waptumewi_.
13. While our fathers were always boating and navigating, they saw in the
east that the snake land was bright and wealthy. (Here begins a fine
poetical rhyming narrative).—_See Last Note._
14. The head-beaver _Wihlamok_, and the big-bird _Kicholen_, were saying
to all, let us go to the Snake Island _Akomen_.
15. By going with us, we shall annihilate all the snaking people,
_Wemaken_.
16. Having all agreed, the northerlings and easterlings, went over the
water of the frozen sea to possess that land.
17. It was wonderful when they all went over the smooth deep water of the
frozen sea, at the gap of the Snake sea in the great ocean.
18. They were ten thousand in the dark, who all go forth in a single night
in the dark, to the Snake island of the eastern land _Wapanaki_ in the
Dark, by walking all the people.—OLINI.(27)
19. They were the manly north, the manly east, the manly south; with manly
eagle, manly beaver, manly wolf; with manly hunter, manly priest, manly
rich; with manly wife, manly daughter, manly dog. (12 words all
homophonous rhymes.)
20. All coming there, they tarry at Firland _Shinaking_. But the western
men doubtful of the passage, preferred to remain at the old turtle land.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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