"ABOUT thirty miles below the Falls of St. Anthony, at which I arrived the tenth day after I left Lake Pepin, is a remarkable cave of an amazing depth. The Indians term it Wakon-teebe, that is, the dwelling of the Great Spirit. The entrance into it is about ten feet wide, the height of it five feet. The arch within is near fifteen feet high and about thirty feet broad. The bottom of it consists of fine clear sand. About twenty feet from the entrance begins a lake, the water of which is transparent, and extends to an unsearchable distance; for the darkness of the cave prevents all attempts to acquire a knowledge of it. I threw a small pebble towards the interior part of it with my utmost strength: I could hear that it fell into the water, and notwithstanding it was of so small a size, it caused an astonishing and horrible noise that reverberated through all those gloomy regions. I found in this cave many Indian hieroglyphicks, which appeared very ancient, for time had nearly covered them with moss, so that it was with difficulty I could trace them. They were cut in a rude manner upon the inside of the walls, which were composed of a stone so extremely soft that it might be penetrated with a knife: a stone every where to be found near the Mississippi. The cave is only accessible by ascending a narrow, steep passage that lies near. At a little distance from this dreary cavern is the burying-place of several bands of the Naudowesoie Indians though these people have no fixed residence, living in tents, and abiding but a few months on one spot, yet they always bring the bones of their dead to this place; which they take the opportunity of doing when the chiefs meet to hold their councils and to settle all public affairs for the ensuing summer."-Ibid. 63. 84.

[The Eagle's Eyries.]

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"AT a little distance below the Falls stands a small island, of about an acre and a half, on which grows a great number of oak trees, every branch of which, able to support the weight, was full of eagles' nests. The reason that this kind of birds resort in such numbers to this spot is, that they are here secure from the attacks either of man or beast, their retreat being guarded by the Rapids, which the Indians never attempt to pass. Another reason is, that they find a constant supply of food for themselves and their young from the animals and fish which are dashed to pieces by the Falls and driven on the adjacent shore."-Ibid. p. 71.

[Blue Clay Paint-a Mark of Peace.] "THIS country likewise abounds with milk-white clay, of which China ware might be made equal in goodness to the Asiatic; and also with a blue clay that serves the Indians for paint. With this last they contrive, by mixing it with red stone powdered, to paint themselves of different colours. Those that can get the blue clay here mentioned, paint themselves very much with it, particularly when they are about to begin their sports and pastimes. It is also esteemed by them a mark of peace, as it has a resemblance of a blue sky, which, with them, is a symbol of it, and made use of in their speeches as a figurative expression to denote peace. When they wish to shew that their inclinations are pacific towards other tribes, they greatly ornament both themselves and belts with it."-Ibid.

greater number of all kinds of these reptiles than this does, particularly of the watersnake. The lake is covered near the banks of the islands with the large pond-lily; the leaves of which lie on the surface of the water so thick as to cover it entirely for many acres together; and on each of these lay, when I passed over it, wreaths of watersnakes basking in the sun, which amounted to myriads."—Ibid. p. 167.

[The Hissing Snake.]

"THE most remarkable of the different species that infest this lake is the hissingsnake, which is of the small speckled kind, and about eighteen inches long. When any thing approaches, it flattens itself in a moment, and its spots, which are of various dyes, become visibly brighter through rage; at the same time it blows from its mouth with great force a subtile wind, that is reported to be of a nauseous smell; and if drawn in with the breath of the unwary traveller, will infallibly bring on a decline that in a few months must prove mortal, there being no remedy yet discovered which can counteract its baneful influence."-Ibid. p. 167.

[Thunder Bay.]

"NEARLY half way between Soganaum Bay and the North-West corner of the Lake lies another, which is termed Thunder Bay. The Indians, who have frequented these parts from time immemorial, and every European traveller that has passed through it, have unanimously agreed to call it by this name, on account of the continual thunder they have always observed here. The bay is about nine miles broad, and the

1 I have watched the common snake resting its

head on lilies and water weeds and taking flies, by hundreds, on a small lake in Sjælland. QUERE? Do not all snakes take to the water in very hot weather? J. W. W.

same in length, and whilst I was passing over it, which took me up near twenty-four hours, it thundered and lightened during the greatest part of the time to an excessive degree.

“There appeared to be no visible reason for this that I could discover, nor is the country in general subject to thunder; the hills that stood around were not of a remarkable height, neither did the external parts of them seem to be covered with any sulphureous substance. But as this phænomenon must originate from some natural cause, I conjecture that the shores of the bay or the adjacent mountains are either impregnated with an uncommon quantity of sulphureous matter, or contain some metal or mineral apt to attract in a great degree the electrical particles that are hourly borne over them by the passant clouds.”Ibid. p. 145.

[Indian Designation of the Months.] "THEY call the month of March (in which their year generally begins at the first new moon after the vernal equinox) the worm month or moon; because at this time the worms quit their retreats in the bark of the trees, wood, &c. where they have sheltered themselves during the winter.

"The month of April is termed by them the month of plants. May, the month of flowers. June, the hot moon. July, the buck moon. Their reason for thus denominating these is obvious.

"August, the sturgeon moon; because in this month they catch great numbers of that fish.

"September, the corn moon; because in that month they gather in their Indian corn.

"October, the travelling moon; as they leave at this time their villages, and travel towards the places where they intend to hunt during the winter.

month the beavers begin to take shelter in "November, the beaver moon; for in this their houses, having laid up a sufficient store of provisions for the winter season.

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lence proclaimed, one of the principal chiefs arose, and in a short but masterly speech informed his audience of the occasion of their meeting. He acquainted them that one of their young men wished to be admitted into their society; and taking him by the hand presented him to their view, asking them, at the same time, whether they had any objection to his becoming one of their community.

"No objection being made, the young candidate was placed in the centre, and four of the chiefs took their stations close to him; after exhorting him, by turns, not to faint under the operation he was about to go through, but to behave like an Indian and a man, caused him to kneel, another placed himself behind him so as to receive him when he fell, and the last of the four retired to the distance of about twelve feet from him exactly in front. This disposition being completed, the chief that stood before the kneeling candidate began to speak to him with an audible voice. He told him that he himself was now agitated by the same spirit which he should in a few minutes communicate to him; that it would strike him dead, but that he would instantly be restored to life; to this he added, that the communication, however terrifying, was a necessary introduction to the advantages enjoyed by the community into which he was on the point of being admitted.

"As he spake this he appeared to be greatly agitated till at last his emotions became so violent, that his countenance was distorted, and his whole frame convulsed. At this juncture he threw something that appeared both in shape and colour like a small bean at the young man, which seemed to enter his mouth, and he instantly fell as motionless as if he had been shot. The chief that was placed behind him received him in his arms and, by the assistance of the other two laid him on the ground to all appearance bereft of life.

"Having done this, they immediately began to rub his limbs, and to strike him on the back, giving him such blows as seemed

more calculated to still the quick than to raise the dead. During these extraordinary applications, the speaker continued his harangue, desiring the spectators not to be surprised, or to despair of the young man's recovery, as his present inanimate situation proceeded only from the forcible operations of the spirit on faculties that had hitherto been unused to inspirations of this kind.

"The candidate lay several minutes without sense or motion; but at length after receiving many violent blows, he began to discover some symptoms of returning life. These, however, were attended with strong convulsions, and an apparent obstruction in his throat. But they were soon at an end; for having discharged from his mouth the bean, or whatever it was that the chief had thrown at him, but which on the closest inspection I had not perceived to enter it, he soon after appeared to be tolerably recovered. This part of the ceremony being happily effected, the officiating chief disrobed him of the cloaths he had usually worn, and put on him a set of apparel entirely new. When he was dressed, the speaker once more took him by the hand and presented him to the society as a regular and thoroughly initiated member, exhorting them at the same time to give him such necessary assistance as, being a young member, he might stand in need of. He also charged the newly-elected brother to receive with humility, and to follow with punctuality the advice of his elder brethren."-Ibid. p. 271.

[The Red-painted Hatchet of War.] "THE manner in which the Indians declare war against each other is by sending a slave with a hatchet, the handle of which is painted red, to the nation which they intend to break with; and the messenger, notwithstanding the danger to which he is exposed from the sudden fury of those whom he thus sets at defiance, executes his commission with great fidelity.