The Life History and Travels of Kah-ge-ga-gah-bowh, 1847
The Life History and Travels of Kah-ge-ga-gah-bowh, 1847
Chapter IV
Our people believed much in omens. The barking of foxes and of wolves, the bleating of the deer, the screeching of owls, bad luck in hunting, the flight of uncommon kinds of birds, the moaning noise of a partridge, the noise of a chuck chack ske sey,[1] were ominous of ill; the two last were certain omens of death. But the sailing of an eagle to and fro, and the noise of a raven, were omens of good.
Dreams, too, were much relied on by our nation. They thought the spirits revealed to them what they were to do, and what they should be, viz. good hun. ters, warriors, and medicine men. I would fast sometimes two, and sometimes even four days. When fasting, we were to leave the wigwam early in the morning, and travel all day from one place to another, in search of the favor of the gods. I was taught to believe that the gods would communicate with me, in the shape of birds, amimals, etc., etc. When I fell asleep in the woods, and dreamed some strange dream, I felt confident that it was from the spirits. I will now relate what I dreamed when I was but twelve years old, and also my father’s interpretation of my dream.
Myself and others were sleeping far from the wigwam, near a large pine. I saw, in my dream, a person coming from the east; he approached, walking on the air: he looked down upon me, and said, “Is this where you are?” I said “yes.” “Do you see this pine?” “Yes, I see it.” “It is a great and high tree.” I observed that the tree was lofty, reaching towards the heavens. Its branches extended over land and water, and its roots were very deep. “Look on it while 1 sing, yes, gaze upon the tree.” He sang, and pointed to the tree; it commenced waving its top; the earth about its roots was heaved up, and the waters roared and tossed from one side of their beds to the other. As soon as he stopped singing, and let fall his – hands, every thing became perfectly still and quiet. “Now,” said he, “sing the words which I have sung.” I commenced as follows:
“It is I who travel in the winds,
It is I who whisper in the breeze,
I shake the trees.
I shake the earth,
I trouble the waters on every land.”
While singing, I heard the winds whistle, saw the tree waving its top, the earth heaving, heard the waters roaring, because they were all troubled and agitated. Then said he, “I am from the rising of the sun, I will come and see you again. You will not see me often; but you will hear me speak.” Thus spoke the spirit, and then turned away towards the road from which he had come. I told my father of my dream, and after hearing all, he said, “My son, the god of the winds is kind to you; the aged tree, I hope, may indicate long life; the wind may indicate that you will travel much; the water which you saw, and the winds, will carry your canoe safely through the waves.”
I relied much on my dream, for then I knew no better. But, however, little reliance can be placed in dreams, yet may not the Great Spi