Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 12.pdf/710

 The Penobscot Indians. was published in Oldtown a book entitled "The Life and Traditions of the Red Men." Its author was Joseph Nicolas, a pure-blooded Tarratine, who was born and brought up amid the scenes in which his last years were passed. A daughter of his was for some years a teacher of the school on Indian Island, and in her grade she had few superiors in pro fessional qualifications, in the entire county. Mr. Nicolas says in his preface : I ... have given the full account of all the traditions as I have gathered them from my peo ple. After forty years of search and study I am satisfied that no more can be found, as the. old traditional story-tellers have all gone to the happy hunting ground. "Klose-ker-beh, the man-from-nothing," says the book, " was claimed by all the children of the red men to be the first person who came upon the earth. And he was their teacher. He taught them how they must live, and told them about the spiritual power, and how it was in every living thing; and it was the same power which has sent him to prepare the way on earth for the generations to come; and to subdue all obstacles which are against the nature of man; and to reduce the earth to such a state as to be come a happy land for the people."

The views of the Indians concerning the creation of the first man, and connected events, may be apprehended from the follow ing curtailment and summary. Klose-ker-beh, when he opened his eyes found himself lying on his back in the dust, his head toward the rising of the sun, the right hand pointing toward the north, and his left hand to the south. Though having no strength to move any part of his body, yet, in the bright day, he perceived all the glories of the world. The sun was at the zenith, standing still, and beside it was the moon, also without motion, while the stars were in their fixed places, and about them the firmament displayed its beautiful blue. While the body of Klose-ker-beh (this pecu liar being, who was not man) still clung to the dust, he was without mind, and his flesh

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without feeling. At that moment the heavens were lit up with all kinds of bright colors, each standing by itself, as in a rainbow. In another moment every color shot a streak into the other, and soon all the colors inter mingled, forming a beautiful brightness in the center of the heavens over the front of his face. Nearer and nearer came the bright ness, until it almost touched his body; then feeling came into his flesh, and as he per ceived the warmth of the approaching bright ness he fell into a deep sleep. The wind fanned his brow, and the power of sight was restored; but he saw not what he had before beheld. Instead of the bright ness, a person like unto himself stood at his right hand, facing the rising sun. Afterward Klose-ker-beh knew this person to be the Great Spirit. In silence his glorious visitor raised his right hand toward the east and moved it quickly thence to the place of the setting sun; immediately a streak of lightning followed the motion of his hand from one side of the earth to the other. Again, he raised his right hand, pointing first to the south, then swinging it to the north, when another streak of lightning followed the movement. Immediately after the passage of the light ning over Klose-ker-beh a sense of thought came to him. The first thought was that the shining one at his side brought him strength. The Great Being answered his thought, speak ing these words : Thou doest well believing in me. I am the head of all thou beboldest; and as thou believest, arise from thy bed of dust, and stand on thy feet; and, as thou believest, thou shall have strength to walk.

Immediately strength came to Klose-kerbeh, and he arose to his feet and stood be side the Great Being. Following this, the latter turned half round toward his right, fac ing the sun; then, lifting both hands and looking up, he said, " Go thy way! " And immediately the whole heavens obeyed. The sun, moon, and all the stars moved toward