myself.
The village of the Mysterious or Great Medicine Tribe, I found to consist of some fifteen or twenty lodges, situated on the side of the mountain so as to overlook a beautiful valley some quarter of a mile be low, through which flowed a murmuring stream that formed one of the tributaries of the Platte. The cabins, though only temporarily erected, were very comforta ble, and placed so as to form a complete circle, in the center of which stood the Great Medicine lodge of Cha-cha-chee-kee- hobah, where I had been confined, and by which, as I now learned, I had been high ly honored, inasmuch as not a soul besides its owner and Prairie Flower, unless by special permit, was ever allowed to cros its threshold. This then accounted for nay not having seen any of the tribe dur ing my confinement in bed. The Great Medicine lodge, and one other, were dis tinguished from the rest by their whitish appearance, done probably by a limish composition found on the mountains. This other alluded to, was the residence of Prai rie Flower, and two young, dark-skinned, blaok - haired, bright - eyed, pretty - faced Indian girls, whose countenances and costumes bespoke intelligence and superiority.
Among this tribe were some twenty fe males and as many children, and the bal ance males, all of whom were decently dad, and clean and tidy in their appear ance. Save Prairie Flower, but very few of them wore any kind of ornaments, and their dark, clear skins were not in the least bedaubed with paint. Most of them spoke the English language, and some quite flu ently; and I observed many an old well- thumbed book generally a bible lying about their wigwams. In their intercourse with myself and friend, they displayed a dignified courtesy, and not one of all the children did I ever observe to behave in a rude or unbecoming manner.
They were, take them all in all, a re markable people, and rightly named the Mysterious Tribe; and, as far as I could judge, very zealous in the cause of Chris- h&nity. Three times a day did they col lect for public devotion to the Great Spi rit; and their ceremony, though simple, was one of the most impressive I ever witnessed. It was in the following manner:
At sunrise, noon, and sunset, Prairie Flower and her two Indian companions would come forth from their loda;e, arrav-
^
ed in neat and simple attire, each bearing in her hand a kind of drum, or tamboriuo without the bells, and approaching the Great Medicine Lodge, would arrange them selves in its front. Then bowing 10 the east and west, the north and south, they would beat the tamborines with their fin gers whereupon the whole village men, women and children would hastily quit whatever occupation they might be at, and assemble around them, their faces ex pressive of the importance and solemnity which they attached to the occasion. The tamborines would continue to beat until all were gathered together, when a deep and impressive silence would ensue, during which each face would be turned upward, as if to solicit the Great Guardian of all to be with them in their devotions. Then the maidens would strike out into a clear, silvery song, and at the end of each stanza would be joined in the chorus by all of both sexes, young and old, during which each would kneel upon the earth, and con tinue there until the commencement of the next, when all would again rise to their feet. These songs, of which there were three, were translated to me by Prairie Flower, at my request, and I herewith give them if not in language, at least in spirit anl sentiment commencing with the
MORNING SONG. The day is up, the sun appears, That sun of many thousand years, And morning smiles through evening's tears:
Thanks! thanks! thanks! To Thee who made the earth and and sky, The hosts that go revolving by, And all that live and all that die- God! God! God!
CHORUS.
Kneel! Kneel! Kneel! O, bless us, Spirit, That doth inherit The earth and air, And everywhere, And save us, Thou, To \vH )m we bow, All h.imbly now, Our Great and Heavenly Father!
The day is up, and through our aiep
We've felt no visitations deep,
And nothing wherefore we should weep
Thanks! thanks! thanks! Preserve us still throughout the day, Teach us to senk the be
