Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1842-01-18
NJ | S C E i L 4 N Y
From the N0remGer KnickerbocLsr.
THE SPIRIT WORLD.

THE SPIRIT WORLD.
1t is related by an elegant writer, once
greatly admired, but we fear only occa-
sionaIly talked Of, and seldom read, in
these days Of the thrilling and exciting
in literature, that there is tradition among
certain tribe Of our Indians, that one
Of their number once descended in a
vision to the great depository Of souls, as
we call it, the other world and that upon
his return, he gave his friends a distinct
account Of everything he saw among these
regions of the dead. He stated that, after
having travelled for a long space under
hollow mountain, he arrived at length on
the confines of the world Of spirits, but
could not enter it by reason of a thick
forest made up Of bushes, brambies, and
pointed thorns, so perpexed and inter-
woven with one another that it was I'M
possible to find a passage through it.
While he was looking about for some
track or pathway that might be worn in
any part of it, he saw huge lion couched
under the side Of it, which kept his eye
upon him in the same posture as when he
watches for his prey. The Indian imme-
diatcly started back, while the lion rose
with a spring, and leaped toward him.
Beng wholly destitute of all other wea-
pons, he stopped down to take up a huge
stone in his hand but to his infinite sur
prise, grasped nothing. and found the sup
posed stone TO be only the appart,on of
one. If he was disappointed on this side,
he was much pleased on the other, when
IL al /
left shoulder, had no power TO hurt him,
and was only the ghost Of that ravenous
creature which it appeared to be. He no
sooner got rid Of his impotcnt enemy, than
he marched up to the wood, and after
having surveyed il for some time, endca-
vored TO press into one part Of il that was
little thinner than the rest; when, again,
to his great surprise, he found the bushes
made no resistance, but that he walked
through the briars and bramblcs with the
same ease as through the open air; and,
in short, that the whole wood was nothing
but wood Of shades.
lie Immediately concluded that this
huge thickct Of thorns and brakes was
designed as a kind Of fence Of quickest
hedge to the ghosts it inclosed, and that
probably their soft substances might be
torn by these subtle points and prckles,
which were too weak to make any impress
sion on flesh and blood. With this thought
he resolved to travel through this intricate
wood. By degrees he felt gale of per
fumes breathing upon him, that grew
stronger and sweeter in proportion as he
advanced. He had not proceeded much
further, when he observed the thorns and
brars 10 end, and give place TO a thousand
beautiful green trees, covered with bios
SONS Of the finest scents and colors, that
formed a wilderness Of scents, and were
kind Of lining to those ragged scenes which
he bad before passed through.
He had no sooued got out of the wood, but
he was entertained with such landscape
Of flowery plains, green meadows, running
streams, sunny hills, and shady Wales, as
were not TO be represented by his own eX-
pressons, nor, as he said, by the concep-
tons Of others. This happy region was
peoped with nnumerabG Swarms Of spir-
It's, who applied themselves to exercises
and diversions, according as their lancies
led them. Some Of them were pitching
the figure of QUOT others were tossing
the shadow OF q ball others were break
ing the appariton Of a horse and multi
tudes employing themselves upon ingeni-
Gus handicra(tS with the souls Of departed
utensils. AS he travelled through this de-
lightful scene, he was very often tempted
10 pluck the flowers that rose everywhere
about him in the greatest variety and pro-
fusion, having never seer several OF them
in his own country but he quickly found
that, though they were objects of his sight,
they were not liable to his touch. He at
length came to the sill of great river,
and being good fisherman himself, stood
on the banks of it some time to look upon
an angler that had great many shapes OF
fishes, which lay founcing up and down
by him.
The tradition goes on TO say, that the
Indian had not stood long by the fisherman
when he saw on the opposite bank of the
river the shadow of his beloved wife, who
had gone before him into the other world,
after having borne him several lovely
children. Her arms were stretched out
toward him floods of tears ran down her
cheeks her looks, her hands, her voice,
called him over 10 her and at the same
time seemed TO tell him that the river was
impossible Who can describe the pas
sion, made up Of JOY, sorrow, love, desire,
establishment, that rose in the Indian upon
the sight Of his dear departed. He could
express il but by his tears, which ran like
a river down his cheeks as he looked