Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-11-18
THE ORIGIN OF MANKIND.
FOR THE NATIONAL IsTELLIGEScER.
II Cdta,Dba Legend.

VI IUuUOu LtS6tu.
There was time when the world was an unbroken waste
Of rocks, hills and mountains, only small valley,
which distinguished for its uxuriance and where regned
perpetual summer AT that time too the only human be-
ing who inhabited the earth woman, whose knowledge
was confined to this valley and who is remembered among
the Catawbas the mother Of mankind. She lived in
yen and her food consisted of the honey flowers and the
sweet berries and other fruits Of the wilderness. Birds with
out number and the wild which found resting place
in the valley, made the only music which she heard
Among the wild animals, which very about
her home she wandered without any danger but the
and the doe her favoe companions In personal APP
pearance she emneny beautiful and the lapse of years
only had tendency increase the brightness Of her eyes and
the grace of her movements The dress she made
Of those bright green leaves which enod the lilies and
her hair long the grass which nged the Of
her native vale. She the ruling spirit Of perennial
world, for the very flowers which boomed about her sy
home were known to wher die In spite Of her
lonely condition. she knew not what be lonely but
and anon strange desire found its way her heart
which impeled her to explore the wild country which sur
rounded her home For many days had she resisted the temp
aton to become wandeer from her charming valley until
it happened certain morning. that scarlet butterfly
made its appearance before the door of her cave and by the
hum of its wings invited her away. She obeyed the sum
mons, and followed the butterfly far up rocky ravne, until
she to the foot OF huge waterfall when she was de-
serted by her mysterious pilot, and first became acquainted
with the emotion OF fear Her passage OF the ravine had been
comparatively SMOOTH but when she endeavored her con-
ernation TO eace her steps, she found her efforts unava
ing and fell to the ground in despair deep sleep then
her from which she awakened until the
night was far spent and then the dampness Of the dew had
fallen upon her soft limbs, and for the first in her life did
she feel the pang of bodily pain. Foron and desolate in
deed her condition, and she felt that great
about to happen, when she uncovered her face and
| shas b,,e kill
form, and clothed in coudike ROBE the image OF being
somewhat resembling herself only that he more stoutlv
made and ola much fecer aspect Her first emotion this
strange discovery that OF terror but the mysterious
being looked upon her in Kindness and raised her lovingly
from the ground, she conded in his protection and listened
to his words until the break Of day.
He told her that he native Of The far off sky, and that
he had discovered her 10 her foro condition while travelling
from the evening TO the morning star He told her also that
he had never before seen being soft and beautifully form
ed she In coming to her he had broken command
the Great Spirit the Master of Life and he afraid
to the sky, he desired spend his days in her
cety upon EARTH With joy did she accept this proposal and
the above the distant mountains the return
ed in safety the uxuan vale, where and woman
for many moons they lived and loved perfect tranquility
| and JOY.
In process Of time the woman became mother, from which
time The happiness of the twain became intense bat they
the same time endured more troubles than they had ever
known before The unhappy because he had Of
tended the Master Of Lille and the mother about
the comfort and happiness of her newly born child Many
ind devout the prayers they offered the Great Spirit
for his guidance and protection for they felt that from them
to be descended of beings than
the stars of heaven The Great Spirit had compassion
these lone inhabitants of the earth, and in their
prayers he caused mighty wind pass the world
Ling the mountains crowd closely together and rendering the
world useful and beautiful by the praies and valleys and
rivers which it from the rising the setting
The Master Of Life also told his children that he would give
them the earth and all that contained their inheritance
ba,t
should be annually exposed to Of bitter cold and
that their existence should be limited by that period of time
when their heads should become white the pumage of
the swan And so endeth the words of the Catawba.