The Yazoo City weekly Whig. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 18??-1855, 1854-07-07
Tile PIASAl
An IND AZ TRADlr1oH.

THE G1AOAt
AN IND AZ TKADlT1or.
No part Of the United STATES can vie in
wild and fomanlic. scenery with the bluffs Of
Illinois. On one side Of the river often at
the waters edge a perpendicular wall Of
rock rises to the height of some hundred
feet. Generally on the opposite shore isa
level bottom Of prairie Of several miles in
width extending 70 : similar bluff thatris
par allel to the river. One Of The ranges
commences At Alton and extends with few
intervals for many miles along the Missis-
sippi and Illinois rivers. IA descending the
river to Alton the tt yeler will observe be-
tween that town and the mouthsof the Him
ois narrow ravine through which small
strear discharges It's waters into the Mis-
sissippi. That stream is the Piasa; its
name is Indian and siguiies in the Ian
guage Of the Illinois ''the bird that deyoars
men" Near the mouth Of that stream, on
the smooth and perpendicular face Of the
bluff ct an elevation which no human art
can reach. IS cut The figure of an large bird
with its wings extended. The bird which this
figure represents iscalled BY the indians
.the Piasa aud form this the stream deri-
we'd it's name. The tradition Of the Piasa
is still known among the tribes ofihe Up
per Mississippi, and those who have inhab-
lited the Illinois andis briefly this.
Many thousand moons before the arri-
val Of the pale faces when the great mega
iloniz and mastodon, whose bones are now
dug up were still living inthe green prairies
there existed bird Of nch dimension that
/ he could easily enough carry off in his tai
ons full grown deer Having obtalned a
human victim from that time he soughthu-
man beings as hisprey. He was artful Is
he was poWerful-would dart suddenly and
unexpectedly upon an Indian. bear him of
/ to one Of the caves Of the bluff and devour
him. Hundreds Of Warriors attempted for
years to destroy him but without sue
cess.
Whole villages we're nearly depopu lated,
fear and CONSERVATION spread through all
the tribes 81 Illinois At length owntoga
q chief whose fame extended IS 4 warrior
even beyond the greatlakes separating him
self from the rest Of his tribe tasted in sol.
titude for the space ofa whole moon, and
prayed to the Great Spirit the Master d
Life that he would protect his children from
Iron the Piasa, On the last night Of his
fast The Great Spirit appeared % him IN q
dream and directed him to take twenty d
his warriors each armed with pointed af
rows and conoraIthenn. Near the place ofcon-
cealment another warrior was to stand IN
view as = victim Of the Piasa which they
must shoot ths instant BE pounced upon
his prey When the chief awoke II TIE
morning he thanked the Great 8 pirit, resur-
ned Is histribe and told lis dream. che
warriors we're quickly selected and placed
il ambush IS directed OVatoga offered
himselFin open vieMof the bluff lle soon
saw lie Paisa perelled upon The bluff eyeine
hisprsy. owatoga drew up his manly TORN
% its utmost height and placing his feet gpor
1.-THE earth began 70 chant the death song 9
&c warrior. moment amer The Palss
rose into the air and swift IS the thundesboll
darted down upon ne chief Scarcely he'd
be reached bis victim when every bow 9
strung and every arrow ant q The ieathei
lin bis body. The Piasa uttered learfa
scream that resoundsd aF over the oppositl
side 81 the river and spiIe 0Watog.
wae safe. no s. arrow not even the talonl
81 tie bird had touehedhim The mastai
81 Life ia admiration Of the nob deed 3
IOwatcga had held over Bin 81 invisible
shieId d memory Of this tie image q thl
Pissa IA, engraved upon shs isse 6 g
Eblna