The Constitutional., 1860-08-25
.T9sE sI.Ey'T CIEY."

sip..,T traditions related to me by tn" oli
aaIsi' Oh. he remnant Of the Atskspas tih", which
,t!, ..i.t, in Cnlcssi.u, there was 90" which
r,-r',., Impressed i'-''f upon my imagination rs
49,. -ia.. scuo rc+cuhance To portion ct ' '>ir-
.,t.r,,' Central America" where he speaks Of
-,,v ,lto " h.ch ia" foot of stranger had never
..oe.i.tcd One account is probably quite as
,..,.,.,nal a., thu other Tho Indian, however
- ryttsiulv n,y,r heard Of " stephens myst'-
.iua. div" aud hid u,vcr seen himself city o'
,nv Kind wh,tso,vcr; - divrsting hiE tale OF
.... ,.SryAuu, knl improbable which enter:
.,.y~.S into the traditions of his people, ,lnk
.a,,.-iuciIrncr Is ou,.icirntly marked 20 he inter
asj.y.
Il. 9niri,I and' Of the Indians is hy mos:
q,ts, supposed to eIi-t in some sunny spot "i
rag7h rhcrc vast hunting grounds, flied with
,r,T7 vsisty of game, and = climate ot perpetual
p,,.. z, will permit nm enjoyment Of tn" utmost
.,,-e,u- of felicity of which their rude natures are
,.r ~l,tiblc. Tn. Attskapas of Louisiana extend
~, belief 80 far as TO suppose that this Elsium
- ,u.n,ble -vcn during life to favored few
Who ,hus pass into she rnjoymcnts of happy
.nu.or.slity without undergoing the previous
nr1,.i If death
y-ur Indians, tho Chief, the Prophet Of the
,,.,,. nnd two distinguished warnors, w"r" So
.rvy Impressed with the truth Of this singular
reH,f a. 10 dctcrminc to seek the e Blessed
l.,.d." 10 which they had been promised access
nv n dream Of one of their number which dream
iso pointed out tho course to be pursued in order
10 arrive 1T the place of destination
Many important ceremonies wore performed nj
- appointed place Of parting, to which they
~erc accompanied by the tribe
They were laden with charms and amulrts, by
,hrir virtue to ward off Tho Spirits of Evil, tC
.7hosr malignant influence they were to he cX
.,7scd in their paradisiscal quest Lastly the
lcAlh song wa, chantcd by the voyagcrs, il
which. after rccounting their principal explot
md bidding farewell to the friends, whom in thi
sfs were never to be met again, they painted IL
lowing terms the delights of paradise to whcl
ICED. Of bloodshcd and daring would give
,oedv and honorcd access. Their friends wcr
-rl,r.ated by the slaughter of al enemies, AN
nr,h, and union, amongst themselves, to win tn
,.ght of entrance into n land, from which thri
,-.slosching foes, tho pale faces would be fol
-,>, debarrct
AZ last with s;oica composurr they turnc
.hci, fncts to the Southwest, and without wor
., ism Of farewell, proceeded orssn journey whic
.l.,r imaginstions invested with 10 dahgcr TIA;
r-,,"vcrAncr could not surmount.
Ti.u- rolled ON, and no intelligence was r.
...ivsd bv the " Attakapas' of the absent warrior
,,hich WAS to them a decided proof of the succr'
# 'he pilgrimage
Sudd,nlv. however, in the midst Of grr'
,-.,t at which tlr whole tribe were assemble
stranger stood among th'u,-u' least one wi
~ frst sight appeared Il stranger for 1t ne'd'
org and close examination to detect the ldcnii'
,, the haggard individual, whose -nacatrd for
.,okenr,i suffering and ta'iEu", with one ct Il
,-ovsat and daunt,>s brav's who years hrf"
'sd set forth On their holy quest
Hi, tale was wonderful one even to tho
rodu!ous people He told of months and mont
-.-arv wandering in the direction they had en-
n. OF the lofty mountains witch baWca'
he path--of The wide and rapid rivers WIN
,7oud sometime. bear their f.ail RATS down I
Wit current An1 daSh lh,lh ~ Pi'''S "-'''''>'
.cots Of the trees " hch projected far oui into t
etrcam. IIc spoke Of ;ho luXuIiant growth o' t
forests; vines in Wild profusion twiniag arou
thc trunks of gigantic trees and intcrc'ltng tn
progress by warped and tangled growt
strange flowers of gorgeous hue and dririo
pe,fumc whch glcwcd at a discancc ike clust
# brilliant flame birds whose plumngr seem
tinted by the rich dye Of tn" flowers on viii
they rested and insects which sbonr like ii
s+ars through ;hc thick houghs of their ic'
rison.
II, ,ud that in many rh'.~- Al lhe d"r-,