Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1878-12-21
A Legend Of the Natchex Tribe.

One OF the most interesting OF the
fast failing traditions OF the Indian
tribes, is favOrite theme to-day among
the few survivors OF the once powerful
nation III the Natrl,ez. These Indians
were of higher type Of intelligence
than any other Of the North American
tribes. They were almost as advanced
Peru.
According to the legend. the Natchez
should have been OF Asiatic origin, for
they were sun or fire worshippers. and
were unanimous and sincere in follow
ing the most pOetical Of all the idols-
tries of the East. Another curious fact
is. that they held women in the highest
respect, and with gaIlantry quite un-
common among the aborigines cf Amer
lea, they ascribed the salvation Of their
race to one Of the too often degraded
and despised sex. Tue tradition is in
substance a. follows:
Many thousands Of winters ago, all
the inhabitants Of the earth. with the
exception Of single family. were des-
troyed by floods and darkness and want
Of food. This one family managed to
keep up large FIRE of wool, and so
urvved for Q time. But. in couse-
quence of the continued darkness, even
this last remnant of human existence
was about to perish. In this emery
ency. q young girl of the family. sud
denly inspired with the idea that she
might save her race by an act of self
aaor;Goa <hro- hav,oIf ,,nov, <ha Aro
which served the despairing sufferers
for light. Her body was speedily re.
duced to ashes: but on the moment she
arose perfect and apparently unframed.
in the eastern sky, surrounded with
halos of surprising glory. The dark
ness began to disappear before this
new sun, and the last family OF the
Natchez was saved.
This wonderful girl became the chief
of the tribe. and it was decreed that
her nearest female relation should be
her successor. The worship of the sun,
which she had rivalled in brilliancy at
her resurrection, was at once estab.
lished; and, in addition to this, o per-
petual fire was kept, called the Living
Sacrifice of the Sacred Fire." and it
was the belief of the survivors that so
long as this fire blazed upon their sl-
tars. the Natchez would he powerful
Ana happy. On the spot where the sac
rificed maiden was re.incArnated, where
the fire fell from heaven aud surround
ed her with glory, they built their great
mound, to indicate that their wander
ings were at an end.
It was only on this mound, and at the
Festival of Fruits. that the Priestess Of
the Sun. showed herself to the people
attired in robes of white, adorned with
white feathers, her waist glittering with
precious stones. She assisted in the
early greeting of her ancestor 1.-THE sun);;
and as the god of day descended in the
East his rays fell first upon the sacred
Priestess, which circumstance was
hailed by the worshippers as recog-
milton of sympathy and acknowledged
relationship between the real sun and
his queenly representative.
1t was natural enough to believe that
the extinction OF the sacred fire would
bring ruin if not destruction upon the
race. The sequel of the tradition is
often related by Natchez Indians of the
present day. A brave young chief of
the tribe became enamOred of beauti.
full maiden,
With eye as bright. and step as light
And graceful as the startled roe;
Whose lair was like the wing OF night,
Waved in the suns departing glow.
The young lovers passion was ardent.
~ returned, but cruel parents opposed
them, and their interviews were stolen,
and few and far between. The young
chief was ut times watcher of the sa.
thus engaged, he heard the plaintive
and melancholy song of a bird. Has
tening into the neighboring grove he
was overjoyed to find his beloved mis-
tress. There the lovers pledged their
hearts over and over again, and were
the happiest of mortal beings. When
he returned to the temple, the young
man discovered to his horror, that the
sacred fame had expired, and that the
altar, which had for centuries glowed
with living fire, was dark. and cold.
When the sun again illuminated the
hills, there was no response of the sa-
cred smoke, and the priests fastened
to the temple to learn the cause. As
6OOu uS tucy huoW tuo tTutu Iuc ua1ueu
whose beauty had been the main cause
of this terrible catastrophe was slain, q
pIopitiatory sacrifice to the offended
gods. The young chief was spared,
but he was doomed to make atone
meEt in long periods of fasting and
prayer, after which, with solemn and
imposing ceremonies, he was sentenced
to Imprisonment in the centre of the
great mound, there to remain until he
should WOO back from heaven the lost
fire.
The chief supposed that this would
be an easy task, since he could produce
fire by the friction of two pieces of
wood, o practice common among the
people. But, overcome by religious
fear. his strength of arm appeared to
have departed; and when, after long
and patient labor, the fire was about to
come, tear of regret for his sacrificed
mistress would fall upon the just-ignit-
ing wood, and leave his interminable
task for another renewal.