Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-07-25

Major Newson INDUCED in some most per-
tinent and happy illusions to the Aladdin
like growth of the city of DEVILS Lake
and its promising prospects,, which he
followed by giving the subjoined legend:
Paha- Wakon, The Sacred Descent;
MINNE-wAKoN, THE DEVILS POSSESSIONS
DEVILS LAKE.
This is not a Sioux legend, but was told
to Tacangi by Blackfoot woman, who
had been long prisoner among the Sioux.
From what I can learn from this legend
and other sources, formerly all that coun-
try lying between the Missouri river on
the east and the Rocky mountains on the
west, is said to have been garden of Par
adise, overlooking with game, flowers,
shrubbery, etc., but, as this legend runs,
was changed in three days to what it now
is. The point designated is no doubt
what is at present known as the Bad Lands.
and Devils lake, including the buttes
which appear in various directions, and
the legend has more in it than the casual
observer would at first suspect. The
Blackfoot squaw says:
"The Indians, camped upon the banks
of the Missouri, had sent to
a few of their brethren
who we're located at the foot of a very large
mound some distance from them, to saw
that for three days the prophet, or medi-
cine man of their band, had been in a
swoon, and that they had watched him
during that time and his lips had never
ceased to move as in prayer, and begged
them to join them IN offerings to the Great
Spirit, as they feared some calamity was
about to befaIl them. The mound Indians
were desperate class-the band mostly
murderers-and knowing their own wick
edness. this information made them feel
sad, Calling all his braves together, the
chief told them the news-what he had
heard from the other Indians-and be-
sought them to go each one at once and
make offerings. All did so, and donning
gay garments, went into mourning. That
same night at II o'clock the few who slept
were awakened by terrific peals
of thunder, the rain falling
like knives (stones) upon their
tepees, the lightning darting apparently
into their very lodges, and wind blowing
that threatened every moment to tear
their homes to pieces. All at once there
was a great noise, as of crying in the
camp. Amid confusion and hustle, all
ran out to see what it was, when, suddenly
the whole heavens gave way and fell upon
the top of the mound, while the Indians
threw themselves upon the ground not
daring to look up. Again the heavens
seemed to fall and close upon the mound.
and this time accompanied with great
darkness Than cuddon
them all and with one accord they rushed
into their wigwams. What happened fur
thermore, no one knew, as they recollect.
from sleep, although they had not slept,
but then what sight met
their view. The mountains were
black, as if scorched by lightning;
whole country deadened and smoke issuing
from the tops of some of the mounds; one
night had rendered the country a desert.
They looked for their horses all we're
dead Then in camp loud cry came
from the women; their meats and provi-
sions were all full of worms, caused by the
intense heat. They knew then they must
now starve unless they moved on, and
amid universal lamentations they took up
their trail and marched southwest. in
OfO4y OAIOSG1OA IlO Was tL0 same.
At night some of these mounds spit out
fire, and will'o-wisps foated around every
where, trying to lure them to destruction.
The earth rumbled and the air was thick
with sulphur. For three days they travel
ed thus, when all of a sudden they came to
a large body of water, where formerly they
had roamed amid a luxuriant sea of trop-
ical plants, and where birds of gay plum
age sang their morning songs. All was
now dark, gloomy, dead. Gone were the
forest songsters and the young gazelle
with its dove eyes; gone the flowers; gone
the game gone the grand trees
and the gentle summer breeze: and
in their places was vast sheet of water,
with upheavals of rock, and black, smoul-
dering ruins, and dark clouds, and curling
smoke, and gloomy figures, dancing in the
distance. They changed their course and
winding around the lake came to a mound
which hid the water from their view, and
here they heard what appeared to them
human voices. They listened, and the
song was so wild and so weird that they
could not stir-they were spell-bound.
Changing, swinging, singing, singing,
Dancing devils all are we;
Piping, peeping, peering, creeping,
How we mingle IN our glee.
Ho! no! shout them in;
Shout them in.
'''Tis the reward of early sin.
Now we laugh and now we grin;
And he! he! no! no!
Pitch them up and pitch them in,
And he! he! no! no!
Along the shining bank we go,
With our he! he! and ho! ho!''
Several of the Indians stealthily crept to
the top of the mound, and peering over
beheld scene of the most startling char