Delta chief., 1883-05-30
Indian Legend OF slnnit0u.


Manitou will prove Of interest TO many read
ers. 1t was the favorte haunt Of the ties,
who had great faith in the medicinal qualities
of its mineral waters. One Of the springs,
the Navaioc, was full OF coins, Iwh.c.. uera
offerings to the spirit in the waters. one "f
tn" most interesting legends Of the country is
given by Captain Ruxton, of the English
army. who visited the country in ISi7. 1t IS
~ follows:
The Indians regard with awe the "medi-
cine" waters of these fountains as being the
abode Of spirit who breathe, through the
transparent waters and thus by his cxhala-
tions causes the pcrtuhations Of its surface.
The Arapahoes especially attribute to this
watcr-sod the power Of ordainiug the success
or miscarriage Of their war expeditions and
a. these braves pas, often by these mysterious
springs when in search Of their hereditary
cucmies, the Yutabs in the Valley of salt, -
they never fail to bcStow their votiyc offerings
upon the war spirit, in order to proPtiate
the "Manitou' Of the fountain aud insure
fortunate issue to their path Of war"
The Snakes who. in common with all In.
diAns, possess hereditary legends 10 account
Tor all natural phenomena or any eNtraordi-
nary ocrurranccs which are beyond their ken
nr comprehension, have "f cour-r their lcgcn-
diary version uf the causes which create in
the midst of their hunting grounds these two
spriuv, uf sweet and bitter water. which are
80 Intimately connected with the cause Of sep
uration bctwcen the tribes Of Cumauchc and
rHe SNAKE Thus runs the legend: Many
hundreds of wintcrs ago. when the cotton
woods on the big river were no higher Than an
arrow. aud the red mon who huHtcd the buf-
fsIn on the plaius all spoke the same tongue.
and the pipe OF peaco brcathed it, social cloud
Of kiuik .kiuik wherever tEo parties of hunt
~, met on The huuudlc.s piaiHs-whcn, with
huntiu. ground, and game of every kind in
the greatest abundance, no nation dug up the
haichct with another because Of it- hunters
following the game into their bounds, but on
the contrary loaded him with the choicest
and faitcst meat, aud profcrod the soothing
pipe bcioro th, stranger, with we'll tllrd bclly
Icn the village. II happened tha; two hunt
"r. of different nations met one day on
small riyniet where huth had repaired to
quruch their thirst \ little strcam Of water
rising from q spring ON q rock few fs't from
the bauh tricilei over Il aud fell splashius
into the river. To thi, the hunters repaired,
a.id while one sought the spring itself, where
the water clear and cold reflected on its sur
fice the imagc of the surrounding scenery,
the other. tired by his cNcrtiuus in the chase,
throw himself Mt once upon the ground and
plunged his f1cc intn the running stream.
The latter had been unsuccessful in the chase.
a.. 4. q -. 3 .I.8 =
the fat deer which the other hunter threw
from his back before he drank at the crystal
spring. caused feeling Of jealousy and i'll
humpr 60 TAX" possession Of his mind. The
other. on the contrary, before hr satisfied his
thirst, raised IN the hollow Of his hand por.
lion uf the water aud linrd it toward the sun,
reversed his hand and allowed il to fall upon
the ground-a lihation TO the Great Spirit
who had youchrdsafed him a successful hunt,
and the blessing of the refreshing waters with
which hr was about to qucnrh his thirst.
Seeing this and being reminded that he had
neglected the usual offering, only increased
the feeling Of envy aud annoyance which the
unsuccessful hunter permitted to get the mas
terry Of his heart; aud the evil spirit at that
moment entering his body. hi. temper fairly
blew away, and he sought some protouse by
which 10 provoke a quarrel with the stranger
Indian at the spring.
Why does stranger" rising from the
stream Mt the same time, "dripk at the spring
head when one to whom the fountain belongs
contents himself with water that runs from
it?"
"Thc Great Spirit places the cool wntcr at
the spring." answered the other hunter, that
his children may drink it pure and rndctilcd.
The running water is for the beasts which
scour the plains. Au.sa-qua is a chief of the
Shoshonc; ho drinks Mt the head water"
"rhc Shoshonc is but n tribe of the Conan
chcs q" returned the other; "Waco.mish leads
the grand nation. Why does Shoshone dare
To drink above himY"
"IIc has said il. The Shoshouc drinks Mt
the spring head, the other nations of the
stream which runs in the fields Au.sa-qua
is chief of his nation. The Con.anchcs are
brothers. Let them both drink of the same
water"
"rhc Shoshonc pay tribute to the Conan.
che Waco.mish leads that nation to war,
Waco.mish is chief of the Shoshones as he is
of his own peoplc.'
"Waco.mish lies his tongue is forkcd like
the rattlcsnakc; his heart is black as the
%iso.tunga dad spirit). When the Manitou
made his children, whether Shoshone or Coz
mnpchc Arppahoe. CHEYENNE or Paine, he