Omaha daily bee., 1890-11-30
Morse Dry Goods Co.

thing on the earth's surfa ,e by water, but he
stopped IN his big canoe on a high mountain
in the west, where he landed and was saved.
The Indians and all other people were bound
to make yearly sacrifices of some edged tools
to the water, for Of such things the big
canoe was made He instructed them
how to build their medicine lodge and
taught them also the forms of these annual
ceremonies, informing them that as long as
they made these sacrifices and performed
their rites to the full letter they might be as
sured of the fact that they would be the
favorite people of the Almighty, and would
always have enough to eat and drink; but if
they should depart from these forms they
might be assured that their race would de-
crease and finally run out, and might date
their nations calamity to that omission.
A tradition among the Mandans is that they
were the first people in the world, and they
originally lived inside. of the earth.
They raised many vines and one of
them had grown up through a hole in the
earth overhead. One of their young men
climbed up this vine until he came out on top
of the ground on the bank of the river, near
where the Mandan village stands to this day.
He looked around and admired the beautiful
country aud praires about him, saw many
buffaloes, killed one with his bow and ar
rows, and found that its meat was good to
eat. He returned and related what he had
seen, when number OF Others went up the
vine with him and witnessed the same
things.
Among those who went up were two very
pretty young women, who were favorites of
the chiefs because they were virgins. In the
number who were trying to get up was
very large, fat woman, who was Or
se scrod up BUT Rs whose chS fsmae nSs sSrostS
led her TO try it as soon as she got secret
opportunity When she got part way up the
vine broke under the great weight and let
her down. The Indians were very sorry
about this and she was disgraced for being
the cause of very great calamity, for no
more could ever ascend or descend. But they
built the Mandan village and the remainder
of the people still live under the ground.
These traditions are told with much gray
ity by the mystery or medicine men. If they
succeed in getting more ratlons by means of
this ghost dance, which is one of the features,
the Indian will have won great victory; for
his stomach Is one of the busiest
organs Of his system as long as there is any
thing TO eat in sight
AS TO the religious phaze of the ghost dance
it has the same theories as Of old. The evil
great virtue of the Only Man keeps him from
destroying the good. On this point the ira
dition runs thus:
At a very ancient period the Evil Spirit
came with the Only Man from the west, and
sat down by a woman who had only one eye
and was hoeing corn. Her daughter, who
was very pretty, came up to her and the Evil
Spirit desired her TO go and bring some
water, but wished that before she started
she would come to him and eat some buffalo
meat. He told her 10 take piece
out of his side, which she did, and ate it.,
which proved to be buffalo fat She then
| went for the water, which she brought, and
met in the village where they had walked,
| The friends Of the girl soon after endeayored
10 disgrace her by telling her that she was
enciente, which she did not deny. She de-
clared her innocence at the same time aud
| boldly detied any man In the village TO come
forward and accuse her. This raised great
excitement in the village and as no one could
stand forth TO accuse her she was looked