The morning call., 1890-08-10
THE CURSE OF
MAHINGAN.
A Bit of Indian Legendry From
the Upper Ottawa, Canada.
Something of the Pasta Mystery snuffed
0ut. by Winchester With All the
Latest Improvements.

EME2HEN the first white missionaries
AshsE9 endeavored to explain to Indians
VA k:N the Christian religion the effect
was at times rather startling. The Indians
mistOok the substance for the symbol, the
objective for the subjective 1t is not sur
prising. therefore, that an Ojibeway chief,
who once Travelled in the early dawn OF
Canadian civilization as far as Montreal,
and that Jesuit missionary there having
received from him a lamb as a present, mis-
took it for the Lamb OF God, concerning
whom the missionary had talked much, and
taking 1t with him when he returned to his
people impressed upon them the sacredness
of this wonderful and to them strange
beast, enjoining upon them the necessity OF
worshiping it with honor and reverence.
A small island was chosen as a suitable
dwelling place for this new Manitou, and
the Indians were happy in possessing an
animal at once so sacred and so easily kept.
Unfortunately, the owner was the object
of much jealousy on the part of one who
had always laid counter claim to the posi-
ton of leader of the people. The name
of this man was Mahlngan. He was COCA
hunter ana bold man, but he had the
reputation of being what is called BAD
Indian" very vague term of disappropa-
ton, but very common among Indians. liz
saw that the possession of this lamb gave
much power to his rival, and he determined
TO deprive him of it; and. being somewhat
of q utllltarian, he considered that the pest
way to do this was TO eat 1t, when he aiu
surrepti,iously, and at night. On the fol-
lowing day CONSERVATION reigned among
the Indian camps;
THE SACRED LAME WAS GONE.
The owner was furious, but tried to turn
the mishap to account by stating that no
ManitOu of such Importance would stay
where bad Indians" were allowed to i've
with impunity. which explanation was ac-
cepted as satisfactory until the bones oil the
lamb were found, clean-picked and bearing
unmistakable evidence of having been
boiled. This upset the supernatural trans
lation theory altogether and evidently
pointed to the murder of a Manitou, but
the question arose: who was the sacrI-
up with god? ?" Manahchiuty, the owner,
openly accused Mahingan to his face. but
Mahngan laughed at him, saying: -
''No one can eat real Manitou. Inc
Manltou would more likely eat him. III
your animal was truth then it would have
saved itself; if fraud. then the sooner 1t
was eaten the better"
so true did this saying appear that some
OF the Indians sided with Mahingan, for all
recognized that it was he who had eaten the
lamb, and there were not wanting those
who began to murmur at Manahchnty Tor
inducing them to worship false gods; and
Manahchinty saw that strong measures
were necessary in order to maintain MS
reputation of "Big Injun," SO he toma-
hawked his rival on the sly, and the people
at once returned to their allegiance, prob
ably fearing lest they themselves should be
tomahawked. Strange to say, after tins
Manahehinty became lstless and depressed;
some thought it was on account OF the loss
of his sacred lamb; but finally it leaked out
that Mahingan, before dying, had found
time to curse his murderer, to threaten him
with his vengeance even though lie were
dead, AMI to promise him that
HE WOULD PURSUE HIM
And his heirs relentlessly for many gener-
atoms. Strange to relate, Manahchlnty
soon joined his victim. having been upset
from his canoe and drowned during loon
hunt. For several generations his descend
ants in the male line died violent deaths,
aud it was generally conceded by the In
dams that curse was upon them.
One evening about six years ago, during
the month of July, a small band OF Indians
were encamped upon the island wherein
had lived and died the sacred sheep. The
ever-encroaching white man had usurped
the heritage of the Indians. who now had
dwindled into n few families III place of
the powerful tribe who had once held un-
disputed sway ill the land. The curse of
UctH dlulOSI lOI Sulltu, anu
that very evening, as they sat around the
campfire, an old crone with shaking head
related to the younger folk in substance
that which | have above written. Among
them stood a boy intently listening with
more than an ordinary interest. He was a
direct descendant of Manachinty. Scarcely
had she finished when fendish howl was
heard in the bush close by.
The Indians started to their feet in fright
and still another cry awOke the echoes of
the summer night. At the same time an
enormous dog, with eyes like balls of fire,
bounded into the midst of them and Selling
the boy, the descendant Of Manahchinty, by
the throat, bore him to the ground. Luckily
one man at least preserved his presence of
mind. He snatched his rifle from his tent
and with good aim sent bullet crashing
through the skull of the weird beast. 1t
was
ALL OVER IN A MINUTE,
And the boy rose up unhurt. except for the
wound in his throat where the dog had
seized him. That night the Indians did not
sleep, but sat discussing the event until
daylight. When one of them took the carcass
of the dog and threw it TO the pigs of a
white man who lived close by. The pigs
made short work of the dog and soon bad it
all devoured except the heart, which they
lett untouched, and there it lay in the hot
summer sun for two consecutive days, until
impelled by curiosity one of the Indians
not eat it. 1t seemed to be as hard as stone
and impeled still further by curiosity he
took his ak and cut it in two. What was
his establishment at finding it nothing but
solid lump of ice. The discovery spread
like wildfire and caused great sensation
among Indian circles.
The shaky-headed crone at once pro-
n0unced it to be Mahingan and assured the
Indians that the vendetta was ended by the
death OF the dog, OF, rather, the second
death of Mahingan. Whether she was
right or wrong, the boy still lives, nor has
he experienced any great or especial i'll luck.
So let us hope that Mahingan's curse is a
thing of the past, mystery snuffed out by
Winchester with the latest modern inn
provements.
These things are hard to believe. / my
self doubted if they were true, and eX-
pressed these doubts to my informant, a
most respectable and pious Indian, as In
dians 90. even dared to laugh, but he as
sured me Of their truth, and reDuked me for
laughing, saying: 1T is not right to laugh
at such solemn, sacred things -Lake Tam
iscaningue Quebec letter in Buffalo Ex-