The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-04-26

Of the talisman, but I have ascertainet
that 1T was q small round piece of very DIR,
bread. This charm is still in use arnonl
them for a similar purpose.
But the greatest of all Cherokee tails
mans is tbs ulasutti (literally 'transpar-
entry stone.
There is no end to the stories concerning
this stone, which the Indians invariably
speak Of in n half-frightened manner, az
children speak of ghosts. They assert that
IT is a magic scale from the head Of a great
horned serpent, with a body as large as a
tree-trunk. and two blazing Goals of fire fol
eyes, Whlch lived ages ago and worked ter
rible destruction among the people until il
WAS at last killed by a famous magician.
In the %ncounte q single drop of the ser-
pent's poisonous saliva fell upon the head
OF the slayer, whose hair WIS thenceforth
transformed into a mass of writhing
snakes.
1 did not see this stone myself. The In
dams describe it az n triangular crystal,
flat on the bottom n tapering up to a
point, and perfectly transparent, with the
exception OF q single red streak running
through the center from top to bottom.
1t is evidently a beautiful specimen of
rutlle quartz, SO exceedingly rnre that the
conjurer who can obtain one outrnnks all
his rivals,
The stone must be fed, the Indians say,
with the blood Of small game every seven
.days-being rubbed all over with the blood
OF the apimal az soon as killed. Twice a
year it demands the blood Of a deer or some
other large animal. 1t is wrapped in a
in the mountains. Were the tribute Of
blood to be withheld or neglected the ula-
suttl would issue from its hiding place at
night as a great blazing ball of fire, and fly
through the air to satisfy it's appetite by
drinking the life blood of the conjurer.
The original owner himself was afraid of
1t, and was continually changing it's hiding
place 80 that the stone might not be able to
tind ls wav out. When he died it was
buried with him, as otherwise it would issue
from its cave by night, like a fiery moteoc,
to search for his tomb night after night for
seven years. But, if finally unable SO find
its lost master, it would go back to sleep
forever where he had placed it.
AS far back as 1892 Timberlake heard Of
this stone, with the wonderful story of it's
origin-n story which l haye obtained from
the Cherokees in its entirety. He stated
that it was kept hidden in some place known
only to the two women. who steadily re-
fused to betray the secret.
Adalr, the celebrated trader, also speaks
of 1t a few yenrs later. The coniurer re-
fused to let him sac it for fear of p~rofana-
ton. He says:
1.-The above Cherokee prophet had a car
buncle near as big as an egg, which they
baiu liz lOuHu where q great rattieHnak0
lay dead, aud that it sparkled with such
surprising luSter as to illuminate his dark
wintar house like strong flashes of con-
lightning, to the great terror of the
weak, who burst not upon any account ap-
pronch the dreadful fre-darting place for
fear of sudden death. Whsn he died it was
along with him. according to custom,
in the town house."
When consulting it az to any unknown or
future happening the conjuror gazes into
tho ulasutti, and there sees mirrored all
that no wishes to know. and by the action
OF the speotor, or its position near the top
or bottom Of the taliaman, he lentns not
only tho event itself, but also it's proximity
in time or place.
Many of the Cherokses who enlisted in
the confederate service during the late war
consulted the ~ulasutti before setting ont.
and those with whom l hnvs talked declare
that their experience verified the prsdio-
30 far rs known there is but one of those
stones now in possession of tho eastern
C.%herokecs. and that tho owner refused all
Inducements TO ahow me. Ho said that hs
kept ~ hidden IN a cave, wrapped in is
covering, and that if he should
expoae II to the ptofane gaze Of a white
mar he could kill no more game, even il he
were permitted to live after suoh n aaori-
leHf. IL wns very evident that he believed
Whne ne said, for no Offer of mina could
chanRe his determination.
Copyright.