The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-01-18
REVENGE OF THE GREAT SPIRIT.
A Characteristic Indian Legend of
the Great Flood.

the Great Flood.
The Indian had been recommended 10
me as the best hunter In the San Ber-
na.d bottoms. says a Texas correspond
emit Of the Philadelphia Times For two
days We mad been in pursuit OF big game.
l had no reason 10 complain about my
companion. for he had the instinct of
the true sportsman. a knowledge OF the
thicket that was truly remarkable, and
an insight into the habits of the bear.
the panther and the deer that was mar
veloE- That we had not killed more
was no fault of his. In every case he
gave way 10 me. every time his rife rang
out the bullet reached the mark. He
wasted no lead. II he felt a contempt
for me because OF nay many misses. he
did not show II. He seemd 10 think ii
was his duty to bring me within easy
range OF game. but he never shot un-
less / hade him.
Ii was after the second day OF the
hunt that We eamped on the banks of a
small creek 10 the west of Hinkle's ferry.
The Indian busted himself with the cof-
fee while l sat idly by and thought over
the incidents of the day. The night was
cool and pleasant. The wind, as usual
in the Texas coast country. was from
the southeast. No sound was heard
but the rustling of the leaves and the
occasional calling of the night birds.
II there was one thing above another I
admired about the Indian IL was his
skill as cook How he managed so Well
with the slender store We had ! could
not understand. His coffee was better
than any l had ever had in camp, and
he cooked the bacon crisp and brown
as could the best French chef I ever
knew.
AT no time IS the appetite so keen and
the appreciation of the palate so sensitive
as after hard days work in the woods
in the early winter. AT no time is the de-
sire for conversation or story telling SO
strong as when. good meal eaten after
good days hunt, you laziy stretch out
by the blazing fire and smoke.
l had been told my companion was q
Caranchua, and that he had more
knowledge of the history of his people
than any member of his tribe now living.
He spoke as good English as a white
man. but his sentences were generally
short and epigrammatic. Like most men
Of his race he was accustomed 10 long
periods of silence and rarely spoke except
in answer 10 a question.
The pipe is a luxury the red man enjoys
10 the fullest but If you wish to win the
regard of an Indian give a good cigar to
him. The cigar which l had given to
Rebar was the best | believe he had ever
smoked. He accepted ii as he did every
other thing l gave him, as a matter OF
smoked ii showed better than words he
could express now much he priced 1t.
'Rehar." l said, "the hunting is very
good in these bottoms when you consider
how long the country has been settled"
No he replied. game nearly gone
now. Soon no more
Was there good hunting here when
you were boy?" / asked.
Much" he replied.
II have heard" said l. chat there is
legend among your people that long ago.
there was one great river in this land;
that it was a mighty stream. and that its
course was through the bed of what is
row the Cansy.'
1T Is so" said the Indian.
And / have heard" / continued. that
when the white man digs his wells he
sometimes finds limbs of great trees and
pieces of pottery and bows and arrows
and f1ints. that were used long years ago
by your people"
at is So said the Indian.
What is the legend that your people
have9" ! inquired.
MY father told me, and the great chief.
Mockwilhum. told my father" laid the
Indian, that ii is So There was one riv-
er; it was the Caney. My peoplesthe Car
anchuas. lived 70 the east. The Lepans
the Tawakanies and the Ripas lived 10 the
west The Wacos lived to the north. Ny
people hunted but the game. The Ripas
were powerful. They made war on the
Lepans and drove them far 10 the west.
They stole the cattle and horses of my
people There was a great battle, in
which many of my people were Killed. The
! Ripas drove the Caranchuas far to the
east They stole the young squaws of the
Caranchuas and killed the boys. Soon the
| Caranchuas had 10 hide away the squaws
that were left. All the country OF my peo-
pie was held by the Ripas. The Caran-
chuas had 10 flee TO the islands by the sea.
! Still the Ripans pursued my people The
| Caranchuas were but few; the Ripas were
| many.
1T was not only my people the Ripas
| murdered and piundered. The Tawakan-
| les and the Wacos lost all their cattle, and
| their young squaws were taken by the RI
| pas until none but the Ripas were III all
| this country.
| The Great Spirit was angry with the
/ Ripas but the Ripas thought they were
| more powerful than the Great Spirit. The
| Great Spirit sent a messenger 10 the RI
! pas and told them they must send back
| the squaws they had stolen and must
| make no more war on my people or on the
/ Tawakanies or on the Lepans or the Wa
| cos. The Rlpas held council and they de-
/ citied TO make war on the Great Spirit.
/ When they went TO tell the messenger that
| they defied the Great Spirit and challenged
! him to battle the messenger had disap-
He3Fed. inet searFnFd the WOODS ana
! they searched the great river: they
! searched the prairie and thew searched the
/ sky but they couid not find the messen-
! ger E!e left no trail
Then they had much fear that they had
! done wrong, and some chiefs wanted 10
make peace with the Great Spirit. Again
they had council but while they held talk
! the heavens opened the rain fell. the sky
/ seemed all afiFe the thunder roared. and
/ the messenger appeared In a flame Of
lightning. The Ripas fell upon the earth
and begged the Great Spirit for mercy.
Bur it was too late. The rain poured down
and the lightning flashed. the ground
shook and tho thunder crashed Soon all
| the earth was covered with water. The
I Ripas ran 70 the trees. STU the water
rose Then the wind blew down he trees
ana many Of the Riras were Killed or
/ drowned. The waters rose higher and
higher and the rain 8nd the thunder and