The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1904-10-27
ELEPHANT ROCK.
a Giant Landmark in Eastern Oregon
That the Indians Revere.

a Giant Landmark in Eastern Oregon
That the Indians Revere.
Elephant Rock, the alst remaining
and the most colossal idol of the fast
fading western Indian, stands out
against the sky few miles southeast
of Meacham, in the Blue Mountains,
where it IS a landmark to the whites.
and a symbol to the Indians OF the
power Of their gods and a sign Of their
ancient greatness. says the Portland
oregonian.
The tourist, in making the journey
through the mountains by the old
stage road, can look above him and see
the giant elephant, moulded in the rug
ged and crumbling stone, as he juts
out against the skyline, perfect In eve
ry part, and he will wonder as he gazes
at the likeness, the perfect lines Of the
great hulk, at its natural attitude as 1t
stands stretching longingly toward the
north, and if he is a friend Of the aged
Indian who may be cannped by the
roadside he may hear the legend OF Eli
ephant Rock.
An old and tottering chief, upon
whose matted, grizzled head the suns
of countless summers have beaten un-
Till the brightness of their glare has
burned out the light from the sunken
eyes, and has turned the world from
day to night, knows the story better
than all the rest, for he is the descend
ant Of those to whom the secret was
impaired by the good god Coyote, the
chief deity Of the Cayuses, he who has
always had the good of man in his
heart and whose hand Is soft for his
children.
Long, long ago. so the story runs. the
white man had not come, with his
hordes to drive back the Cayuse and
take from him the land along the
swirlign Umatilla, and the Indian was
prosperous and happy. His lodges
were full Of children, whose happy
laughter gladdened the heart of the
warrior as he returned from the hunt unt
laden with the juicy venison or the
swift flying woodfowl. The ground
yielded bountifully, the forest teemed
with game, the Umatilla dimpled with
the salmon as they sprang from the
water in sport, and the Indian was
glad and at peace.
But one day, in the midst of their
happiness, a great misfortune visited
the land While the hunting parties
were in the woods seeking food for the
lodges, they noticed the game fleeing to
( the south in great fright, Soon great
crashing was heard through the trees,
and vast shapes appeared, driving be-
fore them the inhabitants Of the forest,
on the invaders rushed in a line, wav-
ing what looked to be great tails at
their heads, while the canyons rocked
with the echoes of their cries. The
strange visitors tore the largest trees
from the ground and hurled the giant
trunks in sport over the mountain
sides
The warriors f1et in panic to the hills,
while the monsters took possession Of
the land In time they came to, the
UmatilIa, into which they plunged with
glad cries, tossing the water high in
the air and churning the current into
mud and foam until the frightened sal
mon threw themselves on the banks tc
die or were trampled beneath the great
feet Those that escaped fled for their
Hives to the River of the North, where
they spread the news Of the strange
demon who trampled the Umatilla into
spray and crushed them into the
ground.
4 AS a consequence, the Cayuses
skulking from their hiding places
could find no food. The deer had scat.
tered to the winds, while the Umatillf
was sluggish creed Of mud, in which
nothing could live.
A council was called, by the heat
men, and solemn feast was made, q
which the head medicine man Offered
sacrifices and called upon the good goo
4 Coyote for relief
Now, Coyote, from his lair on thu
| highest mountain top, had been watch
ling the elephants and had noted thei
doings He had seen them come from
1.-THE north, and knew that they hat
been sent by the evil spirits to haras
the Cayuses. So, when he heard tn,
voice of his children raised in supplica
i ton, he hastened to the land Of til,
IUmatilla. Arriving there, ne called TIL
4 eiepndHlS before IliIll dIlQ lUlu llleiIl "
return Immediately to their home il
the far northland, amid the neve
lchanging SHOWS.
The herd obeyed, though reluctantly
and peace once more came to tn
starved Cayuses. The game began t.
return to their haunts, and the salmon
once more ventured up the stream. TIL
king of the herd, however, 1onged TO
the green hills and cool, pleasant for
lest, and ventured back in spite of tn
orders of the Coyote, and roarned tn
woods and bHthad in the stream.
One day, while standing belly deep il
the cool waters, he saw Coyote comm!
toward him over the mountain. Nov
the king of the elephants was tn
bravest animal on earth, but he feare,
the wrath of Coyote, and attempted t
lsteal away. The god, however, ha
Iseen him in the river and overlook tn
fugitive on the mountainside, where h
Igently upbraided him for his disobedi
\ ence. 5.e5 zt..i. r..
The elephant, thinking from his man
Iner that Coyote was aWed by his grea
size, grew headstrong and inapudent
and insulted the god, who thereupol
Icursed him and decreed that he shout