The Coconino sun., 1920-09-24
A TRIP IN THE
 RAINY LAKE LAND
By ALBERT B. REAGAN. lAu Riahts Resarxedl

Arriving at Fort Francis, Ontario, l hired three Indians as canoe men and hied up Rainy Lake to the east. ward. Our course lay among pro- jecting rocks and verdure-covered islets and through narrows and wide open spaces of water. Two days we were on the trip out. These were both beautifully sun-lit days, and the mirrored shadows of the shoreline rocks, entangled vines and trees brought to view the doubled beauty of the wonderful scenery, such as one rarely sees except on such a trip. Moreover, as we journeyed the sea- birds also gathered about us and sang and screamed in thanks to us, as we threw bread, crackers and var ious other eatables on the water for them. Without fear they approached us and all but ate out of our hands, as they darted here and there for the floating morsels. Also on one of the islands in the distance a deer and also g moose was seer among the dense foliage on tie second day. The sec ond evening we arrived at Kettle Falls, where we had venison for sup per-.
 While we were preparing for our further journey the next day I at- tended medicine lodge ceremony in an unroofed, elongated -elipse-shaped wigwam. A line of blankets covered center pole in the lodge. These I was advised were to be given by the novitiate to the medicine actors for their services. The chanting by the musicians, accompanied by a rude drum, was going on when I arrived. The dancers were also performing. They were headed by the novitiate, all lined up in column style. In a trip ping, forward movement they glided forward in long column, encircling the central space in the lodge. Each actor was carrying medicine trophy in each hand, usually the stuff fed skin of some bird or small an- imal. As they thus danced, each one waved his medicine trophies at regul- ar intervals, as he gave forth peculiar utterences in grunting style.
 Completing the "set", the chief medicine man of the ceremonies took his medicine bag-trophy and flirted it at the novitiate as he pretended to shoot it's contents into him. In this act the novitiate was overcome" by the strong medicine "shot" into his person from the medicine bags and he fell in swoon. His mothers father then came and lifted him up and he was prayed over. The five leading medicine men then took smoke and five plates of soup were set out for them.
 There then followed Hull while the next "set" was being made up. This interval was occupied by the chief story teller's relating one of the myth stories of his tribe.
 Said he: "It was in the long, long ago. At this time women were fully developed, had arms, legs, eyes, nose, features, and characteristics as wo- men do now; but man had not yet reached the state of development. He was still in sort of cocoon state. He had large mouth and an elongated, cigar-shaped body. Otherwise he was undeveloped. He had no eyes, no ears, no nose, no arms, nor legs. He was totally helpless. His wife had to care for him just like newborn babe. She had him wrapped we'll in the warmest kind of clothes. Also on account of his helplesspess she was compelled to take him with her every place she went. Ths was quite a task too, for he was very large and heavy. To accomplish this, she, therefore, contrived sort of tobog- gan sled and in this, we'll wrapped, she drew him after her from place to place, day after day and moon after moon and one whole retreat and return of the sun after another. And yet he always remained the same, completely helpless: She even had to feed him out of her hand. For a long, long time she was faithful to him, but finally she tired of always being a drudge and always having to draw this worthless burden around after her. So she decided to get rid of it. He was totally helpless. So that would be an easy task. So on a certain day she set out to destroy this father god of all the earth.
 On this particular day the sun rose through a heavy frost. it was winter time and it was very cold. The