Kitchi-Gami: Life Among the Lake Superior Ojibway

CHAPTER XV

THE PROTESTANT MISSION. 227 CHAPTER XV. THE l'ROrESTANr MISSION-'rRE GREAr FASr-rHE DREAM OF LlFE-'rHE INDIAN llLACKSJIUTH-THE WIGWAM-VISir TO THE SHINING CLOUD-IDS DREAM OF LIFE-THE FAILURE-THE liED IN THE TREE-EFFECT OF FASTING-THE Sl'IRIT-MIGRATIONS OF THE SOUL-rHE VISION-THE GREAT COUNCIL--THE LADDER TO HEAVEN-RETURN TO LIFE-THE l'RE· DICTION FULFILLED. WE paid a visit in our canoe to the Protestant mission , lying four miles off, on the other side of the Anse. As this village was much older, and was powerfully supported by the government of the United States, we found everything here on a better footing. The Indians had pretty, roomy houses, slept in excellent beds (such as I should like to introduce among our German peasants, were it possible), and had small kitchen gardens round their cabins. The most respected man in the village was the " Indian blacksmith ,'' appointed by government. I found in him a very interesting man, living with his large family in a delightfully airy cabin; and he sheltered me for the night, and allowed me to rest in a luxurious bed, such as had not fallen to my lot for a considerable time. I formed here several peculiarly interesting acquaint- 228 THE GREAT FASTS. ances among the Indians, with whom I continued my conversations on several points affecting their countrymen . More especially I made deeper investigations into their great fasts and dreams of life. I found this subject most remarkable; in fact, could it be possible to hear anything stranger, or, I might say, more wonderful, than these stories of unheard-of castigations and torments, to which young boys of thirteen or fourteen subject themselves, merely for the sake of an idea, a dream, or the fulfilment of a religious duty, or to ask a question of fate? When was it ever known, among us Europeans, that boys or girls were able, at the tenderest age, to fast for days on behalf of a higher motive, retire to the most remote forests, defy all the claims of nature, and fix their minds so exclusively on celestial matters, that they fell into convulsions, and attained an increased power of perception, which they did not possess in ordinary life? What courage I what selfcontrol ! what power of enduring privations does this presuppose! I say such things would appear to me incredible, did I not hear them spoken of everywhere as ordinary occurrences. More surprising still is it when weremember that it is not merely some extraordinary youth who is capable of this, but that every Indian, without exception, displays such heroism. Although, then, several had described to me their dreams of life, I was still desirous to hear more. Besides , with every new story I discovered fresh accessories , and much was still unclear and doubtful to me. Hence, when I made the acquaintance of old Agabegijik , at the aforesaid Protestant mission, and had conversed for some time with him, I brought him to talk THE BRILLIANT CLOUD. 229 about these dreams. And this old man promised to tell me his dream of life, with all its accompanying details , if I would visit him at his hut, where we could sit comfortably round the fire. Agabe-gijik, translated literally, means "the end of the projecting cloud." At times such brilliantly-illumined cloud-edges appear in the sky, resembling beaming or snow-clad promontories. This name refers to such a manifestation, and, indeed, the Indians are usually close observers of the appearances in the sky, and especially of the frequently menacing and black, frequently bright and cheery, cloud formations. They have even many expressions, which may be almost called scientific, for frequently recurring forms of the clouds and the characteristic features of the sky physiognomy, which are quite untranslatable, and for which it is hopeless to seek an equivalent in European languages. Thus, the Ojibbeways, for instance, have a peculiar fixed name for the appearance of the sun· shine between two clouds. In the same way they have a distinct appellation for the small blue oases which at times are seen in the sky between dark clouds. They will also derive the names of their heroes from the phenomena observable in the heavens. Thus, one of the best-known chiefs on the Upper Mississippi is called the "Blue Hole," or the "Bright Patch in the Dark Cloud Sky.'' The Indians render...