The gayety of the prairie, its embellishments, and the absence of the gloom and savage wildness of the forest, all contribute to dispel the feeling of lonesomeness which usually creeps over the mind of the solitary traveler in the wilderness.  Though he may not see a house nor a human being, and is conscious that he is far from the habitations of men, he can scarcely divest himself of the idea that he is traveling through scenes embellished by the hand of art.  The flowers so fragile, so delicate, and so ornamental, seem to have been tastefully disposed to adorn the scene.  The groves and clumps of trees appear to have been scattered over the lawn to beautify the landscape; and it is not easy to avoid that illusion of the fancy which persuades the beholder, that such scenery has been created to gratify the refined taste of civilized man.

* * * * *

=_Henry R. Schoolcraft, 1793-1864._= (Manual, p. 504.)

From “Oneota.”

=_189._= THE CHIPPEWA INDIAN.

Of all the existing branches of the Algonquin stock in America, this extensive and populous tribe appears to have the strongest claims to intellectual distinction, on the score of their traditions, so far at least, as the present state of our inquiries extends.  They possess in their curious fictitious legends and lodge-tales, a varied and exhaustless fund of tradition, which is repeated from generation to generation.  These legends hold, among the wild men of the north, the relative rank of story-books; and are intended both to amuse and instruct.  This people possess also the art of picture writing in a degree which denotes that they have been, either more careful, or more fortunate, in the preservation of this very ancient art of the human race.  Warriors, and the bravest of warriors, they are yet an intellectual people.

...  They believe that the great Spirit created material matter, and that He made the earth and heavens, by the power of His will....  He made one great and master-spirit of evil, to whom He also gave assimilated and subordinate evil spirits having something of his own nature, to execute his will.  Two antagonist powers, they believe, were thus placed in the world, who are continually striving for the mastery, and who have power to affect the lives and fortunes of men.  This constitutes the ground-work of their religion, sacrifices, and worship.

They believe that animals were created before men, and that they originally had rule on the earth.  By the power of necromancy, some of these animals were transformed to men, who, as soon as they assumed this new form, began to hunt the animals, and make war against them.  It is expected that these animals will resume their human shapes, in a future state, and hence their hunters feign some clumsy excuses for their present policy of killing them.  They believe that all animals, and birds, and reptiles, and even insects, possess reasoning faculties, and have souls.  It is in these opinions, that we detect the ancient, doctrine of transmigration.