the influence of this bad spirit, but they have some vague idea that it is in part permitted as a punishment for their bad deeds.  They all believe in ghosts, and when they fancy that they have seen one, the friends of the deceased give a feast and hang up some clothing as an offering to appease the troubled spirit.  So far as the ceremonials are concerned, the Sauks and Foxes may be called a religious people.  They rarely pass any extraordinary cave, rock, hill or other object, with out leaving behind them some tobacco for the use of the spirit who they suppose lives there.  They have some kind of prayers, consisting of words which they sing over in the evening and at sunrise in the morning.

Their tradition in regard to the creation of the world, the deluge and the re-peopling of the earth, is a singular mixture of truth and fiction.  If anterior in its origin, to the arrival of the whites on this continent, it presents matter of curious speculation.  The following account of it, entitled the Cosmogony of the Saukee and Musquakee Indians, is taken from Doctor Galland’s Chronicles of the North American Savages.

“In the beginning the Gods created every living being which was intended to have life upon the face of the whole earth; and then were formed every species of living animal.  After this the gods also formed man, whom they perceived to be both cruel and foolish:  they then put into man the heart of the best beast they had created; but they beheld that man still continued cruel and foolish.  After this it came to pass that the Almighty took a piece of himself, of which he made a heart for the man; and when the man received it, he immediately became wise above every other animal on the earth.

“And it came to pass in the process of much time, that the earth produced its first fruits in abundance, and all the living beasts were greatly multiplied.  The earth about this time, was also inhabited by an innumerable host of I-am-woi (giants) and gods.  And the gods whose habitation is under the seas, made war upon We-suk-kah, (the chief god upon the earth) and leagued themselves with the I-am-woi upon the earth, against him.  Nevertheless, they were still afraid of We-suk-kah and his immense host of gods; therefore they called a council upon the earth; and when they were assembled upon the earth, at the council, both the I-am-woi and the gods from under the seas, after much debate, and long consultation, they resolved to make a great feast upon the earth, and to invite We-suk-kah, that they might thus beguile him, and at the feast lay hands upon him and slay him.

“And when the council had appointed a delegate to visit We-suk-kah, and commanded him to invite We-suk-kah to the great feast, which they were preparing upon the earth for him; behold, the younger brother of We-suk-kah, was in the midst of the council, and being confused in the whole assembly, they said unto him, “Where is thy brother We-suk-kah.”  And he answering said unto them “I know not; am I my brother’s keeper?” And the council perceiving that all their devices were known unto him, they were sorely vexed; therefore, with one accord, the whole assembly rushed violently upon him and slew him:  and thus was slain the younger brother of We-suk-kah.