Volume 1

TABASHAW RECEIVES A REVELATION. 1 79
he was out alone, setting his beaver traps. He relates that
one night during the ceremonies, a person dressed in a white
linen shirt, rather dirty, a short black jacket and breeches,
stockings and shoes, appeared to him, called him comrade
in a formal manner, and asked him what he was doing.
Tabashaw told him he was hunting beaver. They then
seated themselves and had a long conversation, the whole of
which Tabashaw does not think proper to divulge, but says
that he was told, among many other things, that the Indians
were wrong in addressing themselves to the sun for
favor or protection when they performed any ceremony,
made feasts or medicine affairs, or prepared for war ; that
the sun had no power over mankind ;
that only he who now
spoke to Tabashaw had command of the world and all that
moved on the face of the earth—he who was the great
Shaymanitou [Kitchimanitou] or Father of Life, the good
spirit to whom Indians should address themselves on all
occasions—he who knew everything that went on in the
world, and continually moved up and down to
keep things
in order. In proof of his perpetual perambulation he
pointed to the condition of his shoes, which were almost
worn out.
Tabashaw then gave him a new pair to help him
on his route. The great spirit further told him that the
traders treated him (Tabashaw) very ill, and, therefore, he
must return them his medals
;
while as for liquor, ammunition,
and tobacco, he should never want for any—at the
same time putting a writing in his hand, by virtue of which
he could procure whatever he wanted. The ghostly visitor
then asked where Tabashaw had set his traps ;
the
places were pointed out, and then, after they had smoked
a couple of pipes together, the spirit vanished. Next
morning, on going to his traps, Tabashaw found the person
had hauled them on the banks, and pulled up the
stakes to which they were tied. I suspected the fellow
had been breeding this story all the spring, in hopes the
Indians would believe him, and that by such means he
could recover the authority he had lost over the Saulteurs.