1 Life among the Indians, or Personal Reminiscences and historical incidents illustrative of Indian life and character, par le Rev. James B. Finley, ca 1798, p. 328.

2 La Bible.

3 Loc. cit., p. 291.

4 Oneōta or Characteristics of the Red Race of America, de H. R, Schoolcraft, 1875, pp, 207-210.

5 Journ. Amer, Folk-Lore, vol. I (1888), pp. 181-183, « Huron Folk-Lore », by H. Hale, Collected on Anderdon reservation, Essex county, Ontario.

6 This man, Tijuskeha (the Joskeha of the French missionaries), may be a derivative from the root ie (iio, iyo) or iju, which signifies both “great” and “good”. This root forms the concluding portion of the name Hamendiju (Huron), Rawenniio (Iroquois) applied to the chief divinity, and signifying “the great good master.”

7 See an interesting discussion of the origin of this widely diffused myth (of the waters engulfed by a toad, frog, or serpent) in Lang’s Myth, Ritual and Religion, vol. i, p. 39, and vol. ii, p. 146)—H. Hale.

8 “Wyandot Folk-Lore,” Twentieth Century Classics and School Readings, Topeka, Kansas, 1899, pp. 67 ff. Collected from various Wyandot informants at Kansas City, Kansas, and Wyandotte reservation, Oklahoma, in the course of the last half century.

9 Some versions say women were doing the digging; others use the word “people.”—W. E. Connelley.

10 The Wyandot word for swan is used in this plate, but the description of the birds would seem to indicate gulls, or geese. They are described as “flat-backed birds,” half-a-tree tall; i.e., very large—W. E. Connelley.

11 Whether the modern opinion that the land was divided into Eastern and Western divisions is correct or not, we cannot now tell. The descriptions of the divisions would seem to indicrate that they were in fact North and South divisions. I have followed what the Wyandots told me—W. E. Connelley.

12 Connelley, op, cit., p. 89 s.

13 Connelley, op. cit., pp. 107-108,

14 Le texte X n’apparait pas dans l’édition originale pour une raison inconnue, la seule mention de son contenu se retrouve dans le résumé, p. 390 du présent ouvrage.

15 Op. cit., pp. 109-111

16 Ontario Arcbaologica, Report, 1905, Toronto (Part of Appendix to the Report of the Minister of Edutation, Ontario), pp. 68-70; de W. E. Connelley.
“Told me by George Wright. Also told me by others of the tribe of Wyandots. The form here used is the first draft made by me after hearing the stories. It is, however, nearly that used by Wright. He was a fine thinker, and a pœt by instinct, though entirely uncultured. He could read English, and could write, but his reading was very limited. He secured his stories from the old Wyandots in Canada and Ohio. He believed them implicitly, and, while he had in some degree accepted Christianity he firmly expected to go through the great cave in the North to the Land of the Little People,”—W. E. Connelley.

17 It seems that a considerable part of the story, which is not at all Indian-like, has been invented.

18 The last two paragraphs are not in the language of the Indians, for they know no such name as Orion, I have only preserved the Indian idea in these paragraphs, I have not made a draft of this part of the legend because I was hoping to find the Indian names of the stars; in this, however, I have not been successful, Wright called the stars Dehn-dek and Mah-oh-rah. The Wyandots always pointed out the stars when telling me the story. Some versions say there were four stags to the sledge.—W. E. Connelley.

19 About the origin of the many-coloured leaves in the autumn, the following statements were obtained by the author (C. Μ. B.) from Jenny Zane (married Waters), a half-breed Wyandot formerly of Wyandotte reservation, Oklahoma: “I have heard that the leaves turn red in the autumn for this reason: Long ago wounded animals were running through the woods, and blood dripped from their wounds on the leaves, which made them red. 1 also heard that it was due to the paint having come off the spirits of some warriors who sat down on the leaves to rest. The paint came off as the spirit was too heavy.” About the origin of Indian summer, Mrs, Waters remembered the following explanation: “It is caused by the homesick Indian spirits returning from the happy hunting grounds to their former homes in the autumn, when the moon (is full?). The smoke often seen in the air, at that time, is caused by their camp fires, Although we cannot actually see their fires, we can perceive the haze and the smoke.”

20 W. E. Connelley, op. cit., pp. 102,103.

21 The beauties of the autumn foliage are also accounted for in another and different story, in which it is said that the Trees wept tears of blood at the loss of the Animals when they went into the sky to live permanently. This was in the autumn. At that season of the year, the Trees take on these beautiful colours in memory of that season of deep grief when they wept in an agony of bloody tears—W. E. Connelley.

22 Dans l’Ontario Archaeological Report, Toronto, 1899-1900, pp. 122-123, « The Wyandots ».

23 Dans l’Ontario Archeological Report, Toronto, 1899-1900, pp. 121-122, « The Wyandots ».

24 Wyandot Folk-Lore, pp. 96-98.

25 There are other forms of this myth—W. E. Connelley.

26 Wyandot Folk-Lore, pp. 103-107.

27 Journ. Amer. Folk-Lore, vol. IV, No. XV, “Huron Folk-Lore,” pp. 289-293.
The story of “The Thunderers,” as told by my esteemed Wyandot friend and instructor Chief Joseph White (Mandarong), and carefully Translated and explained by Mrs. White.… The narrative in its present shape, must be regarded as a comparatively modern composition, or at least recension, due to some native mythologist of much imaginative genius, who lived within the last two centuries.—H. Hale.

28 (Note de M. Barbeau) : Le sens de ce passage est obscur tant en ce qui concerne l’expression « qui retire au Lyon par la queue » qu’en ce qui a trait au mythe d’origine des Huron ?. N. D, B. Hewitt L’explique comme suit :
« It is probable that Brébeuf here refers to a legend (imperfectly comprehended by him) that is found to this day, in several versions, among the tribes of the Six Nations—which may be briefly stated thus: It was the invariable custom of a certain noted hunter to sacrifice to the fowls of the air and the beasts of the forest the first game animal he might kill, in every hunting expedition. This was very acceptable to the fowls and the beasts. One day it came to pass that the enemies of the hunter’s people made an incursion, and killed, among many others, this famous hunter. His death becoming known to the birds and beasts of prey, they greatly mourned his loss; and at a grand council held by them their chiefs resolved to restore their friend to life. The legend relates that their purpose was accomplished at a great feast. The several versions of the legend differ as to the chief actors in this alleged resuscitation of a human being; but they all agree that it was the chiefs of the beasts and birds of prey who took part in the affair. In the story here told by Brébeuf, the panther, the wolf, and the owl are the conspicuous figures. The sovereign remedy used on this occasion was, chiefly through the instrumentality of the wolves, bestowed by the assembly on man, as a gift, and is still in great repute and use among the Iroquois; it is called Kanū’ta’. It cutes wounds and internal injuries. It is difficult to identify the animal called Ontarraoura, The Hurons probably had, like the Iroquois, several versions of this legend, in which different animals were given pre-eminence. »

29 Origin and Traditional History of the Wyandotts, Toronto, 1870, pp. 55, 57. P. D. Clarke was an educated half-breed Wyandot, of Anderdon reserve, Essex county, Ontario.

30 Loc. cit., pp. 24-26, 28.

31 Stated by Clarke to have taken place between 1720 and 1731.

32 Ontario Archaeological Report, 1899-1900, pp. 118-119.

33 Wyandot Folk-Lore, pp. 93-96.

34 Wyandot Folk-Lore, pp. 87-88.

35 Ontario Archaelogical Report, 1899-1900, « The Wyandots », pp. 117-118.

36 Op. cit., pp. 153-158.

37 An utterance of alarm and horror.—P. D. Clarke.

38 This clan or tribe, like some of the wayward and refractory tribes of Israël of old, were always inclined to be rebellious against the Good Spirit, and who were Led by their evil thoughts and superstitious notions, to seek after strange gods. The wry substance they obtained from the evil spirit (as will be described) in the sulphurous spring, which they used in their witchcraft and evil practices on their fellow beings, seemed to have consumed themselves. Not one of this clan can now be found living.—P. D. Clarke.

39 The term wizard, among Indians, was applied to any person known to be a sorcerer, and who was sometimes accused of taking the life of his fellow beings, to gratify bis revengeful feelings, Hoo-ke is the Wyandott name given to a wizard.—P. D. Clarke.

40 His arrows were of a species of red willow cut as they grew, to the common size of an arrow, and the sharpened end hardened with hot embers.—P. D. Clarke.

41 The Indians generally use a whole skin of some furred animal, unripped, for their medicine or conjuring hag, Otter, Mink, Fisher, etc.—P. D. Clarke.

42 Journ. Amer. Folk-Lore, vol. II, 1889, “Huron Folk-Lore,” pp. 249, 253.

43 These meetings are still regularly held among the heathen portion of the Iroquois tribes, in connexion with their ceremonial dances. I have been a spectator, and have heard the long and earnest exhortations of the elders, delivered with a truly diaconal solemnity.—H. Hale.

44 Wyandot Folk-Lore, pp. 100-101.

45 Le Foyer canadien, vol. IV, pp. 534-551. Cette légende a été recueillie vers 1816 à la Vieille Louent, Québec, par F Aubert de Gaspé. Informateur, OhiarekSen—Grand Louis.

46 Le mot Otsitsot signifie, en langue huronne, le malfaisant ; et si l’on en croit les récits des aborigènes de l’Amérique du nord, ainsi que ceux des anciens chasseurs canadiens, l’Otsitsot n’aurait pas volé son nom. Ils s’accordaient tous à lui attribuer un esprit de malveillance et d’espièglerie quasi-diaboliques. L’Otsitsot éventait non seulement les attrapes (pièges) des chasseurs indiens des anciens jours, et les détruisait, mais il avait aussi deviné les mécanismes des armes à feu. Il ouvrait les bassinets des fusils, que les chasseurs tendaient dans la forêt, et les remplissait de neige et le plus souvent d’immondices.—Ajubert de Gaspé.

47 La tradition du Grand Serpent est encore vivace parmi les Indiens de la Jeune Lorette Paul Tahourhenché (Point du jour) me disait récemment que les anciens de sa tribu avaient suivi, le matin, les traces que le serpent avait laissées en passant, la nuit, dans leur village ; mais qu’ils les avaient perdues sur les galets de la rivière Saint-Charles, à environ un arpent plus bas que leur église. Que le sillon, qu’il avait fait sur la terre, ressemblait à celui qu’aurait laissé un immense arbre de pin qu’on aurait traîné ; mais, ajoutait Paul, je n’ai jamais entendu dire que le sillage devait rester stationnaire parer que le serpent se baignait dans l’Oria8enrak.
Il reste toujours quelque chose des impressions de l’enfance, ce qui me fait croire qu’il répugnait à la susceptibilité de Paul de faire un aveu humiliant pour sa tribu, car il ajouta : « C’est vrai que mon village a été longtemps stationnaire mais il augmente depuis une dizaine d’années. » Paul Tahourhenehé aurait pu ajouter que c’est grâce à ses talents, à sa persévérance et à son industrie que son village prospère et augmente dans des proportions notables. Ce prince des Hurons, tout en travaillant au bien-être de sa tribu, s’est créé une belle et indépendante fortune ; et ce que j’admire en lui, c’est qu’il se rappelle avec orgueil que le sang huron coule dans ses veines.—Aubert de Gaspé.

48 Le bruit de sonnettes de ce serpent, quand il est irrité, a quelque ressemblance avec le Chichicouè, instrument dont se servaient les sauvages pour battre la mesure quand ils dansaient, —Aubert de Gaspé.

49 The Legends of the St. Lawrence, Québec, 1898, pp. 188-192.

50 Tiré de The Indian SchoolJournal, « Indian stories told in trie lodges of the Northeast long ago », reprises par Hen-toh. Compte tenu du fait que M. Walker avait publié dans un magazine populaire une version embellie de l’histoire que lui avait contée feu Kitty Greyeyes, nous avons pensé plus à propos de la noter dans sa version originelle, plus simple, et de le considérer comme informateur. Il en est résulté la version précédente du « raton laveut et du renard » (p. 163). L’épisode ci-dessus avait Cependant été omis par M. Walker et nous l’avons inclus ici dans la version embellie. [N. D. T. : notre traducrion.]

51 Wyandot Folk-Lore, p. 98.

52 Op. cit., p. 99.

53 Origin and Traditional History of the Wyandotts, Toronto, 1870, pp. 1-3.

54 Cette version de l’origine de la guerre entre Sénécas et Wyandotte s a été écrite par feu Joseph Warrow, un métis wyandot de la réserve d’Anderdon, en Ontario. Le manuscrit de Warrow, rédigé en 1902, fut donné à Ja Division d’anthropologie par son frère, Thomas Warrow, en 1911. En réponse à certains Critiques selon lesquelles il aurait tiré ce récit traditionnel, et d’autres aussi, du livre de P. D. Clarke, Warrow écrivit ceci : « Je connaissais le contenu de son livre (celui de Clarke) avant qu’il ne le publie ; il a tiré toutes ses informations de grand-mère Hunt (elle aussi d’Anderdon) ; et il était chez moi nuit après nuit à lui demander differentes choses. Je l’ai entendue qui répétait ces vieilles histoires traditionnelles une centaine de fois avant qu’Onde Peter envisage même d’écrire un livre. » [N. D.T. : notre traduction.]

55 La baie Georgienne.

56 Ce passage fait manifestement référence à la dispersion finale des Hurons, en 1648-1659. Les Wyandottes établirent un village sur les bords de la rivière Détroit vers 1701.

57 Oneo’ta, or Characteristics of the Red Race, « The Saustawraytsees, a Wyandot Tradition », recueilli à Upper Sandusky, le 1^er mars 1827, par J. H. Kenzie, pp. 54 et suiv.

58 Ceci fait en réalité référence à des événements ayant précédé la découverte de l’Amérique du nord.

59 Op. cit., pp. 3-6.

60 Op, cit., pp. 12-14.

61 Op. cit., pp-22-24.

62 Rev. T. C. Thomas, Nah-ben-ey-ash. La tradition ci-dessus, apparemment ojibwé, a d’abord été publiée dans The Munising Republican, juillet 1903 ( ?), puis reprise dans The American Antiquarian, Vol. XXXV, juillet-septembre 1913, pp. 158-161.

63 Op. cit., pp. 35, 36.

64 Op. cit., pp. 111-116.
This is a tradition among the Wyandots. It was written out and published in the Gazette, of Kansas City, Kansas, by Governor William Walker, long ago, sometime in the sixties or early in the seventies. This is taken from the Gazette. It is told in many different forms by the Wyandots. The old files of the Gazette are mines of information about Kansas affairs and early Kansas history—W. E. Connelley.

65 Op. cit., pp. 39, 40.

66 Op. cit., pp. 140-142.

67 1791, selon P. D. Clarke.

68 Life among the Indians, p. 383.

69 Vers 1825.

70 Op. cit. ; les pages suivantes consistent en extraits du texte de Clarke.

71 p. 4.

72 p. 5.

73 p. 7.

74 pp. 7-9.

75 p. 9.

76 p. 10.

77 pp. 10-11.

78 p. 11.

79 p. 12. [Bataille contre les Sénécas décrite, pp. 13-14 ; ci-dessus, pp. 337-338.]

80 p. 15.

81 The Wyandott meant the “Rocky Mountains,” He had been informed by the French, at Detroit, of there being a long chain of mountains, from north to south, in the far west.— P. D. Clarke.

82 p. 16.

83 pp. 16-17.

84 p. 18.

85 Du XVIII^e siècle.

86 p. 34.

87 p. 35.

88 p, 36.

89 pp. 36, 37.

90 p. 38.

91 p. 39.

92 p. 49.

93 p. 50.

94 p. 51.

95 p. 54.

96 p. 55.

97 p. 59.

98 p. 62.

99 pp. 63, 64.

100 p. 66.

101 pp. 66, 67.

102 p. 72.

103 p. 72.

104 p. 74.

105 pp. 87, 88.

106 p. 89.

107 p. 91.

108 p. 92.

109 p. 94.

110 Le mot « obscurité » signifie qu’un combat va avoir lieu entre les deux parties en présence si Tecumseh persiste dans son obstination.

111 pp. 95-97.

112 pp. 97-98.

113 p. 98.

114 pp. 102, 103.

115 pp. 106, 107.

116 pp. 107, 108.

117 pp. 115, 116.

118 pp. 117, 118.

119 p. 118.

120 p. 119.

121 p. 119.

122 p. 120.

123 pp. 121, 122.

124 pp. 122, 123.

125 p. 123.

126 p. 128.

127 p. 128.

128 p. 129.

129 pp. 130, 131.

130 p. 132.

131 pp. 132, 133.

132 The Green Corn feast, usually held on the 15 th of August.

133 pp. 148, 149.

134 Two Indians, each with a whole snapping-turtle-shell, having some round and hard substance inside to make a rattling sound, sit on the ground with two folded deer skins (pelt side out) between them, on which they beat with their turtle-shells while singing for the dance. The neck of the turtle is stretched out to its utmost extension and stiffened with some hard substance for a handle. After the dance the two Indians are allowed to walk off with the deer skins as their compensation.—P. D. Clarke.

135 p. 149.