rged him to
comply with the ancient custom of their people, which was to fast, and
wait for the manifestations of the Gitchey-monedo,--whether he would
grant him a guardian spirit or not, to guide and direct him through
life. He was told that many young men of his tribe tried to fast, but
that hunger overpowered their wishes to obtain a spiritual guardian;
he was urged to do his best, and not to yield as others had done.

"Wau-chus-co died in 1839 or '40. He had, for more than ten years
previous to his death, led an exemplary Christian life, and was a
communicant of the Presbyterian Church on this Island, up to the time
of his death. A few days previous to his death, I paid him a visit.
'Come in, come in, nosis!' (grandson) said he. After being seated, and
we had lit our pipes; I said to him, 'Ne-me-sho-miss, (my
grandfather,) you are now very old and feeble; you cannot expect to
live many days; now, tell me the truth, who was it that moved your
chees-a-kee lodge when you practiced your spiritual art?' A pause
ensued before he answered:--'Nosis, as you are in part of my nation, I
will tell you the truth: I know that I will die soon. I fasted ten
days when I was a young man, in compliance with the custom of my
tribe. While my body was feeble from long fasting, my soul increased
in its powers; it appeared to embrace a vast extent of space, and the
country within this space, was brought plainly before my vision, with
its misty forms and beings--I speak of my spiritual vision. It was,
while I was thus lying in a trance, my soul wandering in space, that
animals, some of frightful size and form, serpents of monstrous size,
and birds of different varieties and plumage, appeared to me and
addressed me in human language, proposing to act as my guardian
spirits. While my mind embraced these various moving forms, a superior
intelligence in the form of man, surrounded by a wild, brilliant
light, influenced my soul to select one of the bird-spirits,
resembling the kite in look and form, to be the emblem of my guardian
spirit, upon whose aid I was to call in time of need, and that he
would be always prepared to render me assistance whenever my body and
soul should be prepared to receive manifestations. My grandmother
roused me to earth again, by inquiring if I needed food: I ate, and
with feeble steps, soon returned to our lodge.

"'The first time that I ever chees-a-keed, was on a war expedition
toward Chicago, or where it is now