pleasing to the
spirit of a deceased person to have a fire built upon his grave for
four nights after his interment; that it is four days' journey to the
land appointed for the residence of the spirit; that, in its journey
thither, the spirit stood in need of a fire every night at the place
of its encampment; that, if the friends kindled this funeral fire upon
the place where the body was deposited, the spirit had the benefit of
its light and warmth in its sojourning; but, if they neglected this
rite, the spirit would itself be subjected to the irksome task of
building its own fire at night.

THE PORTIONING OF THE SONS.

The Great Being, who governs the world, having finished his work, and
cheated every thing which is found upon the land, in the air, or in
the water, called to him the red man, and his younger brother, the
white man, and said to them, "Children, come hither." So saying, he
carried them to a great pen or fold, upon one side of which stood a
large coop, and on the other a big pond of water. In the pen or fold
were a vast many animals, all four-legged, the deer, the bison, the
horse, the cow, the panther, the musk-ox, the antelope, the goat, and
the dog, with many more, such as the beaver, the otter, the mink, and
the musk-rat, which lay with their tails in the pond and their heads
in the pen; and others, such as the tortoise and the alligator, whose
snouts preferred water, while their tails stuck to the land. In the
coop were a vast many birds and fowls, some of beautiful and varied
plumage, while others were robed in dirty and dingy feathers; some
were very tender, and good to eat, and some were tough, and but
so-so. I need not particularise the fishes, for my brother knows well
enough what they are. When the young men had spent a long time in
examining the animals, and birds, and fishes, admiring and praising
them, as who would not that has never before seen them, the Great
Creator addressed them thus:

"My sons, I have created many creatures, and breathed into them the
breath of life; I have made the forests resound with the cry of bears,
and panthers, and bisons; I have caused the air to be so thickly
inhabited, that you can scarcely move without having your cheeks
fanned by the breath of the wings of my birds; I have made the rivers
populous with finny people. These--all things--I have created, are for
your use, and to you two I give them, equally and alike." So saying,
he began to divide