Near as they walked,it was with difficulty they could see each other.
The snow continued falling all that day and the following night,so it was impossible to track them.
They had now walked for several days,and Mudjikewis was always in the rear.One day,running suddenly forward,he gave the SAW-SAW-QUAN,and struck a tree with his war-club,and it broke into pieces as if struck with lightning.'Brothers,'said he,'this will be the way Iwill serve those we are going to fight.'The leader answered,'Slow,slow,Mudjikewis,the one I lead you to is not to be thought of so lightly.'Again he fell back and thought to himself:
'What!what!who can this be he is leading us to?'
He felt fearful and was silent.Day after day they traveled on,till they came to an extensive plain,on the borders of which human bones were bleaching in the sun.The leader spoke:'They are the bones of those who have gone before us.
None has ever yet returned to tell the sad tale of their fate.'
Again Mudjikewis became restless,and,running forward,gave the accustomed yell.Advancing to a large rock which stood above the ground,he struck it,and it fell to pieces.
'See,brothers,'said he,'thus will I treat those whom we are going to fight.''Still,still,'once more said the leader;'he to whom I am leading you is not to be compared to the rock.'
Mudjikewis fell back thoughtful,saying to himself:'I wonder who this can be that he is going to attack;'and he was afraid.
Still they continued to see the remains of former warriors,who had been to the place where they were now going,some of whom had retreated as far back as the place where they first saw the bones,beyond which no one had ever escaped.
At last they came to a piece of rising ground,from which they plainly distinguished,sleeping on a distant mountain,a mammoth bear.
The distance between them was very great,but the size of the animal caused him to be plainly seen.'There,'said the leader,'it is he to whom I am leading you;here our troubles will commence,for he is a mishemokwa and a manito.It is he who has that we prize so dearly (i.e.wampum),to obtain which,the warriors whose bones we saw,sacrificed their lives.You must not be fearful:be manly.We shall find him asleep.'Then the leader went forward and touched the belt around the animal's neck.
'This,'said he,'is what we must get.It contains the wampum.'
Then they requested the eldest to try and slip the belt over the bear's head,who appeared to be fast asleep,as he was not in the least disturbed by the attempt to obtain the belt.
All their efforts were in vain,till it came to the one next the youngest.He tried,and the belt moved nearly over the monster's head,but he could get it no farther.
Then the youngest one,and the leader,made his attempt,and succeeded.
Placing it on the back of the oldest,he said,'Now we must run,'and off they started.When one became fatigued with its weight,another would relieve him.Thus they ran till they had passed the bones of all former warriors,and were some distance beyond,when looking back,they saw the monster slowly rising.
He stood some time before he missed his wampum.Soon they heard his tremendous howl,like distant thunder,slowly filling all the sky;and then they heard him speak and say,'Who can it be that has dared to steal my wampum?earth is not so large but that Ican find them;'and he descended from the hill in pursuit.
As if convulsed,the earth shook with every jump he made.
Very soon he approached the party.They,however,kept the belt,exchanging it from one to another,and encouraging each other;but he gained on them fast.'Brothers,'said the leader,'has never any one of you,when fasting,dreamed of some friendly spirit who would aid you as a guardian?'A dead silence followed.
'Well,'said he,'fasting,I dreamed of being in danger of instant death,when I saw a small lodge,with smoke curling from its top.An old man lived in it,and I dreamed he helped me;and may it be verified soon,'he said,running forward and giving the peculiar yell,and a howl as if the sounds came from the depths of his stomach,and what is called CHECAUDUM.
Getting upon a piece of rising ground,behold!a lodge,with smoke curling from its top,appeared.This gave them all new strength,and they ran forward and entered it.The leader spoke to the old man who sat in the lodge,saying,'Nemesho,help us;we claim your protection,for the great bear will kill us.'
'Sit down and eat,my grandchildren,'said the old man.
'Who is a great manito?'said he.'There is none but me;but let me look,'and he opened the door of the lodge,when,lo!at a little distance he saw the enraged animal coming on,with slow but powerful leaps.He closed the door.
'Yes,'said he,'he is indeed a great manito:my grandchildren,you will be the cause of my losing my life;you asked my protection,and I granted it;so now,come what may,I will protect you.
When the bear arrives at the door,you must run out of the other door of the lodge.'Then putting his hand to the side of the lodge where he sat,he brought out a bag which he opened.
Taking out two small black dogs,he placed them before him.
'These are the ones I use when I fight,'said he;and he commenced patting with both hands the sides of one of them,and he began to swell out,so that he soon filled the lodge by his bulk;and he had great strong teeth.When he attained his full size he growled,and from that moment,as from instinct,he jumped out at the door and met the bear,who in another leap would have reached the lodge.A terrible combat ensued.
The skies rang with the howls of the fierce monsters.