“They used to bury the dead in tops of trees, or, if he was a chief, medicine man or a great warrior, his body was left in his own teepee and his best horse killed at its doorway. This was, that he might ride the swifter to the Spirit Land. Their finest robes and skins were also left with the dead, as a gift to the Great Spirit, that He might take pity on the family and call no more of them over the death trail. The village then moved to a new location, leaving the dead alone.
“The medicine man was really dead and cold for two sundowns. The storm was bad and they could not take the body to its own teepee for burial. On the third sunrise, to the astonishment of the people, the dead man came back from the death-sleep. Life returned and he stood up from the robes in which he was wrapped. The women, frightened, ran away, but the warriors dared not run. It would be cowardly to fly even though they could not understand. The newly alive medicine man called:
“ ‘Come all you braves and warriors! I have something to tell you, for your own benefit. I came back to warn you, to show you the right way to go. It is important and I will speak before I go again and forever.
“ ‘The messenger of the Great Spirit took me away. He took me high, up very high. I could see you, oh! my people, around my poor body. You were wailing over that which is but a part of the earth; only useful here but nowhere else. While I was in the clouds, I could see that which is moving towards you from the sunrise, slowly—driving—surging in big herds like the buffaloes we hunt on the plains, only more vast. Terrible it comes, and gathering force it sweeps the land like the cloud-rack of death. Listen! Oh! my people. I saw the future as you see the mountains when the sun is undimmed by vapor from the waters. I asked my guide, whom I could not see yet felt his presence, to let me return and warn you; but he refused.
“ ‘We ascended higher, still higher until we reached the big bright doorway of the sun, which shines that the flowers, the grass and trees may grow to gladden your hearts. Again I begged my guide to permit me to come warn you of what is to be. Then someone I could not see, heard only his loud voice like the rushing of the wind through the forest—mingled with the melody of the waterfalls—calling to me:
“ ‘Go! man! go back! I am not ready to take you into the Happy Hunting Grounds till you have performed a duty assigned you. Go! warn your people of what is coming over the morning trail!’
“ ‘Then taking my hand, my guide pointed to the future—what is in store for you, my people—what the future holds for you. Listen!
“ ‘I saw a pale-faced nation moving from the sunrise; as many as the trees of the forest. My guide said to me: “They are coming to take your hunting grounds from you.” Then knowing my thoughts, he exclaimed in pity:
“ ‘ “No! You cannot fight them as you do the common enemies of your tribe. They are many! Many more than your own race; many as the stars you see. When you kill the front of them, others come from the back of them; many more, double the number. This is to be! Do not attempt war with them. You would be crushed like the pine-cone by the mountain avalanche.
“ ‘ “The first of the strangers will come to work for your good,” said my guide. “Only a few of them will strive to help the tribes; not for this life’s benefit, but for the Hereafter; where the warriors gather when they leave this earth. You will know them; with their white skins and with hair on their faces. They will show you a new trail to the Great Spirit. You must believe them! for they, too, point to the hunting grounds of the future life which cannot be taken from you. These good men will help you from becoming lost on the night trail.”
“ ‘Again my guide pointed and I saw the pale faces fighting among themselves for the possession of our lands. Their feet were drowned in human blood of war which thundered everywhere.
“ ‘ “See!” said my guide. “When this takes place, your people will long be gone. The land will be no more as it was. Go! now, man! go back to your people with the message given you. Tell them what you have seen, and listen to the first pale face who comes to them. He will not deceive them, but will show them a better trail to the Spirit Land.”
“ ‘Then it seemed that I was falling! falling! falling! Plunging through wet clouds and it was far. But when I awoke, I was back here in my old, deserted body. I saw this body from the high, and I did not care to live in it again. I had not regretted leaving it for a better life.
“ ‘My friends and relations! I have now done that which the Great Spirit demanded of me. I am ready to leave you again, never to return. I want to go back where all is beauty and goodness, where the hardships of the warpath are unknown.’
“With this, the medicine man fell back among his robes and died forever.19 My grandfather heard his words. He told the strange story to my father, who in turn gave it to me. I know that it must be true, for my father never spoke the lie. He did not talk two ways. I have heard the old Indians in my childhood time, wonder at the story. This is
