the symbol emblematic of that god. The other figure is a female divinity, on whose forehead we see the same mystic emblem which, in Indian hieroglyph, is used to represent the heart. The circle of worshippers represents the stars in their courses; and it may be taken as a suggestion that the Hindoos had an idea that the stars had their origin from the sun, there being a duplication of Chrishna, the sun-god, in this planetary circle.

A representation of the god of the sun, as ruler of the four winds.

CHAPTER VII.

The first figure is the Indian's symbol of the earth, the tortoise, used in pictography. The second is a device to represent the goddess of the moon, with a "white band around the throat." The crescent was a common hieroglyph of the moon.

THE EARTH AND THE MOON.

IT is related by a certain Jesuit Father, that when he asked one of the Indians, "Who created the heaven from whence his goddess Atahensic fell?" he received the subtle rejoinder: "Where was your God before he made the earth?"-"a question," cries the pious Catholic, "St. Augustine himself was unable to answer."

In our Sacred Word, light is described as the first born; and the earth then follows, succeeding the establishment of a firmament. The Indian declares the previous existence of light by his personification of day, Hero of Dawn,2 who is ruler of the sun, while the creation of the earth is the subject of a great variety of myths, and is symbolized and used in divination. These accounts are not confined to aborigines of the American

1 Ataensic, Huron dialect, "she bathes herself," literally; equally represented as goddess of water and goddess of the moon. Vide Dr. Brinton's "Myths of the New World."

2 Manabozho, according to Dr. Brinton.

continent, but may be found where there are any traces of myths of the creation. By some tribes it was described as flat, and pierced through for a passage for the sun. The Hindoos also figure the surface of the earth as flat, but represent it in the form of a lily, which compares with one of the Indian cup-shaped

devices of the earth, the circles being

symbols of the spirits within the earth.

Placing this with the line of the sky, we have the shape of the "mundane egg." The following is a myth relating to its creation:

CREATION OF THE EARTH:

A WINNEBAGO TRADITION.

In ancient days the Great Spirit awakened from a long dream, and, finding himself alone, took a piece of his body near his heart, and a bit of earth, and from them made a manitto. Being pleased with this creation, he made three other manittos in the same form. These are the spirits of the four winds - east, west, north, and south. After having talked with these a little while, he created a female manitto, who was this earth. She was first without covering, with no trees and without grass. Perceiving this, the Spirit created them, together with a vast quantity of herbs. Now, after this was done, the earth grew irregular in her motions; the Spirit was obliged to make four beasts and four serpents, and place them under her for support. This excited the four winds, who blew upon her so furiously that she rolled about more than ever. Then the Spirit created a buffalo, and placed him beneath, after which her motions became regular.

1 Manitto, -name for spirit.