Chapter I: Indian Mythology

The heroes of Kansas in the early days.--The first
inhabitants.--Pathos of Indian traditions and their tragic
interest.--Interpretation of myths.--Tradition of the Mississippi
Valley.--Theory of a dual soul.--Ancient religion of the North
American Indians.--Ideas of Divinity.--Spirits.--Communication with
the unseen world.--Description of heaven, found in the diary of
Rev. S. M. Irvin.--Algonquin prayer to Father Allouez.--The
_totem_.--The folk-lore of the Indian his literature.--Myth of a
prehistoric world.--The transformation.--The burning
earth.--Formation of the stars.--The Water-Maiden.--The
Earth-Maiden.--Michabou.--Worship of the heavenly
bodies.--Sacrifices.--Relation of dogs to the moon.--The Horned
Serpent.--The Prince of Rattlesnakes.--Hiawatha, the Indian
Messiah.--The Red Swan.--The Pipe of Peace.--Thunder and
lightning.--The Storm Giant.--Rainmakers.--The Wild Parsnip.--The
Spirit of Fire.--Fire legend of the Navajos.--The Shawnee and
Delaware type of life.--The imagery of the red man.--Knowledge of
the fundamental truths of nature.--Earliest record of the Middle
West.--Dominant tribes.--The Paducas.--The emigrant nations. 15

II.

THE PAWNEES.

Wanderings in Kansas and Nebraska.--Origin.--The word
"Pani."--Imitation of wolves.--Bands.--Tuhk-pah-huks-taht.--
Skidi-rah-ru.--Tuh-wa-hok-a-sha.--Tu-hi-'ts-pi-yet.--Hunting
in ancient times.--Weapons.--Utensils.--Government.--Dress.--
Lodges.--Music.--Courtship and marriage.--Religious ceremonies.--
The Buffalo Dance.--Departure for semi-annual buffalo hunt.--The
surround.--Ti-ra-wa, the Pawnee Deity.--The Na-hu-rac.--Sacrifices.
--The wonderful horse.--Homes of the Nu-hu-rac.--The Nu-hu-rac
doctors.--Medicine men and priests.--Belief in a prehistoric race.
--Destruction of the giants.--Human sacrifices.--A Legend of
Kansas.--Pit-a-le-shar'-u.--Hostilities against other
nations.--Villages of the Iowas and Sacs.--War with the Iowas,
1839.--Battle amid the sunflowers.--Sale of Pawnee lands.--Removal
to the Indian Territory.--Success in agriculture. 34