95. Sʻhagodiyoweqgowa
(MODERN)
There is a man now (1883) in Canada who sees real Sʻhagodiyoweqgowa—False Faces. He goes around a great deal among the various tribes of Indians.
One day while on his travels he met a Sʻhagodiyoweqgowa, who spoke to him. The man handed him a plug of tobacco, telling him that he might have the tobacco to smoke. After the man had gone to the end of his journey and was coming home he met a Sʻhagodiyoweqgowa near the same spot, with his back toward him. Seeing that this was a different one, he passed by without speaking. Soon afterward he met the one he had encountered before. Saluting him, the man gave him another plug of tobacco, whereupon the False Face said, “I think you would better come and see where we live.” “I shall be glad to go,” said he in reply. Arriving at a cave in a rocky place, they went in. The man saw a great many Sʻhagodiyoweqgowa there who were very old, and a good many very young ones. The Sʻhagodiyoweqgowa gave the tobacco to the oldest one, who said, “You would better give a piece of this to each one present.” So he [[458]]cut it into small pieces for the purpose. Then the oldest one said, “Give thanks,” whereupon they gave thanks to the Tobacco, and all danced, the little ones, too, and asked this man to dance, and he did so. When the man was going away the oldest Sʻhagodiyoweqgowa said, “I want you to remember us, so you must come and see us when you are on your travels.”
[The foregoing incident took place on the Canadian side of the Niagara River, near the mouth.—The Relator.]