The symbol seems to indicate the waters flowing off.
8. Mr. Anthony renders this line in Minsi:—
Pilikin ameni-menayen epit,
Grew-clean groups of islands where they are,
That is, that the islands rose dry and clean from the water, as they now are found.
Delsin-epit; the first part of this compound, properly w'dell-sinewo, is the indicative present, 3d p. pi., of lissin, to be thus, or so situated; epit is what Zeisberger (Gram. p. 115) calls the "adverbial" form of achpin, to be there, in a particular place. This adverbial is really the suppositive form of the verb, after the vowel-change has taken place. ([See above, page 107].)
Former renderings of the line are: "It looks bright, and islands stood there" (Rafinesque). "All was made bright, and the islands were brought into being" (Squier).
The symbol is a three cornered point of land, rising above the water under the sky.
9. Manito manitoak, "made the makers'," Raf.; "made the Great Spirits," Squier. Either of these renderings is defensible, as will appear from the senses of manito, above given.
This line can be read in Minsi, Lapi-up Kehtanitowit man'ito mani'towak, Again-he-spake, Great-Spirit, a spirit, spirits. The symbol represents the communion of the spirits. Compare Tanner, Narrative, p. 359, fig. 24.
10. Raf. and Squier absurdly translate angelatawiwak, angels. It is from a familiar Del. verb, angeln, to die. Compare Abnaki 8anangmes8ak, "revenants," Rasles, and w'tanglowagan, his death, Zeis. The form in the text, according to Mr. Anthony, has the sense, "things destined to die," mortal, perishable. He gives the line in Minsi as follows:—