Elkswatawa

by James Strange French

“This was given me,” said he, “that you might touch it, and thereby receive the Holy Spirit:—take it and draw it through your hands, and you are Prophets, and the bond of union is irrevocable between you and the Great Spirit.” Then passing it to them, each one did as he desired.

While they were doing this, the sides of the vast cavern looked like burnished silver, so thickly were the walls studded with crystals, and so incessant was the lightning's flash. Every object was now visible;—the dull heavy sound was still heard reverberating in the windings of the cavern;—the animal still howled and rolled itself, as if in an agony of suffering; and the crystals fell like falling snow,—when the Prophet said, “Quick, quick, the flesh of the Great Spirit must not longer be exposed, or some misfortune will befall us,” and clutching it from the disciple who had last drawn it through his hands, he placed it, with the broach, beneath the skins. The animal ceased howling, and returned to its cover,—the lightning, with its accompanying dull noise, died away,—the crystals ceased falling, and all was silence.

The converts were now ordered to kneel, and the Prophet having again commanded them to wander far and wide, and preach the word;—and having in a brief manner recapitulated his doctrines, and given them his parting benediction, they, with the crowd, were dismissed.

He then descended from his throne; began to mingle familiarly with all,—to narrate his dreams,—to sketch visions of future happiness,—and dwell upon the necessity of obeying his injunctions.

The newly made Prophets pursued the same plan, and for some time there was a general interchange of opinions, when the crowd, well satisfied with the exposition they had seen, left the cave and returned to their wigwams.

CHAPTER XII.

“Flaming piles, where'er he turned,
Cast a grim and dreadful light;
Like funereal lamps they burned
In the sepulchre of night.”
MONTGOMERY.

Some time had now elapsed since the exposition at the Haunted Cavern, and the disciples of Elkswatawa were still zealously engaged in disseminating his doctrines far and wide. Many converts were made, although a warm opposition had been organized, by some of the chiefs of the neighbouring tribes, who did not hesitate to denounce him as an impostor,—to declare that his prophecies would prove false,—and who exerted all their influence to destroy the ascendency which he was fast attaining.

That Elkswatawa, who pretended to hold intercourse with the Great Spirit, and only do his bidding, should in so short a time acquire a more than ordinary ascendency over uncultivated minds, is not much to be wondered at, when we reflect upon the peculiar situation of the persons upon whom he operated. When we reflect that superstition was with them a part of their education, and that they were suffering under wrongs both real and imaginary, which created much excitement, and rendered them eager for any change, however wild, which promised to better their condition. When, also, we advert to the fact that his doctrines at first were propagated with much gentleness, and required the performance of duties which all were satisfied would conduce to their general good, and which, several years after their first propagation, had wrought so remarkable a change, as to create wonder and astonishment both among the red men and white. By Elkswatawa alone were the habits and manners of the Indians entirely changed, and good order and sobriety made to prevail where but a few years before, disorder, riots, and drunkenness were an every day occurrence. This fact alone, that he, chiefly by his own exertions, had established a new organization of society, and that upon principles of morality in direct opposition to long established customs, is a proof of the vast power he was enabled to wield. And the conception of the plan by the brothers which was to give them so great a mastery over all the wandering tribes;—their commencing with the propagation of doctrines to which no one could object, and the deep policy which enabled them to conceal their designs for so long a time, evince much wisdom and profound sagacity.

Having gained an ascendency by mild measures, it was now necessary that he should move a step farther, in order to develope more fully his plans, and increase the influence he had already obtained. A radical change as we have already observed, had been introduced among the Indians, tending to better their condition; and so gentle had been the means, and so unobjectionable the doctrines taught, that the suspicions of the whites had not as yet been aroused. It is true, that the traders, who were in the habit of selling spirit to the Indians, and thereby amassing large sums of money, had often made complaints, and stated that the intentions of the Prophet were hostile; but his doctrines conflicted directly with their interests, and consequently, their communications were disregarded. Moreover, up to this time, no single act had been committed, calculated to create the least suspicion; so far from it, the Prophet, on account of the favourable changes he had introduced, had won the regard of most of the whites along the frontier, and was looked upon by them in the most favourable light. It would have been well for him and better still for the red men, had he stopped here. But this would not have been in accordance with the plan which he had formed with his brother, and which they had prosecuted with so much untiring zeal and perseverance. So that Elkswatawa now, in order to ascertain the amount of his influence, began in the name of the Great Spirit to require sacrifices on the part of his followers.