USA > New York > Genesee County > History of the Genesee country (western New York) comprising the counties of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, Orleans, Schuyler, Steuben, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates, Volume II > Part 46
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When the first settlers arrived at Canandaigua, they found numerous skull shaped stones at the foot of Bare-hill, which are easily accounted for, when one knows the Legend of the Snake. Although the body of the serpent became food for the fishes, like John Brown's, his soul continues to march on, and many of the unexpected disturbances in the waters of Canandaigua Lake are. no doubt due to its post-mortem activity.
After the destruction of the serpent, Canandaigua became what its name really means, place of settlement or good place to live.
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It is claimed that the Indian youth, who slew the great snake, grew to be a distinguished warrior and leader of his nation. His memory should surely be cherished by all hero worshipers, even as one remembers David in preference to Goliath.
I have been asked to write regarding the Indian Myths and Legends of the Genesee Country. The term Genesee Country in this sense might well be applied to a much larger territory than that drained by the Genesee River proper. There is a similarity of the contour of western New York and a strong resemblance in the chain of lakes, which extend like the fingers of the hand across this part of New York State. Thus defined, the Genesee Country was the home of the Iroquois Indian. And during the countless generations of his occupancy in this beautiful and fertile region, his historians have evolved some of the most remarkable traditional legends that have ever been created by the brain of primitive man.
The Seneca tribe, which occupied most of this tract, was one of an Iroquois confederacy, called by the French, the Iroquois; by the Dutch, the Maguas or Mingoes; by the British, the Five Nations, and by themselves the Ho-de-na-sau-nee, or People of the Long House.
But as this field has already been fully covered in this volume by the able pen of Professor Parker, a further repetition here is unnecessary. That the Senecas had inhabited this particular section for many centuries seems to the writer most probable.
The Seneca possessed a strong and active mind and a fertile and rugged imagination. Possessed of a fluent and expressive language, the Senecas combined an indomitable fierceness with the finest poetical sense. His myths and legends compare more than favorably with those of the early Greeks and Goths, and even the Great God Thor, Thunder God of the Scandinavians, is no more an heroic character than many of those that are depicted in the mythology of the Seneca Indians.
To the Iroquois all nature teemed with spirits. There was the spirit of the rock; the spirit of the tree and the tiniest vine that trailed over the moss covered boulder had its own individual spirit. To each of the great activities of the elements he assigned a different genii; thus the winds were controlled by Gaoh; the Thunders by Heno and the growth and development of his food
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crops depended upon the favor of the Gods, who controlled their destinies.
In his mythology he gave to the characters of his controlling spirits the same mental and physical attributes, which he admired or detested in man. The sky was peopled with invisible hosts of giant spirits, many of whom sought his destruction, but their potency was retarded by the authority of other great and friendly spirits, who sought his protection.
In all his legends are found lessons in kindness; lessons in fraternalism; teachings strangely in contradiction to the indom- itable spirit of fierceness and the inexorable ambition, which characterized him in his more strenuous moods. .
THE SENECA LEGEND OF CREATION.
Back in the days when there was no solid earth; when the waters covered all the land and only water plants flourished, one day the beaver, the muskrat, the duck and turtle were playing together. Suddenly their attention was attracted towards the sky and out of the clouds emerged a troop of radiant beings, clad in shining garments. After floating gaily over the vast waste of water, the beautiful spirits finally disappeared into the clouds. The four, who had been staring at the wondrous spec- tacle began lamenting the ill-luck that deprived them of a repe- tition of the scene, when to their great joy a beautiful woman emerged from the clouds and floated gracefully over their heads. It was apparent that she was seeking a place of refuge, but as there was no dry earth whereon she could rest, the beaver endeavored to bring some from the depth, but the dirt was all washed from his broad tail, so the duck dived into the water, but soon emerged crest-fallen and unsuccessful. It was the muskrat, who at length succeeded in bringing forth a small fragment of solid earth. "Where shall we put it?" he inquired. "Place it on my back," said the turtle. Once upon the broad shell of the turtle the small bit of earth grew miraculously and the turtle grew as rapidly as did the earth, so that now it is the turtle who holds the earth upon his back. Occasionally he tires of remaining in one position and moves his feet, which is the simple explana- tion of what causes an earthquake.
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The beautiful woman, now having room whereon to rest, made herself at home on the earth and in time gave birth to twins, whose names were Hah-gweh-di-yu, spirit of good, and Hah-gweh-da- et-gah, spirit of evil. The mother at length died and Hah-gweh- di-yu, the good, took the silver of her face and made the sun with the spangles from her garments he sprinkled the sky.
Both sons soon grew to be giants; the one the essence of all good and the other of evil. Hah-gweh-di-yu, the good, arranged the earth from the original ill-shapen mass into beautiful valleys, broad and level plains and symmetrical hills. He so planned the courses of the rivers, that there were no dangerous rapids. He scattered the seed of the forest trees and encouraged them to grow in abundance; he planted the berry vines and caused fruit and nuts to appear upon the limbs of the trees. But one day he was seized with the wanderlust. A voice from the air seemed to call him persistently. Hah-gweh-di-yu obeyed and plunging into the great lake swam for days, when at last he came to the shore of a strange land, where dwelt the spirit, who had been calling him. The spirit took him by the hand and led him to his own lodge, gave him food and bed, and here Hah-gweh-di-yu remained for some time. But when he had fully recovered from the fatigue of his long journey, the spirit led him back to the shore of the great lake and said to him, "How strong are you?" Hah-gweh- di-yu seized a mountain and hurled it out of sight into space, whereupon the spirit handed him two large packs, which Hah- gweh-di-yu strapped upon his back and plunging into the lake swam back to earth. Landing upon the shore, he opened one of the packs and out leaped a deer, followed by each of the other animals, which now inhabit the woods. He opened the other pack and from it flew the eagle, followed by all of the other birds. It is thus that the forests were filled with animals and birds.
But a great disappointment was in store for Hah-gweh-di-yu, for during his long absence his evil-minded brother had jumbled the mountains, hills and valleys into ugly and shapeless masses. In place of the beautiful scenes he had left all was now in ruins. The beautiful hill ranges were tangled in inextricable confusion. The rivers no longer flowed gently towards the sea, but roared their way over dangerous rapids or plunged from dizzy heights in wild cataracts. Nor was this all that the evil-minded Hah-
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gweh-da-et-gah had accomplished. Keen pointed thorns were growing on the trees and bushes, poisonous juices were flowing in what had before been harmless plants. Venomous serpents and stinging insects abounded and noxious weeds grew thriftily. Filled with indignation Hah-gweh-di-yu sought out his satanic brother and engaged him in battle. The two fought for many days, and some of the evidences of their titanic struggle may still be seen in places, where enormous footprints crowd back the hills, but at last the good brother triumphed and incarcerated his evil relative in a cavern, far down in the ground, from which place he can escape only when transformed. At times he appears upon the earth in the guise of a snake, but at other times he is likely to appear in the resemblance of almost anyone. So it is well to be always upon your guard, lest you may inadvertently be address- ing yourself to the spirit of evil, when you think that you are talking to a friend.
As for Hah-gweh-di-yu, spirit of good, he no longer resides permanently upon the earth, but has taken himself to the land of his fathers in the far reaches of the great sky, from whence he directs his hosts of good spirits in bringing to pass all of the good things which happen on earth.
GAOH, GOD OF THE WINDS.
A long time ago there was a turbulent and boisterous spirit by the name of Gaoh, who so misbehaved himself by playing pranks and practical jokes upon his associates, that they united in a determination to subdue him. He was caused to fall into a deep sleep and while in this stupor, was carried into a cave, where day after day he was fed fattening food, so that when he at last awoke he had attained such tremendous proportions, that he was unable to escape through any of the four doors of the cave. Greatly overwhelmed by the predicament, in which he thus found himself, he inquired as to the meaning of it all, and was told by the other spirits that inasmuch as he had so persistently annoyed them all, they had determined to isolate him in the cave, but in order to keep his mind fully occupied, while he was so imprisoned, they proceeded to offer him the responsible posi- tion of God of the Winds.
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Gaoh, after thinking the matter over, concluded to accept the task, his companions agreeing that he could have any assist- ance that he might choose to help him in the performance of his duties, so Gaoh divided the earth into four parts. To the Bear he gave control of the North Wind. The Bear was big and blus- tering and with his furry coat was immune from the biting cold of the north, so the spirit chained the Bear to the north door of Gaoh's cave. The Fawn was selected to have control of the South Wind, which was perhaps a fortunate selection, for the shivering, short-haired Fawn was fond of the warm air and fresh leaves, which were encouraged by the prevalence of the south wind. For the East Wind, Gaoh selected the Moose, and when the East Wind blows off the Atlantic, and the great banks of fog roll inland, it is evident that the breath of the Moose is in the sky. To the difficult task of subduing the riotous spirit of the West Wind Gaoh assigned the Panther. It is difficult to think of a better selection in all the animal kingdom than the four ani- mals chosen to typify the four winds.
When Gaoh has the four beasts securely chained at their respective doors, the winds are calm, and Gaoh is likely to be asleep. It is then that one may venture out unafraid of fall- ing branches or one may travel safely over the lakes, but one should really never forget to be watchful for no one knows at what instant Gaoh may awaken and release one of his helpers. Should he release the Bear, the north wind will immediately blow, if he releases the Fawn, the south wind will come leaping from the land of the flowers; if he releases the Moose the east wind, damp and piercing, will roll its mists into the sky; but it is the Panther, who is most of all to be dreaded.
Far into the western sky, beyond the great waters, he herds the restless spirits of the west wind; along the great barrier of the Rocky Mountains, he pursues them relentlessly, until at the great gap of Medicine Bow, they break over the western wall and surge eastward over the plains, where they fly unimpeded pur- sued by the furious Panther. The prairie grass of the Dakotas bends with their passage; the herds of Buffalo face them in passive resistance, until where the Ohio unites with the Father of Waters, the swirling currents eddy up the Ohio Valley, across the Great Lakes, beating the waters to foam, and continuing
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down the St. Lawrence, whip the tumultuous Atlantic into con- fusion. At times Gaoh becomes restless and angry at his impris- onment and encourages the Panther to deeds of violence. At such times the twisting tornado and resistless cyclone sweep all before them. It is even supposed that the trunk of the whirling wind may be the tail of the Panther, as he spins furiously in the air. But taken all in all Gaoh performs his onerous duties with great credit to himself, and his occasional fits of temper should not be held too strongly against him, for even the God of the Winds should be permitted to show a trace of temper when compelled to remain in a cave continually, while his more for- tunate associates roam at liberty. Among Gaoh's fellow spirits might be mentioned Heno, God of the Thunders.
HENO, GOD OF THE THUNDERS.
Back in a most remote past, Heno dwelt under the falls at Niagara, from whence he emerged at times to ride the storms and shoot his Thunder Arrows into the earth, but there must be an end to everything, and today Heno's cave is in ruins, and this is the tale.
One day an Indian maiden from the village above the Falls, attempted suicide by floating over the cataract in a canoe. Heno discovered her peril in time to catch her dexterously in his blan- ket. He carried her into his own cave where the maiden confided to him that her rash act was brought about by her being com- pelled by the women of her tribe to marry an old man. Rather than do this and forsake her young lover, she had determined to perish. Living in safety in Heno's cave she soon forgot her for- mer ties and became enamored with one of Heno's young Thun- der Shooters, to whom she was happily married. Instead of "liv- ing happily ever after," the young bride became homesick and began telling reminiscences of her village life, among which tales she recounted that a severe pestilence regularly swept the village, great numbers of the inhabitants perishing. Heno assured the young woman that the pestilence was brought about by a mons- trous snake, which dwelt in a cave underneath the village. According to Heno the serpent subsisted upon the dead bodies of the buried Indians, and whenever his food supply ran short, the
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monster poisoned the waters and a pestilence ensued. Heno advised that the maiden return to the village, inform the inhab- itants of their deadly subterranean neighbor and recommend their immediate removal to what is now Buffalo Creek.
The maiden obeyed and the villagers moved post-haste to the new site. When the serpent at length poisoned the waters again, he was disappointed to find no new graves and crawling from his hiding place started in search of the new village site. He was nearing the village, when he was espied by Heno, who hastily summoned a thunder cloud, which he and his young men rode and launched their Thunder Arrows into the writhing serpent. In his attempt to return to the river, the body of the great snake shoved the banks of Buffalo Creek far apart and they remain so to this day. The flashing of the lightning, the crashing of Heno's Thunder missiles and the screaming of the smitten serpent did not subside until the snake, in the convulsion of its last agony, fell across the great river, crushing Heno's cave. The monster's great body formed a dam imprisoning the waters and Horse- shoe Falls, even today, distinctly shows the curve of the serpent's tail. His cave, being in ruins, Heno was obliged to move westward to a cavern in the sky, from whence he now rides the storms and shoots his Thunder Arrows, more often in admonition than with a desire to kill.
Actuated by some reason of his own, he frequently selects certain trees for his own use. These he kills at a single shot, and no good Indian will ever molest a tree that Heno has thus marked, for why should anybody meddle with the affairs of Heno, when there are plenty of other trees in the woods, and then it is better not to disturb the equanimity of a Thunder God, for a little fuel.
The child of the maiden grew to be a young warrior and one day in a battle slew an enemy with a Thunder Bolt, whereupon Heno took him into the sky and it is said that the young man became one of Heno's very best Thunder Shooters, which state- ment no one can successfully refute.
THE RAINBOW.
One day a beautiful, striped snake, who had dwelt long on the floor of the ocean, decided to crawl inland, and devour some human
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beings. Heno, who was just returning home from riding a storm, saw the beautiful serpent and carried it home with him to his lodge in the sky. He made of it a household pet.
When Heno and his young men are all away from home riding the storms, the serpent often attempts to escape back to the ocean, but the ever watchful sun sees him and catching him in his strong rays, bends him like a bow across the sky; thus holding him secure until Heno catches sight of him. If you watch the next rainbow that you see, you can tell almost the instant when Heno seizes the snake and thrusts him again into his pouch.
THE WOOD-SPIRITS.
The wood-spirits are clever, gentle little beings, who love to do kind services for the Indians. There are very many of them in the woods, but they are clever at hiding, and scarcely anyone has ever seen a real live wood-spirit. That they are about the size of a squirrel, dress like human beings and that they run and fly very swiftly, seem to be their principal characteristics.
When an enemy approaches, the wood-spirits twist the tail of the chipmunk, causing him to give an alarming chirp. They have also been known to pull the feathers of the crow, so that he will caw out a warning.
The wood-spirits bring most of the dreams, being so diminu- tive in size they can easily creep into the lodge and whisper in the ear of the sleeper without awakening anyone. The wood- spirits take a kindly interest in the thriftiness of the fall crops, and encourage the growth of corn, beans and fruit by frightening away the insect enemies. Taken altogether, the wood-spirits are very desirable neighbors. Their appearance should never frighten anyone. When a camp is pitched in the open woods and the changeful lights of the flickering camp-fire causes the trunks of the trees to appear and then fade away, the Iroquois was often convinced that he could catch faint glimpses of the wood-spirits as they leaped from tree to tree.
THE ORIGIN OF STORIES.
The following Seneca myth, the substance of which is found in "Seneca Indian Myths" by Curtin as recounted to him by
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Henry Jacob is typical of the Indian mind. A little orphan In- dian boy lived in a Seneca village. His foster mother had named him Poyeshao (Orphan). When he was old enough she gave him a bow and arrows and sent him into the woods to hunt, saying "Kill all the birds that you can find." Carrying a pouch filled with parched corn, he started off and was very successful. At noon he ate the parched corn and towards evening arrived home with a good string of birds. The next morning Poyeshao's foster mother gave him more parched corn and sent him again into the woods, telling him that if he grew to be a good hunter, he would always be prosperous. Again he found plenty of birds and when at noon he ate his corn, he thought over what his mother had told him and said to himself, "I will follow her advice and soon I will be able to hunt big game." Towards evening he arrived home with more birds than he had on the previous day. Each day there- after he went into the woods to hunt, always with good success until on the ninth day, he brought home so many that his foster mother tied them in little bundles and gave them to her neighbors. The tenth day he traveled farther into the woods than he had ever been before and about noon he clambered upon a large stone and sat down to fix a feather on his arrow. He unwound the sinew and put it in his mouth to soften, when a voice right near him asked: "Shall I tell you stories?" The boy looked up and saw no one and again the voice asked, "Shall I tell you stories?" and he found that it was the stone which was speaking. The voice continued, "If you will give me your birds, I will tell you stories." "I will give you the birds" said the boy, and the stone told him stories all day. On the way home he killed five or six birds and. explained to his foster mother that the birds were getting scarce. The next day he returned again to the stone and gave the stone all the birds, which he had shot on the way. After listening to the stone tell stories all day, he returned home with fewer birds than he had the day before. His foster mother became suspicious of him and hired a boy to follow him, to find out what he was do- ing. Poyeshao killed a good many birds, and about noon arrived at the stone. The boy, who was following him crept nearer and heard talking. Not seeing anyone, he came out from hiding and asked Poyeshao where the voice came from. "Put your birds on this stone and say 'I have come to hear stories.'" The boy did as
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told and the two boys sat down and listened to the stone, until the sun went down. They returned home with only two or three birds, the other boy explaining that the birds were very scarce. For several days they continued to return to the stone and listen to it tell stories, but at last some of the men became suspicious of what the boys were doing and followed them to the stone. Hear- ing the voice come from the rock, the men came out of hiding and asked the boys to explain where the voice came from. Then Poyeshao told them all about it, and the men sat down to listen, but the stone only said, "Tomorrow bring all your people here. Clear away the brush, so that they can sit on the ground near me and let each one bring something to eat."
The next morning every one in the village came to the opening, where the stone was, and each one put food on the stone. When all had sat down on the ground, the stone said, "I will tell you stories of what happened long ago. There was a world before this. What I am going to tell you happened in that world. Some of you will remember all that I say, some only a part, and some will forget everything, but let each one do the best that he can, so that hereafter he may tell these stories to some one else." The stone told stories until the sun went down, and then became silent.
The next morning, when the people gathered around the stone, they found that the food they had put on it the day before had disappeared. Other food being supplied, the stone began to talk again.
On the third day late in the afternoon, the stone said, "I have finished ; you must keep these stories for your children and grand- children. I have told you all that happened in the world that was before this. When you visit one another you must repeat these stories, so that they shall live forever."
It was from the stone that the knowledge of the world that was before this came to the Senecas.
THE STONE SLINGER.
As the day faded into twilight and the night came on, the Seneca Indian sought his rest, as did likewise the many friendly spirits, who guarded his welfare during the day. It was then that his subconsciousness warned him of impending danger. The
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wood-spirits could not continue to be alert at all times of day and night for even a fairy is entitled to some repose, so the Seneca knew that the hostile spirits from the wide universe of stars might descend upon him, while his guardians slept. But he had evidence that one of his most powerful defenders was at his post. It was the Stone Slinger, a great invisible protector, who dwelt among the stars. From his shoulder there hung a pouch, filled with huge boulders. The Stone Slinger standing perfectly still awaits the approach of an evil spirit. When one approaches the earth, the Stone Slinger suddenly pelts him with one of the enormous rocks. So swiftly does the boulder fly from the hand of the furi- ous Stone Slinger, that its very speed causes it to ignite and cast off showers of sparks. The meteor suddenly ends and it is evident that it has buried itself in the body of the evil spirit, but occasion- ally the Stone Slinger misses his mark and the projectile falls to earth. Many of these rock meteors have been found, which proves conclusively that this tale is true.
THE LEGEND OF THE ROCK.
Since the first days of creation the rock had stood, solemn and impassive. Over his feet the river ran towards the sea, around his head the winds and lightning's might rave and thunder, but after the storm had spent its fury the sun could still see him standing unharmed and unchanged. Within the crevices on his breast the birds built their nests and the Spirit of the Great Rock heard them telling of the joys and adventures of their southern flight. Around his feet the river fish played and often he listened to their accounts of their journeys to the great sea. Upon his back the fox dug his hole and against his body he felt the warmth of the little foxes within the nest. Gustahote, the spirit of the rock, heard the fox in the burrow recounting the tales of wonder- ful adventure that had befallen him in the woods. So at length the Spirit of the Great Rock became uneasy and resolved to leave the firmness of his dwelling place and journey to the great sea. Issuing from his rock he plunged into the river whose current swept him helplessly far out into the great lake. Becoming ex- hausted he was about to perish, when a kindly spirit rescued him and returned him to the safety of his rock, where he was content
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