ow
to cure the ailments of the body, as well as to give answers to the
questions which related to the ways and doings of the Being above all.
He could tell at what time in the morning men should go to the Hill of
Prayer, with clay on their heads, to cry for mercy and aid, and when
they should repair to the Cave of Sacrifice, to gather the will of the
Great Spirit from the hollow voice[A] within it. He alone, of all the
mighty nation of the Cherokees, had seen that Spirit; he alone had
heard him speak, and to none other would that Spirit deign to listen,
or to give reply. Chepiasquit, for that was the name of this famous
priest, was indeed a very wise man, and his sayings were reckoned of
scarcely less authority then the words of his master. Whatever he said
had a weight which other men's words had not; and all his actions,
however trifling in their nature, were magnified into actions of
importance, and became invested with a character, which did not
belong to those of men in other respects more gifted than he. Yet the
unbounded respect in which his nation held him was not undeserved.
Wisdom he possessed, and he used it to the furthering of the
interests, and the advancing of the happiness, of his people. If they
wanted rain, they asked Chepiasquit for it, and he gave it to them. If
too much fell, they had only to complain to him, and the clouds
witheld their floods, and the waters were locked up in the hollow of
the hand of him that created them. If the thunders were heard to roll
awfully, and the fearful lightnings were seen to flash along the black
sky, they spoke to Chepiasquit, who uttered a short prayer to Him who
controuls the elements as well as man, and all became hushed and
still; the black clouds passed away, and the bright stars looked out
from their places of rest in the clear blue sky. All things seemed
obedient to him, when he chose to open his lips in supplication to his
master. The fame which he had acquired by this intimacy and friendship
with the Great Spirit was the means of giving peace to his nation. His
reputation being spread far and near, no tribe durst try their
strength in war, or measure their weapons in combat, with a people who
were possessed of such a friend, protector, leader, and priest. So the
Cherokees rested in peace, and the earth was no more made red with
blood, but wore the robe which nature provided for it--the robe of
green. They planted their corn in the Budding-Moon, and lived to