he bearer of what never
before left the valley of the Bright Old Inhabitants--an eye, and a
tooth, and a rattle--wisdom gathered from my words, and instruction
from my lips. They shall not avail him for whom they are intended,
since their possession would convey to him a power which the Great
Spirit would not--could not, without danger to himself--permit a
mortal to exercise. I hand you a tooth: already does the great
_powwow_ of the Cherokees feel, with the increase of the strength of
his mind, the decrease of the strength of his body: here is the
rattle, his strength is ebbing away; the eye, I behold him helpless on
the bed of death. His face is bright with the wisdom and knowledge
imparted by the gifts he hath obtained from us, but, alas! his tongue
is nerveless, he may not communicate the knowledge he hath gained.
Hasten back in peace, Muscogulgee, deliver to him the gifts which seal
his fate and thine--his, to die ere the moon be two days older--thine,
to gain the maiden thou so ardently longest for, and with her to
descend the stream of time, loving and beloved--the happiest of the
happy. But, remember, let none of thy race or name presume again to
visit this valley, lest the most dreadful fate be theirs."

So spoke the eldest of the Wise Old Kings, and his words were
repeated by all his brothers. They permitted the Muscogulgee to depart
in peace, and he returned to the village of the Cherokee priest. He
delivered the gifts as he had been directed, and witnessed the end he
had been taught to expect. He saw the countenance of the _powwow_
lighted up with intelligence more than mortal, but, at the delivery of
each gift, he beheld a third part of the vigour of animal life fade
away, as the eye, the bright, the unfading, but fatal eye, was placed
in his trembling hand, he saw the spark of life quivering like a lamp
in the socket. The priest had just time to beckon to him his lovely
daughter, when, placing her hand in that of the Muscogulgee youth, he
expired.

Brother, I am a Muscogulgee, and my mother was the beautiful daughter
of the Cherokee priest, and my father the brave youth who adventured
into the valley of the Bright Old Inhabitants. I have done.

NOTE.

(1) _Valley of the Bright Old Inhabitants._--p. 225.

Several of the Indian nations believe themselves descended from
rattlesnakes, and all, more or less, profess relationship with that
reptile. A Seneca chief told me that his maternal ancestor was a