ABORIGINAL HISTORY

DOCUMENTS - Mythological Stories - The White Panther (Inuit)


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The White Panther – A Legend.

                In a buggy spot on the margin of the River here on, in Michigan, and not many miles from its confluence with Lake Erie, was the sulfurous spring, in the form of a deep pool, at discharged it Sir plus waters by an outlet into the River. (The locality of this spring may not now be found, as it was nearly a century and a half ago, or the pool itself may have long since disappeared, and the bogs now entirely overgrown with marsh-grass and flags.)

                Some of the Wyandotts then inhabiting the banks of the Huron River, Who are inclined to be superstitious, concluded that a mysterious spirit, or some kind of monster lay hidden in this spring, From the strange action of the water. It had been noticed by the passer-by, to rise and fall, as if caused by the breathing of some animal but beneath its surface. Sometimes the water was seen bubbling or scouting up about a foot and a half high - then suddenly the pool would become calm, and as smooth as the surface of a bowl of melted grease. Many of the Indians shunned it, as the abode or haunt of some evil spirit.

                A Wyandott Was known to describe what he and his companion once saw and heard there, whilst passing by one dark and calm summer night, thus: Suddenly a great light flashed over the spring, looking like the phosphorescent lights of a great number of fire-flies close together, and all at once; then followed a rumbling, subterranean sound; feeling the earth trembling under their feet, “weet-se !” they exclaimed, and started homeward with rapid strides, as if the evil spirit was at their heels.

                A party of the superstitious Wyandotts belonging to the Prairie Turtle Clan, met one day, and encamped at the haunted spring, fully determined to know its hidden mystery.

                These devoted seekers after a strange god, like the sons of Belial in ancient days, dedicated their heathen altar to this mysterious spirit, and offered burnt offerings, and signified their sincere devotion, by casting valuable articles into the spring, which consisted of various kinds of ornamented silver works, such as are worn by Indians, and which were obtained from the French at that period. They also cast wampum belts, beads, and other articles into the pool as sacrifices offerings to the strange god.

                A leader, named Ce-zhaw-yen-hau as chosen among them, to call up the spirit or wizard, in whatever shape it might be, and whilst he stood on the bogs by the spring, chanting a song made by one of their party for the occasion, his friends at the altar offered burnt offerings of tobacco, at the same time chanting their devotional song.

                The leader stood as if transfixed, where he posted himself, holding in one hand his bow, and with the other a bunch of arrows; and with firm mind, invoked the spirit beneath him. “Come forth!” he exclaimed, “you wizard that sit in here!” said the Indian – forthwith, the loon disappeared. An otter came up next, when the spirit was called again. “Not you” repeated the Indian; “begone!” “Come forth! You wizard that sit in here!” repeated the Indian. Presently, the water began to rise, I said caused by some huge animal moving upward; a white Panther emerged from the spring, its body partly remaining underwater, and looking eastward. The Indians at the altar, started anew their songs and burnt offerings, when the Panther was pierced in its side, with an arrow from the bowl of their leader. Some of the blood trickled down the arrow from the animals side, into a small pan which the Indian was holding, with a long handle, and the moment it filled, the blood tinged surface of the pool closed over the white Panthers head; Then the lumbering sound was heard, and the turbid waters seen by the Indians, rising in volumes to the surface, indicated the course the white Panther had taken down the River. No sign of it was ever seen afterwards by The Indians at the spring.

                And these members of the Prairie or Land Turtle Clan, now formed themselves into a secret society, and deified the white Panther, some of whose blood (in their possession) Became coagulated and somewhat hardened in a short time. Part was broken up in small bits, and distributed among them, to be kept in their medicine bags, reserving the main or a whole piece, to be broken off in bits, and given to new members, after being admitted and initiated into the mysteries of their association. With this substance a member could obtain anything he may wish for that he could not acquire before; Good luck always attended him on his hunting grounds; Good luck attended his wife when making Maple sugar; Good luck attended him whilst on the warpath, and he was always successful whenever he used the substance, either for good to himself, or for evil purposes to others.

                the principle portion of this Association were of the Prairie Turtle Clan. And they were repeatedly warned by the Catholic priest, then at Detroit, what would be the consequences, if they did not renounce the evil spirit or strange God they worshiped. “Throw away the baneful substance, which came to you from the devil, by one of his emissaries in the shape of a Panther “ he said to them, “for just a certain as you continue to keep it among you, the time is not far distant when you will be all ruined by both body and soul. “ But the admonition of the priest was unheeded by the wayward Wyandottts, who continue to deify the white Panther , and practiced their sorcery with its concreted blood ,until not one of them was left living.

                The very moment a member divulged the secrets of this heathen Association his fate was sealed, and whenever his (two) executioners were started off from their midnight consultation with the decree that he must die, there is no escape for him, unless he had received timely warning , and betook himself to flight, to become a fugitive among some distant nation.

                A few years after the white Panther appeared to the Wyandottt at the spring , the Wyandottte who called it up and received its blood, turned trader to his nation and joined their enemy, the Senecas, then inhabiting the banks of the Niagara, and he, at one time, let award party of that tribe to Wyandottt village in Michigan, while the men were absent. The leader of this war party slew the two young Wyandott woman in a cornfield near the village; Then flew northward with his men, and crossed Detroit River at the next island, just above the French Fort; Then marched through the Woods toward Lake Erie. In the meantime, a party of Wyandott Warriors had started from their homes on the River here on, crossed Detroit River below the Fort, and pursued the enemy. A Chippewa Indian happened to be passing by, who saw their leader slay the two s, and carried the news to the next Wyandott village up the Huron. The trader and his party were overtaken whilst crossing a miry Creek, at some distance from the Lake. They slew the renegade and his followers, but spared the lives of the two Senecas, to carry the news to their people.

                The eyes of one of the two Senecas left living were put out, and the thumbs of the other cut off. This ended the career of the Wyandott renegade who worshipped the white Panther an received its blood.

                During the first decade of the 19th century, the followers of the white Panther God were rapidly decreasing in numbers, and the small remnant of this human Association were finally broken up, and nearly destroyed at once; like the white Salem witches, in Massachusetts, two centuries ago or more, who are hunted up and burnt, without distinction of sex, so every Wyandott accused of being a member of the association of sorcerers , and kept some of the concreted blood of the white Panther for evil purposes, were killed outright, on refusing to throw away the baneful substance an renounced the evil God.

                Such is the fate of the remaining followers (that were then found ) of the evil spirit in the white Panther.

                This traditional story of the white Panther may seem incredible to the reader, nevertheless some of the Wyandotts believe it to this day, and it was believed by many of their nation who have long since been gathered to their fathers.

 


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