. Indian history for young folks . xploits as a hunter and a war-rior. His brother, Elkswatawa ( theloud voice), who, up to the year1806, had been remarkable only for his dissipated habits, assumed at that time to be a prophet. He was acunning, unprincipled man, and was disfigured by the loss of an eye. Assuming to have had a vision, the Prophet everywhere haranguedagainst drunkenness and witchcraft,and warned his people to have noth-ing to do with the pale-faces, theirreligion, their customs, their arms,or their arts, for every imitation ofthe intruders was offensive to thegreat Master of Lif
. Indian history for young folks . xploits as a hunter and a war-rior. His brother, Elkswatawa ( theloud voice), who, up to the year1806, had been remarkable only for his dissipated habits, assumed at that time to be a prophet. He was acunning, unprincipled man, and was disfigured by the loss of an eye. Assuming to have had a vision, the Prophet everywhere haranguedagainst drunkenness and witchcraft,and warned his people to have noth-ing to do with the pale-faces, theirreligion, their customs, their arms,or their arts, for every imitation ofthe intruders was offensive to thegreat Master of Life. The credu-lous, whose number was legion, andwho came long distances to see him,believed that he worked wonders. In declaiming against drunken-ness he met with great succe.—.He told the Indians that since hebecame a prophet he had gone upinto the clouds; that the first placelie came to was the abode of thedevil, and that all who had dieddrunkards were there, with flamesissuing out of their mouths. Many ELKSWATAWA, THE 356 INDIAN HISTORY FOR YOUNG FOLKS. of his followers were alarmed, and ceased to drink the fire-water ofthe white man. The great eclipse of the sun in the summer of 1800 enabled him tc consince many that lie possessed miraculous powers. Having learned whenit was to oceiii1, lie boldly announced that on a certain day lie would provehis miraculous powers by bringing darkness over the sun. At the appoint-ed time the eclipse occurred as predicted. Pointing to the heavens, as hestood in the midst of his followers, he exclaimed, Behold ! darkness hasshrouded the sun. Did 1 not prophesy truly? Of course this strikingphenomenon, thus adroitly used, produced a powerful effect on the Indians. If not himself the author of this imposture, Tecumseh made great useof it to promote his grand scheme of uniting the North-western tribes, andhe went from one to another of them, proclaiming the wonders of hisbrothers divine mission. The white settlers were alarmed. As ea
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade191, booksubjectindiansofnorthamerica
