00       LITERATURE   OF   LOUISIANA   TERRITORY.
tucket. He was so pleased with the island that he deter-
mined to live there, and built a prophet's high pointed
lodge. He then took out of his smoking-pouch, some to-
bacco, and lit his pipe. The fumes rolled up toward the
clouds, and this is the reason why there are so many fogs
and mists along that part of the coast to this day. He was
the first man that settled on this island ; others followed him
soon, and he became a very celebrated chief and prophet,
whose fame extended far and wide. He found by his incan-
tations, that there were many Monetoes there, so that he
could do wonders in the sight of the people. The red-
headed wood-pecker and the turtle were two of his chief
messengers. There was no man so famous among all the
tribes as Hobbomok. He was a magician, and not only
knew all the arts of his people, but also the secret arts of a
Meda. He had a small, brown dog, with white paws, which
he appeared to be in communication with. Some thought
that this little dog was a spirit in disguise. Almost every-
thing in his lodge was covered with hieroglyphics ; he had
a little kind of music-board, marked in bright colors with
these devices, which he could both read over and sing. He
had a curious pipbigwun, with small boles in it like a flute,
which he played when he sang, for he was a naigamood, or
poet. There were two serpents that lived in the back part
of his lodge, with whom he appeared to be on familiar terms.
These serpents went away in the fall, before the weather
became cold, and came back again in the spring. He also had
a living rattlesnake in one of his large drums, which he used
on solemn occasions.
Hobbomok had a power over all animals and birds aud
other forms of creation. He possessed a peculiar way of
drawing fish to the shore. Ordinarily, he hunted small
quadrupeds, partridges and other birds ; and when he had a
mind for fish, he took his drum and rattles and went down
to the water and commenced an incantation. At this the fish
came out of the deep water, and became so enamored with
his songs, that he seized them and pitched them ashore.
Everything that happened was revealed to him in dreams.
One night he dreamed that angels from heaven visited him.
They had beautiful faces and were clothed in colored robes,
with long, bright hair. He had often seen the GREAT
SPIRIT riding on the clouds, but he did not know how to
interpret this dream.