"It was at the gloomy season, when it rains night and day; the river was
high, the earth damp, and our young braves shivering, even under their
blankets. It was evening, when, far to the south, above one of the
windings of the stream, I saw a thick black smoke rising as a tall pine
among the clouds, and I watched it closely. It came towards us; and as
the sky darkened and night came on, sparks of fire showed the progress
of the strange sight. Soon noises were heard, like those of the
mountains when the evil spirits are shaking them; the sounds were awful,
solemn, and regular, like the throbs of a warrior's heart; and now and
then a sharp, shrill scream would rend the air and awake other terrible
voices in the forest.
"It came, and deer, bears, panthers were passing among us, madly flying
before the dreaded unknown. It came, it flew, nearer and nearer, till we
saw it plainly with its two big mouths, spitting fire like the burning
mountains of the West. It rained very hard, and yet we saw all. It was
like a long fish, shaped like a canoe, and its sides had many eyes, full
of bright light as the stars above.
"I saw no one with the monster; he was alone, breaking the waters and
splashing them with his arms, his legs, or his fins. On the top, and it
was very high, there was a square lodge.
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