When employed by the
author at Tahlequah in 1891 his mind was still clear and his memory
keen. Being of practical bent, he was concerned chiefly with tribal
history, geography, linguistics, and every-day life and custom, on all
of which subjects his knowledge was exact and detailed, but there were
few myths for which he was not able to furnish confirmatory testi-
mony. Despite his education he was a firm believer in the Niinne'hi,
and several of the best legends connected with them were obtained
from him. His death takes from the Cherokee one of the last connect-
ing links between the present and the past.
1 See contemporary notice in the Historical Sketch.
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOG
NINETEENTH ANNUAL REPORT PL. XII
JOHN AX ilTAGU'NUHh
IV— THE MYTHS
( Josmogonic Myths
i. HOW THE WORLD WAS MADE
The earth is a great island floatingin a sea of water, and suspended
at each of the four cardinal points by a cord hanging down from
the sky vault, which is of solid rock. When the world grows old and
worn out. the people will die and the cords will break and let the earth
sink down into the ocean, and all will he water again. The Indians
are afraid of this.
When all was water, the animals were above in Galun'latI, beyond
the arch; but it was very much crowded, and they were wanting more
room. They wondered what was below the water, and at last Dayu-
ni'si, "Beaver's Grandchild," the little Water-beetle, offered to go and
see if it could learn. It darted in every direction over the surface of
the water, hut could find no firm place to rest. Then it dived