26. The Ghost

26. THE GHOST

People were out hunting. They took their families, made camps, and hunted out from them. Then one man went out hunting and got lost. He traveled about trying to find the camp and at night sat down under a tree. Far off he heard someone shout and he thought "People are in search of me." Presently the noise came close. Then it was something else that howled. It came near and was gone. The voice again sounded far off, approached, got near, and was gone. Far off again the voice sounded, approached, got near, and was gone. Then it was gone for good. The man stuck his hunting

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knife into the ground, held his gun prepared to shoot, remained there until day came and then rose and started off. He hunted for the camp. He traveled about in search of it but could not find it and when night came he again sat down under a tree.

Now a fire glowed redly in the distance and he thought, "People are coming to meet me." It was just a raccoon which came near, its body giving out light, and it stayed scratching up something to eat. Then the man remained seated but did not sleep and when day came started on again. He traveled about hunting for the camp but could not find it and at night he again sat down under a tree. Then a horned owl-crawfish ¹ from the direction of a bright sheet of water in the distance hooted and came toward him. It came on and when it got close to him it disappeared. After he had remained seated for a while it hooted again in the distance, came on, got close to him and was gone. He sat there until day and again traveled about in search of his camp. At night he sat under a tree as usual, stuck his knife into the ground, and held his gun ready. Day found him still sitting there, and again he arose and walked about. He was sleepy and thought, "I will lie down for a while."

While the man was asleep he thought he saw someone sitting upon the top of a tree who said to him, "Your camp is straight in the direction in which your head lies." He was astonished and awoke. Then he arose and went on in the direction in which his head had been lying. He came to the camp. The other people had thought, "He is dead." When he arrived all went there and saw him. Then he covered himself up with a blanket and lay down without saying a word.

Footnotes

146:1 See note to last story.