[meteorite-list] The Delaware version of the story

From: E.P. Grondine <epgrondine_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 4 Sep 2007 22:10:20 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <557042.85210.qm_at_web36909.mail.mud.yahoo.com>

Hi all -

More possible holocene impact traditions: Jefferson's
telling of the Delaware (lenpewak) tradition from
"Notes on the State of Virginia":

"Our quadrupeds have been mostly described by Linnaeus
and Mons. de Buffon. Of these the Mammoth, or big
buffalo, as called by the Indians, must certainly have
been the largest. Their tradition is, that he was
carnivorous, and still exists in the northern parts of
America.

"A delegation of warriors from the Delaware tribe
having visited the governor of Virginia, during the
present revolution, on matters of business, after
these had been discussed and settled in council, the
governor asked them some questions relative to their
country, and, among others, what they knew or had
heard of the animal whose bones were found at the
Saltlicks, on the Ohio. Their chief speaker
immediately put himself into an attitude of oratory,
and with a pomp suited to what he conceived the
elevation of his subject, informed him that it was a
tradition handed down from their fathers,

`That in antient times a herd of these tremendous
animals came to the Big-bone licks, and began an
universal destruction of the bear, deer, elks,
buffaloes, and other animals, which had been created
for the use of the Indians: that the Great Man above,
looking down and seeing this, was so enraged that he
seized his lightning, descended on the earth, seated
himself on a neighbouring mountain, on a rock, of
which his seat and the print of his feet are still to
be seen, and hurled his bolts among them till the
whole were slaughtered, except the big bull, who
presenting his forehead to the shafts, shook them off
as they fell; but missing one at length, it wounded
him in the side; whereon, springing round, he bounded
over the Ohio, over the Wabash, the Illinois, and
finally over the great lakes, where he is living at
this day.'

To this account Jefferson added further information
supporting speculation that the mammoth was still
alive.

As I have noted previously, the Lenape were on the
west coast of today's Canada at the start of the
holocene. That being the case, this tale may perhaps
be understood as an explanation for fossils, or
perhaps it may represent real memories of real events
later learned by the Lenape from the Shawnee or
others.

E.P. Grondine
Man and Impact in the Americas


       
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Received on Wed 05 Sep 2007 01:10:20 AM PDT