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Indian Antiquities. 1
There always existed three Beings above, who are always one in mind, and united in all their works. The names of these are 1. Uha lo te go 2 A to nu ti 3. Usgo hu la. These created all things, are present with all their works, & know all things. These always direct when and how every one is to die, and to these all prayers ought to be directed.
Nutsawi Yi` hawa, was the most sacred name of God, corn tastle Yet most of the Cherokees suppose the above Beings created the earth, and the sun and moon; and then constituted them lords of all things below, and retired to their place above. That the sun then proceeded and completed the work of creation, making man, animals, trees, plants &c. Therefore they call the sun the creator and address their prayers to that planet, to the moon the stars, fourfooted beasts & unclear things. These are properly called idolators. Nustsawi. The world was created at the commencement of the autumnal newmoon, with the fruits all ripe. Therefore that moon begins the year, and is called the Great moon. From this Newmoon, time is reckoned, as far as respects all the feasts of Newmoons. But about the commencement of the first Newmoon in the spring, the trees bloom, and the fruits of the earth begin to come forward, therefore that newmoon begins the year with respect to the feast of green fruits, and other feasts connected with it. Yu wi yoka Tarapin head. Man was made of red earth, and was red. + The woman was made of one of man's ribs + Nutrawi (saddler) Those three Beings above employed seven days in the work of creation. Nettle, Nutsawi, O .
At first serpents were not poison. No roots were poison, (Nutsawi) and man would have lived forever, but the sun passing over, perceived that the earth was not large enough to to support all, in immortality, that would be born. Poison was inserted in the tooth of the snake, in the root of the wild Parsnip &c. And one of the first family was soon bitten by a snake, and died. All possible means were used to bring them life but in vain. Being overcome in this first instance, the whole race was doomed, not only to the death of the body, but to eternal misery. To le ta, + God perceived the man to be lonesome, before the woman was made, & therefore he made the woman of one of his ribs. Nutsawi (saddler)