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The Phantom of Phantom Lake
A long time ago, about 100 years ago,
this country was inhabited by Native Americans. There was a
tribe of Winnebagoes living on the shore of Miniwaukan (Water
Spirit) Lake. As Spring advanced into Summer, the surrounding
country became dry and u
The Winnebagoes would have nothing to do with the new invaders, except for a young brave named Zicahota (The Squirrel) and a maiden named Iwoso (Pouting Lips) of the latter tribe. Zicahota thought Iwoso was a beautiful girl, but his infatuation was ruffled by a rival, Homaba, a Sac warrior. Zicahota was discouraged and went to the father of the maiden, Chief Matacincala, and avoided the beauty. He told the chief of his wealth and his aspiration for the place of his father, the chief of the Winnebagoes. This won the respect and favor of the sachem. Homaba, meanwhile, shunned the father and wooed the girl. He easily won her love by his tales of adventure in war and hunting.
Iwoso never told anyone of her preference, and Homaba was seldom seen at her wigwam. However, Zicahota was warmly welcomed by his friend, the chief, and was treated well by Iwoso. Suddenly, Homaba mysteriously disappeared.
Some of the wise ones accused the young Winnebago of killing their warrior. After a week of anxious waiting and no sign of Homaba's return, the chief told Zicahota that unless he produced the young Sac within four days, he would be punished. This seemed a hopeless case, but the young brave set out to find his rival. He was gone three days without any luck. On the fourth day, while an old man was telling the people of the Miniwaukan, or Water Spirit who lived in the lake, that claimed for his bride the fairest maiden of the tribes, Zicahota came into camp. He had not found Homaba, but said that the people would see him before the moon was an hour high if they would go to the shore and wait quietly. They remained there the allotted time. When it was almost gone, a canoe suddenly darted out from the dark of the Sac shore and started down the lake.
Zicahota waited in his canoe until the other was almost opposite him. Then, paddling with all his might, the brave intercepted it. By the light of the moon, the watchers on the shore could see two people in the strange canoe. Then they saw Zicahota, with a cry of exultation, leap from his canoe into the other, and with his 'mila,' or hunting knife, grapple with the foremost figure.
A shrill death cry pierced the silence and the two figures fell over the side and disappeared. During this whole terrible scene, the third figure had not moved. The people had hardly realized what an awful sight they had witnessed when a dark form rose from the water and dragged a shrieking girl under the surface. The ripples died away, and all that could be seen was the two empty canoes.
The spellbound watchers gazed in wonderment for a long time and then went back to camp muttering, "The Miniwaukan has received his bride." Those who had been skeptics became believers.
At half past eleven, on the night of September, the second, of every year, a faint, ghostly light comes over Phantom Lake, and this same tragedy is re-enacted. One may see for himself the fatal duel, hear the splash and witness the disappearance of the rival lovers; see the Miniwaukan claim his bride and hear the shriek of the Princess Iwoso. Then who will not judge that the little lake is not rightly called Nagi, or PHANTOM LAKE.
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nyielding.
Thus it came about about that a stray band of Sacs that had been
starved out of their territory came to camp across the lake from the
native tribe.