The earliest visiters of the New World, on seeing among the Indians
neither priests, temples, idols, nor sacrifices, represented them as a
people wholly destitute of religious opinions. Closer inquiry, however,
showed that a belief in the spiritual world, however imperfect, had
a commanding influence over almost all their actions. Their creed
includes even some lofty and pure conceptions. Under the title of the
Great Spirit, the Master of Life, the Maker of heaven and earth, they
distinctly recognise a supreme ruler of the universe and an arbiter of
their destiny. A party of them, when informed by the missionaries of
the existence of a being of infinite power, who had created the heavens
and the earth, with one consent exclaimed, “_Atahocan! Atahocan!_” that
being the name of their principal deity. According to Long, the Indians
among whom he resided ascribe every event, propitious or unfortunate, to
the favour or anger of the Master of Life. They address him for their
daily subsistence; they believe him to convey to them presence of mind
in battle; and amid tortures they thank him for inspiring them with
courage. Yet though this one elevated and just conception is deeply
graven on their minds, it is combined with others which show all the
imperfection of unassisted reason in attempting to think rightly on this
great subject. It may even be observed, that the term, rendered into our
language “great spirit,” does not really convey the idea of an immaterial
nature, it imports with them merely some being possessed of lofty and
mysterious powers, and in this sense is applied to men, and even to
animals. The brute creation, which occupies a prominent place in all
their ideas, is often viewed by them as invested, to a great extent, with
supernatural powers; an extreme absurdity, which, however, they share
with the civilized creeds of Egypt and India.
When the missionaries, on their first arrival, attempted to form an idea
of the Indian mythology, it appeared to them extremely complicated,
more especially because those who attempted to explain it had no fixed
opinions. Each man differed from his neighbour, and at another time from
himself; and when the discrepancies were pointed out, no attempt was made
to reconcile them. The southern tribes, who had a more settled faith, are
described by Adair as intoxicated with spiritual pride, and denouncing
even their European allies as “the accursed people.” The native Canadian,
on the contrary, is said to have been so little tenacious, that he would
at any time renounce all his theological errors for a pipe of tobacco,
though, as soon as it was smoked, he immediately relapsed. An idea was
found prevalent respecting a certain mystical animal, called Mesou or
Messessagen, who, when the earth was buried in water, had drawn it up and
restored it. Others spoke of a contest between the hare, the fox, the
beaver, and the seal, for the empire of the world. Among the principal
nations of Canada, the hare is thought to have attained a decided
preeminence; and hence the Great Spirit and the Great Hare are sometimes
used as synonymous terms. What should have raised this creature to such
distinction seems rather unaccountable; unless it were that its extreme
swiftness might appear something supernatural. Among the Ottowas alone
the heavenly bodies become an object of veneration; the sun appears to
rank as their supreme deity.
To dive into the abyss of futurity has always been a favourite object
of superstition. It has been attempted by various means; but the Indian
seeks it chiefly through his dreams, which always bear with him a sacred
character. Before engaging in any high undertaking, especially in hunting
or war, the dreams of the principal chiefs are carefully watched and
studiously examined; and according to the interpretation their conduct is
guided. A whole nation has been set in motion by the sleeping fancies of
a single man. Sometimes a person imagines in his sleep that he has been
presented with an article of value by another, who then cannot, without
impropriety, leave the omen unfulfilled. When Sir William Johnson, during
the American war, was negotiating an alliance with a friendly tribe, the
chief confidentially disclosed that, during his slumbers, he had been
favoured with a vision of Sir William bestowing upon him the rich laced
coat which formed his full dress. The fulfilment of this revelation was
very inconvenient; yet, on being assured that it positively occurred, the
English commander found it advisable to resign his uniform. Soon after,
however, he unfolded to the Indian a dream with which he had himself
been favored, and in which the former was seen presenting him with a
large tract of fertile land most commodiously situated. The native ruler
admitted that, since the vision had been vouchsafed, it must be realized,
yet earnestly proposed to cease this mutual dreaming, which he found had
turned much to his own disadvantage.
The manitou is an object of peculiar veneration; and the fixing upon
this guardian power is not only the most important event in the history
of a youth, but even constitutes his initiation into active life. As a
preliminary, his face is painted black, and he undergoes a severe fast,
which is, if possible, prolonged for eight days. This is preparatory
to the dream in which he is to behold the idol destined ever after to
afford him aid and protection. In this state of excited expectation, and
while every nocturnal vision is carefully watched, there seldom fails
to occur to his mind something which, as it makes a deep impression, is
pronounced his manitou. Most commonly it is a trifling and even fantastic
article; the head, beak, or claw of a bird, the hoof of a cow, or even
a piece of wood. However, having undergone a thorough perspiration in
one of their vapour-baths, he is laid on his back, and a picture of it
is drawn upon his breast by needles of fish-bone dipped in vermilion. A
good specimen of the original being procured, it is carefully treasured
up; and to it he applies in every emergency, hoping that it will inspire
his dreams, and secure to him every kind of good fortune. When, however,
notwithstanding every means of propitiating its favour, misfortunes
befall him, the manitou is considered as having exposed itself to just
and serious reproach. He begins with remonstrances, representing all
that has been done for it, the disgrace it incurs by not protecting its
votary, and, finally, the danger that, in case of repeated neglect, it
may be discarded for another. Nor is this considered merely as an empty
threat; for if the manitou is judged incorrigible, it is thrown away; and
by means of a fresh course of fasting, dreaming, sweating, and painting,
another is installed, from whom better success may be hoped.
The absence of temples, worship, sacrifices, and all the observances
to which superstition prompts the untutored mind, is a remarkable
circumstance, and, as we have already remarked, led the early visiters
to believe that the Indians were strangers to all religious ideas.
Yet the missionaries found room to suspect that some of their great
feasts, in which every thing presented must be eaten, bore an idolatrous
character, and were held in honour of the Great Hare. The Ottawas,
whose mythological system seems to have been the most complicated,
were wont to keep a regular festival to celebrate the beneficence of
the sun; on which occasion the luminary was told that this service was
in return for the good hunting he had procured for his people, and as
an encouragement to persevere in his friendly cares. They were also
observed to erect an idol in the middle of their town, and sacrifice to
it; but such ceremonies were by no means general. On first witnessing
Christian worship, the only idea suggested by it was that of their
asking some temporal good, which was either granted or refused. The
missionaries mention two Hurons, who arrived from the woods soon after
the congregation had assembled. Standing without, they began to speculate
what it was the white men were asking, and then whether they were getting
it. As the service continued beyond expectation, it was concluded they
were _not_ getting it; and as the devotional duties still proceeded, they
admired the perseverance with which this rejected suit was urged. At
length, when the vesper hymn began, one of the savages observed to the
other: “Listen to them now in despair, crying with all their might.”
The grand doctrine of a life beyond the grave was, among all the tribes
of America, most deeply cherished and most sincerely believed. They
had even formed a distinct idea of the region whither they hoped to
be transported, and of the new and happier mode of existence, free
from those wars, tortures, and cruelties which throw so dark a shade
over their lot upon earth. Yet their conceptions on this subject were
by no means either exalted or spiritualized. They expected simply a
prolongation of their present life and enjoyments, under more favourable
circumstances, and with the same objects furnished in greater choice
and abundance. In that brighter land the sun ever shines unclouded,
the forests abound with deer, the lakes and rivers with fish; benefits
which are farther enhanced in their imagination by a faithful wife and
dutiful children. They do not reach it, however, till after a journey
of several months, and encountering various obstacles; a broad river, a
chain of lofty mountains, and the attack of a furious dog. This favoured
country lies far in the west, at the remotest boundary of the earth,
which is supposed to terminate in a steep precipice, with the ocean
rolling beneath. Sometimes, in the too eager pursuit of game, the spirits
fall over, and are converted into fishes. The local position of their
paradise appears connected with certain obscure intimations received
from their wandering neighbours of the Mississippi, the Rocky Mountains,
and the distant shores of the Pacific. This system of belief labours
under a great defect, inasmuch as it scarcely connects felicity in the
future world with virtuous conduct in the present. The one is held to
be simply a continuation of the other; and under this impression, the
arms, ornaments, and everything that had contributed to the welfare of
the deceased, are interred along with him. This supposed assurance of
a future life so conformable to their gross habits and conceptions,
was found by the missionaries a serious obstacle when they attempted to
allure them by the hope of a destiny, purer and higher indeed, but less
accordant with their untutored conceptions. Upon being told that in the
promised world they would neither hunt, eat, drink, nor marry, many of
them declared that, far from endeavouring to reach such an abode, they
would consider their arrival there as the greatest calamity. Mention is
made of a Huron girl whom one of the Christian ministers was endeavouring
to instruct, and whose first question was what she would find to eat.
The answer being “Nothing,” she then asked what she would see; and being
informed that she would see the Maker of heaven and earth, she expressed
herself much at a loss how she should address him.
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