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This sort they term _Pâh-kàck_, i.e Skeletons, or such as die of hunger; or some that die ex-

tremely lean whether from the consumption or other sickness--Those, i. e. many of them,

when they have nothing but just the mere skin & bone remaining, some of them in this si-

tuation disappear from the Earth & go to reside with all those who have already departed

in that distressed state. This band or congregation have a head or chief--Their

color is commonly green, tho' sometimes black; & it is extremely uncommon

when one has even any hair, being bald--as if a blown bladder. They sometimes are heard in

the day. The nois is sometimes as of a quantity of dried bones rattled or shaken in

a forcible manner in a kettle; & sometimes as above related making that same

monotonous but frightful cry of he'h! he'h! very quick & with an abrupt ter-

mination. The sacrifice they offer to these is Grease, generally a large bladder full,

& of the best kind. All the natives present are invited. Tobacco of course goes before every

thing else. He who makes the feast, or his assistant, most commonly lights, or fills

rather, the pipes of all who smoke, but when it is light it is first presented to

that quarter where _these_ are supposed to reside (I believe in the N. W. or West)

then to the cardinal points--then to the (bladder of) Grease which is put is put

in a dish fit to contain it & covered with down. Some of them have a small

board about 20 or 24 ins. long, flat, painted with red earth, & a head made to it, of the

same piece, & flat as the rest. At a certain distance below the neck, as we might

suppose the Shoulders, other small pieces made in the same form & about 3 or

4 ins. long are stuck in each side at short distances, reaching to the ground--

the lower end being small, & the head end would bear some resemblance to the

ribs or arms were there not so many, by their being somewhat in a hanging form.

After smoking & somes speeches, in which these Ghosts are addressed--He who makes

the feast, _waves_ it 3 times crying he! he! very loud for a good many times, & then

presents it to this board, which is intended as a representative of the Pahkack,

desiring _him_ to accept it, & be propitious & merciful to them, neither to injure them

nor their _little ones_. Then He dances 3 times round the tent (in the inside) &

when he comes to the 4th time, the one seated next him (in the direction of the

Sun) rises. He makes a feint of offering it twice to the one who rises, who in his

turn _does_ as if he was going to receive it; & the 3d time it is thrown into

his hands: this one makes a double turn upon his heels & dances or _trots_ once round the

tent, & the next him, seated, rises to take it in his turn, with the same ceremony, 'till all

have passed. Then it comes into the masters hands again who reperform the same

ceremonies once more,--puts down the Grease, cuts it up, & shares to every male or

widow present, in proportion to their numbers (i.e. the families they may have.--Shortly after my arrival here this last

fall they invited me thro' compliment to two of these feasts--I went both times merely

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merely to have a better opportunity of making my observations, which are as above, as near as I

can bring them. But my mind was too much disturbed with reflections which soon

became so melancholy that I had nothing to bestow on what was going on. Poor

unfortunate creatures! I often exclaimed to myself--Ye are desirous, nay anxious to perform

your duties to your maker, but know not how. If you only knew how he abomi-

nates this ceremony which you perform with so much devotion, how soon would

you cast off all your superstitions, & rather live without any religion at all, & risk

all upon chance, than perform sacrifices, for aught I know, to demons! I shall not

here enter upon these reflections further, suffice the above; for they are too long, too

frequent, & besides I wish to sacrifice the little paper I have remaining to

such other things as I have, & which I think may not be quite uninter-

esting to you. Had there been but their speeches, & the ceremonies, I should

not perhaps have thought so deeply. But their cries of he! he! & ha! ha! &c. so repeated

& vociferous, that I was struck with a certain horror & thought that half of the

devils in hell had entered the throats of these men to give _me_ an idea of their

Pandemonium below. Good God! what a miserable reflection! but how much

moreso the occasion leading to it is.--

Notwithstanding they some times _Dream_ of roots (medecines &c.) there is a certain place accord-

ing to their notions consecrated to _Esculapius_ (& Perhaps Appollo also, conjointly). It is depicted

as a most heavenly abode, so delightful. He (_Esculapius_) resides in a mountain in the

bowels of which is his house--it has 6 doors, but so mysteriously constructed that no soul

whatever, besides himself & his _inmates_ of whom there are a great number (of Every Nation

& language) can open them--The Lock apparently is in the form of a Screw, or

Spiral, & is opened on the inside, but only to such as Escu. deems worthy of admis-

sion These doors open _to_ different quarters, the house being immensely large, & as above mentioned,

in the bowels of ye mountain: _In_ this residance is of every medicine useful in life, such as

do not _vegetate_, i.e. minerals, fossils, &c. &c. These are shown to the votary; he is instruct-

ed in their use; the manner of preparing & mixing them; the ceremonies, i.e. songs & sacrifices,

&c. &c. to be performed in their application, taking of them up, or in instructing _others_;

because it is not every _Indian_ that is favored with these Dreams. The mountain is of a

moderate size, & there issue from it 40 Rivers which fall into a Lake not far

from the _base_ & situated in a beautiful plain--this Lake is shallow & has some

handsome sandy shoals, & in the borders of (in the water) it grow beautiful _rushes_.

The water in every one of these rivers is of a different color, no two being alike, one is

Black, another white, red, Green, blue, _ash-color_ &c. &c. _In_ the latter grow herbs &

plants of a vast variety, as also their nature. In the sides of the mountain are of every

of every herb & plant that grows in any part of the world whatever. When any one of them

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(of the indians I mean) is thus favored, he appears first at these rivers, when the head or Chief of the Mountain

comes out, accost him in a freindly manner, & after some conversation he is introduced into the

interior of the house, where he is astonished to find people of every nation & language in the

earth. But if I can form a right opinion, there are but few of each language.--They

are seated in Four rows, their seats being something like those of a Theatre, semicircu-

lar & rising a little one above the other. These are all Doctors; & it is their business

to instruct the _votary_ in the object of his mission &c. They have a great quantity of

medecines already prepared, of such as are produced in the bowels of the Earth, such

as minerals, stones, shells &c. &c. and most, or many of these, are hung up in the

house. Here is he is taught how, & in what manner, to prepare these, as also the

Songs & sacrifices &c. appropriate to each different one or sort. When on the

outside, or out-of-Doors, he is shewn all the roots, herbs, plants &c. and is taught

the respective Song (of each) or of any particular one, or number, or such

only as grow in the climate he inhabits. Both the Songs & the Plant, herb &c.

are so indelibly imprinted on his mind (or memory), tho' he had never seen

them before, or should not happen to meet with any of them for years afterwards, yet

on his first view, he immediately recognises them, & every circumstance that had been

instructed him, as if he had passed a regular apprenticeship. This may seem very

extraordinary, if not indeed absurd to people unacquainted with them, but still it

is no less a positive fact. These rivers i.e. waters are of different colors, so also is the _rapidity_

of each stream; some of them moving in a turbulent & awful manner as the rapids

& eddies at the foot of Large falls; some moving in large majestic waves likes the

swells of a large & Deep Lake agitated by the wind; & some in a beautiful

smooth current, down which the _canoes_ are scarcly perceived to move. These

are the tokens or signs or emblems of the manner of _our_ lives, here below, so far as regards to

health & sickness, & of course the description requires no further explanation.

In some of these rivers grow herbs or plants which, themselves, as well as their roots,

are a rank, deadly poison, more or less; & their effects, when any Demon-Spirited wretch

employes them as instruments of vengeance, tho' I have known none to carry

off the object _immediately_, yet have a most melancholy baneful effect; some of

them exactly similar (in their effects) to _Lunar Caustic_, & oftentimes with an ad-

ditional _humiliating_ effect (But more of this hereafter) & some, deprive the ob-

ject of every one of his senses but that of feeling--a melancholy instance of this I saw in

the Spring of 1813 & sufficient of itself to _emeliate_ an heart of adamant! Some

times Esculapius will not instruct his votary in their use, satisfying himself with

telling them _they are bad medecines_, or perhaps not mentioning them at all. To others

again, he explained every _circumstance_ &c. relating to them; but with a _most strict_

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injunction never to employ them at his _Peril_ "unless you wish to die: I teach you all these

"these things because I love you, & know your heart to be compassionate: but _mind my

"words_, if ever you employ them with an ill or evil _view_, thou shalt die. Other _indians_

"as well as thyself, love life--it is sweet to every body; render it therefore not a bur-

"then or a _disgrace_; & I _hate_ those who thus abuse my confident affection" &c. &c.

They are also forbidden sometimes as strictly, & for the same reasons, instructing

others in their use. Notwithstanding this great love & cautious diffidence of Escu-

lapius, there are other malignant Powers who teach them & encourage their use.

--Hence those distressing objects I cannot here for the want of Paper, speake of--

What I have mentioned of minerals &c. which from their description are indeed really

such, i.e. minerals &c. yet I cannot take upon myself from my slender knowledge of their

language & _technical_ terms, to _assure_ you that they are prepared after _our_ manner,

i.e. by Chemical processes. Mercury, sulphur, saltpetre or nitre &c. I do not know that they

have; but there being french, English, German, & from the description Greek & Hebrew

Doctors, among the number, I should not suppose it preposterous in concluding that they

have them all in the same way as ourselves. But from what I can learn it is _Stones_,

that is, some particular kinds of them that are most used, such as _talk_, pumice stones,

& various other kinds. These they are shewn how to reduce to Powder, & with what water, i.e.

out of which river (or colord water if you please) the water is taken to mix up these Powders.

"With the roots & herbs &c. it is different--_they are boiled_" &c.--These _stones_ (for they are most

commonly thus denominated by them) are held in very great repute by them; tho' many of those that

have been shewn me as possessing wonderful virtues I considered as very common & fool-

ish, or at least harmless things. Here! I am again digressing, which is everlastingly the case with

me when not in the _humor_ of scribbling. I should have mentioned first (because as you

may see, I have begin _this_ story in the _middle_ instead at either of the two ends) that when they

want to dream of these things, as well as of any other particular thing, they must fast, & lay

down to sleep, keeping their minds as free as possible from any other thoughts whatever,

& wholly bent & employed on that particular one alone. I also should have observed in

the proper place that the door the votary is introduced is exactly in the middle of

these rivers, there being 20 on each side of the door. The use, intent, &c. &c. of

the other 5 doors, I never thought to enquire, & must leave you to guess as well as

myself 'till such times as I can get this matter explained. Their songs are

delivered in _Notes_, impressed or drawn on bark, in the form of hierlographics,

& thus taught, & being hierlographics (& not very dissimilar to those anciently used by the

Egyptians; nay indeed, I have reason to think from what I have seen of both, that any

_Learned_ man being perfectly acquainted with the one could trace a great deal in the other;

but this opinion I hazard from my own ignorance) no two are alike, it therefore requires

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him to learn them; that is any _one_ of them: for those notes are not like ours, _marked_ with regular

bars &c. so that one Gamut serves for all; but with them, each one may be said to be itself a _Gamut_.

However, I have reason to think that they are regular & uniform; for many years ago, when

I was still scarcely more than a boy, I remember throwing away the contents of one these mede-

cine bags in which there were several strips of Bark covered with these Notes--

--an indian happened to be by--he took one up & with the Point of his knife placing it on

one of these began to sing, moving the knife regularly as children do when they begin to learn

their a, b, c.--This surprised me a little at the time, for the indian was a stranger

& had but lately arrived from his own lands that were several hundred miles off.--

After laughing at, & ridiculing, him, as is the custom with us, I asked how he could

make them out? "The same said he, as you do to _reckon_ (i.e. read) your _papers_

"See this one is (meant for) the _Thunder_; that, the Earth, &c. &c.; but I only

"know a few of these songs:--the possesser of this bag knew a great deal--he

"was a great Medecine man, i.e. Doctor" &c. As far as I can learn, every different

root, herb, plant, mineral, Spirit (or whatever you may please to term this latter) have

each their respective songs; & which they must sing, were his voice like that of a choked

Pig, when he employs them for one of themselves, or learns them to another. When

they sing, those of their _familiars_ who instructed this Song, whether to the one

who sings, as having learnt it from himself (i.e Familiar) or having been

handed to him; he is said to attend, invisibly of course, & perform that which he

promised this (medecine, supposing it is one) should effect. _[This is a long &

complex job, & I doubt much if I can get thro' with it without more of my blundering;

but I shall risk blunders, omissions, & repetitions]_ Hence it is they always sing when

they attend on a desperately sick person, amongst themselves, tho very rarely when

they administer to the white. When any one is very sick, & that they be _called upon_,

or perhaps, tho' rarely, ordered, in their dreams, by their Familiars, they sing, blow,

& suck, alternately, & with such violence that one would think they wanted to

to blow them to the d___l, or swallow them down their throats; but no, it is to

force in the medecine, of which they have generally a mouthful, masticated into

a pulp. or something near _salve_, sometimes: the suction business is to draw out

the Devil; i.e the medicine, bone, stone, iron, brass, stick, or whatever they imagine

it is that occasions the disease. If the complaint lies in any particular part, to that

part it is they apply themselves most, & sometimes _only_: supposing the hip, knee &c.

for there they imagine it is a worm or maggot gnawing them. But if the complaint

is universal, that is the whole system be sick & debilitated, it is then the pit of the Stomach

& the Temples; rubbing sometimes the wrist, the palms of the hands. & opposite the heart.

This is very frequently done, & in the intervals the songs & rattler together, & often a

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& often a short speech or prayer to that one of their _Familiars_ whom they think will be

most propitious on the occasion, or _he_ from whom they hold such, or such instruction &c.

These songs are a dull monotony; for tho' they have a few variations & are hi & low, & the

transition sometimes so very sudden that it requires a particular command of the

throat to sing them; & to _me_, so difficult that I should I believe require a 7 years

apprenticeship even with Esculapius (but I believe it is _Pluto_, or _Pan_ who teaches

the songs) himself, for me to learn them, there is certainly no musick in

them; tho' some few that I've heard many years ago, passing a winter with them,

I found pleasing enough; but perhaps more from the _solemnity_ with which all

was going on was I struck, than any thing else: indeed we had had great reason to

be solemn, for we were dreadfully pinched by hunger. When oppressed thro' star-

vation, they have a variety of ceremonies which they perform; & tho' the songs be different,

as also the _ceremonies_ themselves, still are they intended to answer the same purpose.--

I shall endeavour to describe a couple to you from which you may form a pritty

just idea of the rest.--It was the latter end of Jany. or beginning of Feby. 1804, four of

us only _white_ people, mind were pitching off, or rather flying off from our houses we had built in the fall on ac-

count of _the_ enemies. We had a small stock of dry Provisions & speared a few fish once or

twice, but there were so many of us that we were soon bro't to short commons as the

_strip_ of country we were then going thru contained no other animals but a few strag-

ling Bears, but these animals at _this_ season could not be found notwithstanding all the

exertions of our hunters. One evening on my return to our lodges one of the women told me that

the oldest man of our band, a great Doctor, or conjuror, as we frequently denominate them,

said that if I were to pay him half a carrot (1 1/2 lbs) tobacco, he would conjure & be assured

of success, for it required payment. Tho' I suspected there was a trick in this, I did

not hesitate, but gave him his demand. The first night their songs & ceremonies were

as usual.--"Tomorrow, my _familiar_ tells me we shall get a Bear". All the hunters

returned at evening, _mais tous a blanc_. The second night, the rattler, songs, speeches,

smoking, & medicine bags opened: "Tomorrow, we will assuredly get something." But the

same as the day before. The third night, the same, but every thing conducted with

a sort of awful silence & solemnity that surprised me a good deal. I was harassed

with constant walking, weake thro' hunger, & tired with their _Bêtises_ as the

french say; but the manner of their conduct kept me that time from growling.

"Oh! Now tomorrow indeed, we shall not fail--we shall certainly eat flesh; for

the old man is a great conjuror, & well liked: he prayed to the _master_ or giver of _Life_, & his

Dreamed have promised him success. But we get no more than before. In these conjuring

boutes--they made no use of drums, but instead of that had cut a small hollow tree of

maple, about 5 feet long & scooped it out, after splitting so that it resembled a semicircle--

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or stove pipe split down--this _hollow_ board had been well dressed i.e. reduced to about half an inch in thick-

ness & well polished: there were to the best of my memory four men seated taylor fashion & held a

small stick about 3/4 ins. diameter & about 15(ins.) long, in each hand: with these they beat time

to the tune & another moved or shaked the rattler in the same manner. All this however was

to no purpose. There was another indian in company with us, but _tenting_ by himself (& his

family).--This indian who was very fond of me would frequently call me in & give me a

share of what he had to eat: "Well! said he, what success have your great men?"--I an-

swered I did not expect much: "No replied he, they did not go the right way to work,

"--had I not polluted (spoiled, as he said) my person last fall, alluding to an indian

"he had then killed, I should try; & I beleive that my familiars would be _charitable_

"to me: however I shall let them go on 'till they are done, after which I shall make

"a trial: perhaps on _your accounts_ they may shew me their wonted attention."

--I took this as wind, but as he spoke in so very _earnest_ (si naivement) a manner, I con-

cealed my sentiments. The second night after the others had finished--he began a

little after dusk. But what a difference between them!--He had an immense large

drum, as large those among the military, & stretched hard: upon this he beat time,

but very hard, to accord with his Songs which were as loud as he could bawl: at cer-

tain intervals also he used only his rattler, but with as much violence as he could.

Thus he continued alternately singing, praying (or making speeches) & smoking,

'till broad day light. When he began, we thought this fellow was mad or only jesting;

but the indians of our lodge reproved us. At Sun rise he came out of his lodge,

& made a long speech; in which he told one to go one way, a second another, &

himself by another route. "Thou, addressing the first one, a young lad--thou wilt

"soon find thy (bear): but thou, addressing the father, on thy way on thou wilt

"pass very near, but will not see him: Thou'lt search a long & return giving up

"all hopes: but when come to this thou must return again & between _this_ thy last

"track & the first one thou shalt make this morning, thou'lt see him in his

"nest. as for me, I shall have much trouble to get mine." I heard him

speake, but not understanding sufficiently the language, the women explained to me.

I need not tell you how _we_ laughed at the poor Devil; & so went off hunting _Ivy_

which had been our support for a long time; but in the evening we found all that

he predicted, perfectly verified. This I assure you is a fact, & will maintain it

notwithstanding every thing _skeptics_, (excuse the term) or those unacquainted, or

but superficially so, with these people may say: & I am also certain that he had no

previous knowledge of their being there; for there was plenty of snow, & there were no other

tracks but those of these 2 hunters, & we had pitched _up_ (the river) that day. But, here

I am digressing: to return therefore.

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--I am altogether out of the regular track that I had proposed to myself at my first setting

off; my time is to short, & my memory to bad, to read over the whole, so as to resume the regular course

--the remainder shall be composed of _fugitive Pieces_. Indeed the nature of some of them being a

_compound_ will not admit of their being treated of but in _sections_ if I may use the term.

The first therefore, lest I have not time to _enter_ all, I shall speake of is

_The Soul!_ This seems, to me, at least, a most extraordinary & incomprehensible thing--

yet from the different sources which I have received it, & the manner of relation serves but

more & more to perplex. Whether it is really & absolutely the soul, or some other _principle_

on which the very existence depends I cannot say, but something it is lodged appa-

rently in the Heart or breast, that on these occasions flies off & leaves them; & at the

very instant of its exit it is perceived, & occasions such a derangement of the whole

system, & particularly of the faculties as very soon to deprive the object of life; but

primally a total want of sense, such as we suppose the Soul _endows_ us with.

I shall here relate you one of the many stories of the kind verbatim as I received it.

It was from an Indian of course. He told me that "one summer being on a visit

"rather to a distant part of the country (perhaps 2 or 300 miles) he fell in with one

"of his acquaintances, who (as often happens between strangers, particularly to

"such as come from the Southward) asked to purchase _medecines_ of

"him. I had but a small quantity, & only of 4 Sorts or kinds: he being

"very anxious for them, I sold them _all_ to him: He was not satisfied--he must have more

"tho' I positively assured him I had given him the last. Then he menaced me, & said

"I should feel the effects of his resentment arising from my avarice & _uncharitable_ spirit.

"Knowing his disposition, I returned to my friends, intending to be as far out of his

"way as Possible. One night in the winter he conjured--I was fast

"asleep (& several hundred miles off) & never thought more of him: but he called upon

"his Familiars & demanded my Soul(!)--_it was taken_ to him; but just as it

"was on the eve of entering his conjuring hut I perceived it & sprung from my bed

"in the most dreadful agonies & convulsions insomuch that two men holding

"& pulling of me with all their might, & also had the assistance of the women,

"could not keep me quiet: I was constantly springing forward, rushing hither &

"thither & absolutely (i.e. totally) deprived of my faculties for I have not yet

"the least knowledge of what I was doing, so great was my horor in ob-

"serving this conjuring tent. At last a friendly spirit interfered & forbad the

"conjuror at his peril to do any thing to my Soul, but allow it to return im-

"mediately. He was afraid for his own life & durst not disobey--he let _it_ go.

I cannot tell you how happy I was felt & so easy--The distance was great indeed--

but I soon flew back & re-entered my body; when I became entirely composed

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"But I had been so dreadfully agitated that I found myself in a profuse sweat, my whole

"frame so shaken, debilitated, & weake, that for several days I could not move but with pain.

"Heh! said I, what a narrow escape!--The other indians asked what ailed me? I told them

"where _I_ had been--they would scarcely credit; but in the ensuing summer upon enquiry

"they found it true; & were now fully convinced that this Power doth lodge with indi-

"ians"! They represent the soul as being small: not very dissimilar in size & shape

from the yolk of a large Hen, or duck, Egg:--some of them very hard, & much of the na-

ture & substance of a stone, but still not of that substance; & others again much more soft

& tender: some are easily _kept_ & bruised, but others are with difficulty taken & continually in motion;

but all are extremely impatient of restraint & cannot bear it; & confinement is death to the

body from which it has issued! Some conjurors possessing sufficient power, & influence,

take a soul, if they want to destroy the body, (in the conjuring box or tent) & wrapping it in

a piece of leather, rub & bruise it between both hands 'till they destroy its subtility or

subtilty. As soon as it comes within view of the conjuring tent its agonies are ter-

rible as also those of the body, however distant that may be; but as soon as its motion is

destroyed the body dies likewise. Others again, take it & put it in a Jappand Tobacco box, & tie

the lid or cover securely tied with a _womans_ Garter, from whence, if not loosened by someone it can

never escape--any other lashing is not, anything near, so completely effectual as this: reflect,

& you will guess immediately the reasons they give. As I do not know latin, & you dont

understand indian I must suppress this & many other things. Others again take a different

method, thus: But by-the-bye, this has but very little relation to the Soul. I shall therefore

refer it 'till afterwards & give you another Story as received from a Canadian an eye

witness. He was passing the winter with the indians & one night the head man

of the tent he lodged in gave a feast. He was in the habit of doing it & was himself ap-

parently a good & peaceable man, but not to be trifled with by other indians. Every

thing being prepared the guests were just going to eat when the feast-man's mother

dropped suddenly as if dead: every one was struck with consternation: they had re-

course to their medicines, songs, rattlers &c. as usual; at last he fell to sucking his

mother in one of her temples, suddenly they heard something _crack_: the indian

drew back, his mother arose perfectly recovered & all became well. However that

which occasioned the _crack_, the indian took out of his mouth, wrapped carefully up & gave

it to his wife to put in a tobacco box, which she did: it had all the appearances of a

_Bean_ (un fêve)--the wife wanted to tie the lid but the husband said there was no

necessity--they resumed their meal. But the old woman was not long in possessi-

on of her senses. She very soon relapsed, & as instantaneously as at the first "ho! exclaim-

"ed the indian, the _Dog_ is off"--They looked into the tobacco box but nothing was found--They

continued conjuring 3 nights, & the last especially, the man told me he thought the devil was

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was amongst them from a certain kind of undescribable noise in the air, round about their tent,

& the sudden flashings of light. This was Powder (Gun Powder): they had carefully thrown out

all the fire, thrown a great quantity of snow & water on the hearth, & then put fresh

Earth upon it--it was perfectly dark in the lodge, there being no other light than what is

usually emitted from the heavens: upon this hearth of fresh earth they would throw some

Powder & then retiring to the bottom of the tent would say "come! let me see if I be a

"manito"--? then singing &c. off the Powder would fly! They continued this way 3

nights but all to no purpose: the old woman yet lived 2 years but never spoke &c.

He said (the indian) that this _bean_ was "the Soul or Spirit of another indian, then at

a vast distance, which he darted at my mother to render her pitiful & miserable;

but I shall make the Dog suffer." However , after this, the Canadian enquired why

he did not revenge himself & kill him "No; said he, that wont do: he has got back

"his soul it is true, & I cannot get it again, yet I might easily kill him if I chuse,

"but this wont do--he is somewhat justifiable, for I took both his wives from

"him." There are many other instances of a like nature but different in the

proceedings, that I do not recollect sufficiently to commit to Paper.--

Now again for the other way. If an indian has a spite against another, & is

induced to it for the preservation of his own life, or from motives of revenge, he takes

the following plan or method. He takes a piece of leather & cuts it into the shape

of his _enemy_; & if he wants him to die speedily he places a little _Powdered medecine_

opposite the heart, or upon it. This medecine is I believe a root, & very inflammable,

he holds a small spark of fire _near_ it--it immediately _explodes_ & that part

of the leather on which _it_ was becomes burnt & shrivelled: when he performs this,

he generally utters words like these "Let the Heart of _such a one_ become like this

Leather, let it shrivel & die within him"! If it is a leg, an arm, the head,

or any other particular part, or parts, or even the whole body, it is the same, &

the words also; unless he doth not wish for the death; then he will say "Let

"_such a part_, become lame, useless, ulcerous" &c. &c. according to his disposi-

tion; & that part, or parts become thus affected according to his wish, "But

"how is it possible that such things can be? Do you really think that an insig-

"nificant root, of no apparant power or virtue whatever can effect such things?"

Thus I would frequently question, & their answers with little variations uni-

"versally the same." Yes, most certainly it is not the root alone, but with the assistance

"of that one of his Dreamed that is most powerful & most fond of him: he! you white people

"you know not; you are consummately ignorant of the Power of our Great medecine men

"many things might I tell you much more surprising--but you do not believe these trifles,

"how much less then those you do not know?"--What then is to be done! how do with

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what say to a people so blind, so infatuated! They have some roots that are dreadful in their

effects--Being a female, I think I should prefer immediate death. They have some that have

the same effects as _Lunar Caustic_. They use them thus. During the time of their

"Seperation" (i.e menstruation) they endeavour to give them to smoke, which is never

refused--there is some of this root mixed with the Tobacco. Once smoking is sufficient

--a few months after their complexion begins to change--& at last becomes of a

_nasty_ black with abundance of hair growing out of the face; & if these women

were to shave, I verily believe their beards would become as bushy & thick as those of

any man whatever. In performing this, they must also utter words thus: "Let the

"one for whom I intend this, & who shall smoke of it become black & hairy; & be-

"come as ugly & rejected as she is now fair & searched for"! Sometimes they

mingle it with their food or the liquor they drink: there is more than one kind of this

dreadful root; one of which I was shewn, but have forgotten, there being 2 or 3 others resembling

it.--it is like many others a perennial herb, & hath some resemblance to the long or tall

Thistle. To return. When the subject, or object, discovers that she hath been thus dealt

with, which they sometimes do a few weeks after, they may be restored, for there is an

_antidote_ to it; but I have never known one instance of this, tho' a dozen of the others I

have. Some handsome, fair complexioned young females refusing the importunate solli-

citations of an abandoned, vicious, revengeful wretch, becomes the victim of her

_coyness_; & 2 or 3 years after, I have positively not known them & could scarcely

beleive my Eyes.----There is of another kind & which is very common,

whose effects is an extraordinary _vacuation_ of blood, & in a few days would occa-

sion death. A half breed I lately had with me, the Son of a man who many

years ago was a servant of yours, being not of an extraordinary good moral

character finding his sollicitations rejected with scorn became jealous & very

anxious to revenge himself. He applied to an old indian, but in so cautious

a manner that the indian gave him of the root without suspecting & told him

how to use it. He pulverised it, & mingled it with a little vermillion & then

watched his opportunity, which occurred I beleive, the ensuing morning. In our _out_-

Posts we have no temples dedicated to Cloacinda, & besides, the females here are

ashamed to _sacrifice_ at them: he therefore could not miss his opportunity--he wat-

ched, & after she entered he went & soon found the place by the _Smoke_: here he

sprinkled some of this Powder which he took in a quill, pronouncing "Let me see

blood issue from the same place _this_ hath done--I want to see blood."--Scarcely

five hours after, the woman who was married & of course so much the less bashful said

"what is the matter with me, I have been just now out & want to go again." You may

suppose her astonishment seeing the time of the natural return was scarcely half elapsed

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but how much more so finding it issue far beyond anything she had ever known: This con-

tinued 'til very late in the day & the beast was watching to see if it would answer. He went

in to the house on pretence of a freindly visit, & remarked how _Pale_ she was--The mother

told him "my daughter has been _bewitched_ & could you not do something to ease her?"

He became extremely uneasy in his turn: he went out & passing by the place she

went to he easily discovered notwithstanding her precaution of what dreadful conse-

quences it would be if not timely attended to. He was afraid she would die

before anything could be done. However he went to the old indian & speaking in a

most sympathising strain, asked him if he could not administer something to stop

that extraordinary issue. "Why! replied the old fellow--That root I gave you the other

day is its own antidote--give her the length of her middle finger to _eat_ & it will

stop quick enough." He did not chuse to tell the indian that it was this that

had occasioned it lest he should be punished by him in his turn; but artfully con-

ducting his discourse got more from him, administered it to the woman, mutter-

ing in himself "Let this blood cease, I have seen enough of it"--& she was soon

healed! I done all I could to make him confess it, without coming to the point;

but he never would: he satisfied himself by assuring me with the most solemn

assererations that it was the case; "& if you doubt it, continued he, you may

"make the experiment--you need be under no apprehensions whatever, for in

"giving her of the same root to _eat_ it will stop." This root, when mastigated,

& applied when reduced to pulp, but better when pulverised, stops the blood

immediately on application to any wound--"_how profusely soever it may

"flow_." It is very astringent, & somewhat hot.

Another herb, I beleive it is the (wild) Carroway, i. e. which we commonly denominate

aniseeds--at least the smell & taste much resemble that, & its stalk bears a very great resemblance

to the wild mint, as well as the leaves & flowers. I _suppose_ this is the one meant, because they tell

me the taste & smell are delicious: This root, & all its appurtenances (i.e. stalk, leaves, & flowers)

is of wonderful effects in various _things_. I shall give you some of the stories relating to it as I

received them. "I was living out with _such_ an indian, & we became reduced to _short commons_

"--One day he (the indian) took a piece of bark & drew upon it 3 moose--& put some of

"this _medecine_ upon the heart & head of each; then he fastened a piece of sinew to it &

"told me to fasten it to a small stick that had been stuck _slant-way_ in the Ground--

""Now said he, let me see if this will do: oh no! I am afraid it wont; but I'll try--if it

""answers, the bark will dance"! I laughed at his idea (a half breed told me this) & so

"did one of his sons: however the son told me that he had seen his father do so before, &

"that he killed every time"--stop! Let us see how he will go on," said the Son. The father

"began to sing (& if _I_ remember right, beat the drum also)--Shortly after the bark began to

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"to move, & as the old fellow raised his voice so did its motion increase, 'till at last it began

"whirling round with great violence, sometimes one way & then another 'till it was wound

"up close to the stick, when it began changing sides--sometimes _upon_ & sometimes _below_

"the stick. He ceased: began to talk with us & saying he was afraid it would not _answer_

"Thus he did 3 times, & the bark moved every time with the same violence. Now he

"desired in the beginning that "if his _familiar_ would have compassion on him, he would

"render these 3 moose foolish: that they might not be possessed of their usual cunning"--

"&c. The next day we went out--the old man, his son & myself, a hunting--we

were hungry--We walked 'till late in the day & finding no tracks I proposed our

return, but he told me we ought to proceed; 'for in the low ground beyond a

"small ridge then near in sight of us, we may perhaps find some tracks--

"I am never deceived when my I am answered' (i.e. my bark dances)--We soon

"reached this low Ground & shortly after heard a noise: jumping, running & breaking

"of Sticks 'ah! here they are,' said the old man: 'see how their _head_ is turned!

"what a noise they make,--how they play--they are foolish. We killed them all."

"If you doubt me; ask any of the indians, & see if they wont all tell you that _he_ does so

when he wants to kill."--Another story: for _love potions_, or philters, are also com-

posed of this. "There were several young men (half-breeds) of us together & also some

"young women, who came with us to await the arrival of their husbands from Fort

"William at _that_ place. Two of our party wanted to pay them a _visit_ in the

"night & I endeavoured to dissuade them, but to no purpose:--they went, & met

"with the reception I foretold: they began bawling out and on purpose to awake

"every one near & shame us; for we were lodging by ourselves & then took good

"cudgels & pursued them into our place: _we_ enjoyed this confusion of the others

"tho partly at our own expenses. One of them then addressed me come Bpt. this _bitch_

"'has vexed me,--I know you have _good medicine_,--give me some of it that I may

"'laugh at her in my turn. (I must tell you that one of them I have known many

years back was, & is still, a _bitch_ i.e. according the indian acceptation (as well as

well as our own,) of the term; & the man is the same one I mentioned little above,

at the conclusion & beginning of p.p. 30 & 31) "I gave him some with the _directions_ -

"--he returned again very soon after (in the same night)--found her asleep--he

"then rubbed her forehead, opposite her heart, the _pit_ of the stomach, & the palms

"of both hands. Then he awoke her. The next day, as my comrades were desi-

"rous of revenging themselves, they broached the conversation publicly & had the laugh in

"their turn: the women had the _best_ at the offset, but as they could not deny the other

"charges they became extremely confused & vexed: a quarrel ensued; but my comrades exult-

"ingly told them 'we can turn & twist you _now_ about our fingers as we please.' And they

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"they did too. For the women both _giving suck_ at that time, thought it was their children

"that were handling them, as they used but _one_ finger, & gently." The other story is thus:

--A man that I have with me at present in consequence of some _slips_ of his _Rib_ had fre-

"quent, & some severe quarrels with her--she began to hate him & wanted to go with her

"_Par-amour_: the husband tho' vexed & confused _did not want_ to lose her: he began by

"soothing, coaxing, & caressing her, but she always bawled out as loud as she could that

"every body might hear, tho' it were at midnight 'thou white dog, leave me alone

"'why art thou fumbling at me?" The more she became averse the more he coaxed

"& she bawling out 'dont _slabber_ me' every time he attempted to kiss her,--&

"she was watching a fair opportunity to slip off to her lover (an indian). At last he lodged

"his complaints to me, & asked if I could not _assist_ him. I gave him some of this _mede_-

"cine with the usual directions & told him as soon as he had executed all properly

"to come away & leave her, & not return to her for a couple of days so that in her

"turn she might suffer. He had not long left her 'till she called for him as if want-

"ing something & like a Goose he went immediately, tho' I done all I could to make

"him pay her in her own coin.--Since that time they live as you see them.

"_But_ if you doubt of this also, you can easily make the experiment--chuse any

"one you please, & let her be ever so coy, & shy, you will bring her as you want"!!!

--Shortly after this I made some general enquiries of the man latterly in question,

but he would not avow, tho' from his confusion & precipitancy with which he an-

swered, I beleive there is _something_ in the business. "It is with this medecine con-

"tinued the half breed, that the young men do completely & universally succeed

"with all the women that please them." With this also, principally, they

succeed in bewitching any one they are averse to, & prevent them from killing such

animals as they please. They draw the likeness of the animal or animals, they do

not chuse the others to kill, put of this medicine (tho' most commonly mixed with

some others in this latter case) upon the hearts & desire that they may become shy

& fly off upon any the least appearance or approach of them. Or, they will _conjure_

& desire some of their _familiars_, one, or several, to _haunt such a one_ in all his

motions & scare & frighten off, & _render wise_ any _such & such_ animals; & let

the distance be hundreds of miles off--their familiars that are spirits residing

in the air, & transport themselves in an instant to any place they place, & who see all

that is going on _below_, keep _all_ away accordingly. To evade this is a task that but

few can succeed in. They must first Conjure to learn who it is that has bewitched them,

then they inquire what is to be done: but here lies the difficulty.--Sometimes they are

told they _must_ leave the appointed time run out: at others, such & such ceremonies, which is

tantamount to the first answer; but at others again, it is easily dispelled--This depends

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depends entirely upon the precautions the _bewitcher_ has taken, the Power, influence, or number

of his Dreamed: as also on the other hand of the Dreamed, their, power, influence &c. of the _be-

witched_. But sometimes on a very slight or trivial cause depends the whole.--

I shall tell you another story. An old Canadian I have now with me has been in the

habit of _living-free_ for many years back. In the beginning of a winter he was

tenting with some indians, & one of them an impertinent, bombastic sort of character

was boasting to him of the great power & effect of some medicines & a drum he had

lately received from a Sauteux &c. &c. "for some time I did not mind him, but

"finding he became at last troublesome, & insinuating as plainly as he durst that

"_he_ was now invulnerable, or rather immortal & that _we_ were helpless, a quarrel

"ensued 'till at last I fxxt. upon your medicines & drum & the one also who gave

"them to you said I. We seperated in no good freindship. At night he mad a feast &

"invited me amongst the rest with the design of poisoning me; but his freinds remonstrated so ef-

"fectually that he put this off & intended shooting me going out of the lodge; but this also

"the others would not allow: he was vexed--I kept my eye upon him, determined I should

"give the first blow on the least motion he might make. Finding himself prevented

"in these he said that I indeed should kill 2 moose, but that the rest of the year I

"should starve as a dog. I seperated next day with my wife & children--they were

"under great apprehensions, but I mocked all their conjurings--I very shortly

"killed 2 moose; but these indeed were the last. I walked & hunted every day--

"& seldom one day passed but I fired at the Buffaloe, moose, or some other animal,

"but never got anything anything--I & my family were near dying with hunger, I

"tried every thing in my power, never giving myself the least trouble about the indians

"menaces. At last the spring arrived--Ducks & Geese came; but no better suc-

"ess. At last one day prowling in my Canoe I met 2 other _free-men_, who, after mutual

"inquiries &c. told me "the same thing had happened him & that an indian told him to file

"off a small piece of the _muzzle_ of his Gun & wash it well with water in which _Sweet-

"flag_ had been boiled, & killed after that as before." I laughed at the idea, but re-

"flecting that it was an innocent experiment & I could not offend the almighty, I

"tried, & the first animals I saw I immediately killed.--This Sir, continued

"he, I assure you is a positive fact"!!!--I find that the indians have recourse

to this method also. But you must observe: as is the disease::so is the remedy. Another story just

now occurs to me which I shall relate, not so much to multiply these pretended

proofs as to shew that our Iroquois, Algonquins &c. &c. are not such complete converts

to the Christian faith as most people may complacently imagine, but rather have

a mongrel religion like those whom the King of Babylon sent to inhabit Samaria

when he carried Reuben & Ephraim captives (In the Bible). This winter an Iroquois

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told me that one winter he was out a Beaver hunting with many of his friends.--The

oldest man of their party proposed one day that a certain number of them should go out a

hunting Moose or Buffaloe, & the others Beaver. This one says "I returned at night after

"a good success--the old man nothing--he became envious--a quarrel ensued; & after

"this many others. One day I fired at a moose as he was running past me, he fell--I

"went to him; & just as I was for beginning to skin he rose up, but with my

"axe I bro't him down--it was very far from home--I merely opened him &

"returned light, trusting to the others of our party; for I had no desire of partaking of the dry

"provisions the old fellow had, of his own. Imediately on entering the lodge we had a-

"nother severe quarrel, & he told me I should not any more exult in my prowess

"as he should take care I should not kill any more animals for _some time_. As we

"were coming to _knife work_, I ordered my wife to bundle up all our things & my

"lodge, & pitch off--it was then late, & I had not yet eaten. As none of my

"friends knew that I had killed, I did not chuse to tell them, but merely said

"as I was going off 'Let those who are fond of me, or who chuse, follow me'; but none came,

"& I encamped upon my moose. Every day I went a hunting--scarcely a week

"passed but I fired 20, 30, & sometimes upward of 50 Shot, upon Buffaloe or Moose,

"but could never kill--I would _miss_, or _the ball twisting in the hair would

"fall by the animal_ without doing further injury. I starved for a long time--

"& became so weake that I could hardly walk. At last my wife (a woman of

"this country) one day that I had been out as usual had prepared some good

"strong lye, & on my return washed my Gun with it; filled it, & stopping

"both the orifices put it over the smoke where it remained all night. She

"also took a number of the balls & boiled them likewise in the lye, telling me she had

"seen her uncle do so many years before when he too had been bewitched.--I thought at

"all events it could do no harm; & besides I could have done anything, I was so hungry.--

"The next day I went out again,--found another flock or herd of near 20 Buffaloe,

"I drew nigh & took all my usual precautions--I fired, one dropped; fired again,

"another dropped:--I killed 14 out of that herd; & ever after missed not once"!

I asked him how the old fellow had done?--he said "I suppose it was as they

"frequently do--i.e. bury a piece of my meat in the Ground & pray the Devil

"to prevent my killing: for the Iroquois, when they take it in their head,

"are very wicked, & do not want power"!--A few days ago a half-breed, abandoned

with the indians, came in; & amongst his other _wantages_ asked me for a small piece of (red) sealing-

wax "because my brother cannot draw blood from the animals he fires at: by heating his Gun & ap-

"plying this wax the blood will flow profusely from the wounds". He expressed himself afraid that

his brother might have been bewitched & by retarding this operation he might enter _dans sa mal chance_!"

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These few _examples_ will suffice to shew you that they have different methods of _bewitching_

& also different ways of clearing themselves. And the faith, & dread, they have of this, is scarcely

credible; & the consequences are often too uncommonly distressing.--I shall now give you of the

Story of the Hairy Breasts. Near the days of _Noah_, nations were few & small.

Weesuckajock (noah, I shall call him for abbreviation sake) had a son as I told you before

whose name was Nay-hân-nee-mis. Being straitned for provisions he went out to angle

with some of the Hairy-Breasts. They came to a Lake, pierced several holes, but the

North (or North wind, as you chuse) being envious of Nayhanemis, froze the water down

to the very ground; so that in the deepest parts they found but Earth & after much

digging at last reached the bottom; but behold that also was frozen! & who knows

to what depth in the Earth? Finding this to be the case Nays, addressed his freinds

thus--"I see this is the doings of the N. Wind (now by rights the N. Wind ought to have been his

maternal Gnd Father--but what cannot envy do?) "he is envious of us, & wants to make

"us die of hunger--but he shall not!--I have to propose to you to cut off my head--rip

"up my body, beginning at the throat--You must not hurt nor break any single

"one of my bones; but carefully take off all the flesh, dry it, & make Pounded meat of it.

"of this you must sprinkle a little in every one of the holes; you must also _chop_ up

"my Heart into very small pieces & throw a few of these pieces also into each hole: then put in

"your lines, & you'll take as many fish as you please. But my bones you must put in a

"heap, carefully by themselves. Mind! upon your faithful observance of all these commands

"depends our mutual safety. The North thinks himself sole master, & would wish to

"crush us because we begin to have a little knowledge: but he shall know me!"

They done accordingly, & accordingly also they took abundance of fish. North per-

ceived this: he came to see, & finding himself thus frustrated inquired how it came

about?--they told: He challenged Nays. who by this time had revived; & besides

a beautiful large feather he had sticking in his cap or head, which none durst wear

but such as have given incontestible proofs of their Manhood, bravery &c. he like-

wise had a smoking bag, of the Skin of a badger. Nayhanimis accepted the

challenge. "It seems Nahanimis you are a great man, a man of extraordinary power & abilities!--

"--let us have a trial, & see which of us has the most; for I also have some Knowledge"--Nahani-

mis answered "No! I have but little power, but that little I employ as much as I can

"to the General benefit of my fellows: let us see what you can do, which if I cannot,

then you will certainly be superior to me." Here they performed one or two wonderful feats

but in which Nayhanimis had the advantage most confessedly.--The North pierced his body

through, & done another extraordinary thing I cannot well recollect; but the other done more

& recovered not only more suddenly but more perfectly. At last the North put a bet & said "Let

"us see for this last act: I will cut off my head & if I cannot replace & recover perfectly

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"perfectly, the same as I am at present, then my _house_ & all I have shall be yours; but if I succeed,

"& you cannot, then all your _possessions_ shall be mine." Nayhanimis consented; for he was

secretly desirous of humiliating the selfsufficient spirit of North. They tried--North failed,

but Nayhanimis completely succeeded: He deliberately severed his head from his body, put it

down on the Ground beside him, very composedly, & then replaced it, when it be-

came as tho' nothing had happened. But this was owing to the Power & virtue of

his _Plume_; which, however, the others knew nothing off. It appears that the North also

recovered but by the assistance of his friends, of whom he had a numerous train. North

was faithful to his promise--Gave him his house which was beautiful & spacious,

but mostly underground, or at least in the side of a mountain. All his freinds

turned out, put in Nayhanimis & gave him the full possession. But he was no sooner in than

they secured all the outlets; doors, windows &c. & set it on fire to destroy one whom they

found so much more powerful than themselves! Nays. finding this to be the case was

not in the least dismayed, but took his smoking bag & thus addressed it "Now _thou_

"Badger,--our mutual safety depends upon thy obedience & expedition--Thou

"art made to pass _thro'_ the Earth as _quick_ as _upon_ it: these fools think to destroy

"us, but thou must shew that we are superior to them." During the conflagration they were

enjoying the scene & exulting in the idea of having at last succeeded in destroying so formidable

an adversary: but what was their consternation when they saw him come to them without

even one hair of his head singed!--they were _appalled_ with astonishment & had not

the power of utterance. At last recovering a little they endeavoured to pass it off as a

joke & turn it to his own advantage, by silencing at one blow the envy & malice of his _all_

enemies, pretending to be a staunch friend of his. But he was not thus to be duped; yet

he shewed a superiority of sentiment & generosity equal to his Powers & abilities by

giving them (tho' _contemptuous_ if you please) pardon. So much for this _Part_.--

Thus did matters pass on for yet a few years. "The _indians_ began to _multiply_ & inha-

bit the world: but the Hairy-breasts, a jealous, envious, and at best foolish people,

could not well behold _their_ prosperity: they made _war_ upon them (the _indians_) by

stealth & destroyed numbers: their affairs bore a most dismal aspect--no less than the

total extinction of the whole race. At last Nayhanimis pitched off with his wife,

_her_ father, & another one--there were four of them. He found found a Beaver lodge--

here some of the _Hairy-Breasts_ came up with him. Compliments at first, afterwards

Sneers, taunts & revilings; but so ambiguously that no hold could be taken. "How nume-

"rous: how many are there of ye" inquired the Hairy B. "We are twenty of us" replied

Nayhanimis; "& so are we rejoined the others. Now, they here entered into an arrangement that

whoever found _Beaver_ for the future it should be his own; but to avoid any wrangles, he who _found_

the Beaver should plant a stick or branch upon the lodge, as a mark. On their return

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home each recounted to his family what he had met with in the course of the day. "Now said _Nay-

"hanimis_, addressing his family, we must take 20 Beavers, one for each man of them (meaning the

"hairy-breasts) & make a feast. If it turns out that we be able to eat these 20 Beaver, & they

"not, then we shall be superior to them & have the upper hand." The Beaver were cooked

accordingly:--he took his _rattler_ which he shook to the tunes of his Songs,--performed the

usual ceremonies, & they eat the whole 20 B. with ease. Then addressing his family

thus, said "These Hairy-Breasts are great boasters, but cowards--They are a people of

no account--tomorrow will decide all." The Hairy Breasts on their return did

the same as Nayhanimis & cooked also 20 B. thinking that his band did really con-

sist of that number. They eat: but every one was already full & yet more than 3/4

of the feast remained--"Give me my rattler (said one of the oldest) that I sing &c. it may

"happen that we find grace". He sang & shook his rattler, but it would not sound--

After frequent repeated trials to no effect he became vexed & threw it out of doors

among the Dogs "This dog of a rattler will not sound in spite of all my endeavours: but

"hold! hear how it rattles now that it is out--go for it one of ye, perhaps it was

"owing to some fault in me." They bro't it to him: but still as before: he threw

it out again in a rage; it was no sooner out than it sounded well as before:

it was bro't in again: but as before again. Then he threw it out for good, vexed

& disappointed to the utmost degree. But his freinds were not pleased; they considered

this a portentious omen & his behavior foolish; & by no means calculated to reconcile their _Deities_

to them. He comforted them by telling them the numbers of "the adverse party must be few,

"otherwise we had surely been able to _eat_ the whole of this feast: they are few & we _shall_ sub-

"due them." The next day they all pitched off. Nayhanimis came first to a Beaver

lodge & marked it--came another & marked that one also. But making a circuit, in

which he hung up his Bow, quiver &c. &c. in a tree, at his own height, came round

to the same lodges & found that the Hairy-B had put marks of their own & thrown

his one away:--exasperated he threw theirs away & replaced his, & made another

circuit, when he found the H.B. had replaced their own again: He also

remarked that the HB. had hung up their Bows &c. &c. _in the tops of very hi trees_, trusting

to their numbers. At last they met--greeted each other at first, then sneers, quarrels,

a challenge & then the battle: they were to fight _man to man_--Nayhanimis killed 19

right out, but the 20th had near killed him: however this was but an accident

usual in battles--he soon killed him also. The women were coming up when raising

his voice to a pitch to be distinctly heard by heard by all said "Such of ye _indian_

"women as have been taken from your homes, had your husbands killed &c. such

"of ye indian women as are willing to return to your nation, take all axes & others

"arms out of the hands of these H. B. women,--seperate yourselves from them; attack

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"& destroy them all: leave not one alive to carry the news to the others. They seperated accordingly &

killed every soul. Then he took them to his tent & finding by their answers to his queries

that there were still another band not far off consisting of 40 young & 2 old men of the HB.

he ordered a quantity of poles or pickets to be cut very long & made a kind of Fort of

them round his own tent:--gave orders to them to gather a vast quantity of snow

round all the sides of it, to come over the points, so that neither the pickets nor

tent might be seen, & that this rising might have the appearance of a natural

hill, something in short in the form of a pit. He immediately made a

number of lances & spears & walked off in quest of his enemies. He soon reached

their camp--drew near & found that there were but 2 old men, all the others were

out a hunting. Here he listened to their conversation & was burning with indignation

at the stories these 2 old men told each other of the cruelties they had done to

the _Indians_--They were chukling at this when he sprung into the tent, took each

by the head & thrust their faces in the fire & sprang out again to listen. One

of them returning to his senses, for they had both fainted during the ceremony, exclaimed thus "my

"old freind! what is the matter with me? I lost my senses quite suddenly & now

"that I am come to, I feel my face quite sore & cannot see"--"It is the same with me"

replied the other one--"Then it must be some evil spirit that has pounced upon us"

resumed the first. At last Nayhanimis addressed them thus "I shall tell ye old men a story too.

"There were two old men formerly seated in their tents relating to each other the exploits

"of their younger days & the cruelties they committed upon the _Indians_--Nayha-

"nimis was near--he pounced upon them & thrust both their heads together

"into the fire. When your children & young men be returned from their hunting

"tell them this Story, in the mean time I shall return home & make ready for them--

"--my name is _Nayhanimis_ & I reside at _such_ a _place_" (i.e. I am _called_ (or

named) Nayhanimis &c.). The old men as may be imagined, were Thunder Struck with this & durst

not say a word more. But in the Evening the young men came home--They were astonished to see

their fathers in such a plight. "Children! behold your fathers! said they--Had any _miscreant_

"durst act in such a manner to _our_ fathers, their villanny should certainly not have

"passed off thus: _but we are now old men & of no more account_!!!" This last apostrophe

above all the rest roused them to vengeance: they merely scraped the snow off their feet

&legs & went immediately in quest of him, vowing vengeance all the way of a most cruel & _ex-

emplary_ nature. Nayhanimis was on his guard, every soul able to weild a weapon had one in

his hand, besides an infinite number of spears & sharp stakes stuck in the Ground, The H.

B. came, but not perceiving the trap on account of the snow that was bro't over ends of the

stockades they all fell in one upon the other & impaled themselves in their fall on those sticks &c.--

All of them but 2 or 3 met with instantaneous death--The few that were not injured were put to

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to an excruciating, but immediate death to satisfy the _manes_ of the departed _indians_; & he proceeded im-

mediately to the Camp; killed the remaining 2 old men, scoffing & taunting them at the same

time. Immediately after this he ordered such of the _indian women_ as had had their hus-

bands killed, or were taken by the H. B. to seperate from the other women & inflict the same

punishment upon them & their children as had been done to their friends. "Thus were

"the Hairy Breasts entirely exterpated, merely by their own folly & wickedness. Had they lived

"peaceably, & allowed the _indians_ to partake of the blessings of this world without envy,

"as well as themselves, & to which they had an undoubted right, they might still have

"been in existence. However there are still 2 nations of them, one of which is on _Your_

"Lands, the others, I believe beyond the Seas: but they are an insignificant & most

"despicable people. They pretend to antiquity & would fain extort respect from the

"_moderns_ (i.e. themselves, or the indians, _principally_) but their very countenance, appearance,

"every thing about them denotes folly & seems more to demand contempt than to call for

"respect. I saw one many years back, who was bro't by the Traders from somewheres

"on your Lands: he face was venerable, but still there was a meanness in the _whole_ of

"him that I could not account for: I respected him, & wanted to treat him according-

"ly--this is as from the Stories I had heard related of them; but the Traders laughed

"at _us_ & asked one if I was inclined to respect folly, insignificance, & nothing"!!!--

I have been a long time in writing these Pages & have been frequently disturbed--I have been

often obliged to put by my paper after seating myself 5 or 6 times to write only one word: from such

long & frequent interruptions _much_ method & correctness cannot be expected--I therefore send

them to you in the form of _Notes_. My motives for thus employing my time & paper were

first to amuse & instruct myself, but principally for your own amusement & such few

friends as you may think _worthy_ of the communication. _Lend them not of the house_, nor

let too many see them; for I have some notion please God I live to digest them into

form & regularity & have them published, besides a vast many others I purpose with

Gods help, collecting: but this is merely between ourselves & immediately after perusal

blot out all _this_ Paragraph. Journals, voyages &c. &c. of these people have been fre-

quently published: but I have met with none that gives so circumstantial a

detail of their private life (if I may so say) as is necessary to give that insight to

their ideas & notions (& this latter term too, I think, critically speaking cannot be appli-

cable to them) that is required & so much wanted to form a proper estimate of

man in his _natural_ state. We all see them, hear them & relate of them; but where is

there one who can give the_ why's_ & _wherefore's_ that these people do so, & so? I beg you will

_blot_ this last paragraph entirely out, at least the first part; & do not be premature in

your condemnation or judgement of me, for I trust my motives are entirely destitute of

vanity & only the desire of truth urges me, or at least true & just information &c. &c. G N.

april 16th 1823--

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Such are the notions & ideas of these people. They acknowledge a superior Power, not Wee-Suck-a-

-jock, as I was erroneously informed "but the same _one_ you adore in the Christmas holidays". This

one they have a great respect & veneration for but seldom it is as far as I can learn) that they sa-

crifice or pray to him i.e. make speeches, which tho' extempore, _I_ consider as much prayers as tho'

they were composed after the most deliberate & mature reflection; & many parts of them so simple,

plain, natural, & withal so sublime that I frequently felt great pleasure in attending to them.

But these sentiments are so few comparitively speaking, & the absurdities so great & frequent that

few men can hear them without lamenting their ignorance. They have often seemed to me

as desirous in a hi degree of becoming acquainted with the true _mode_ of worshipping, from

the frequent changes, even during my time, they have made in their _worshippings_. As a proof of this

is the avidity with which they seize any new system introduced from their _Southern_ neigh-

bors: the short time they hold it; & how completely it is abandoned, if not entirely forgotten

for another, equally if not more absurd than the former. To introduce a new system

among them it is only necessary to report an extravagant tale of some wonderful character,

--the cures by _this_ means that have been performed & such like miraculous & fantastic

nonsense. But in their fundamental points I perceive no visible alteration. The prin-

cipal of these is what they call the Mee-tay-wee. A ceremony I shall compare

to Free-masonry; but the initiations are public--every one that chuses comes to see

them & many are invited. Here, in the course of initiation are ceremonies or deviltries

performed that no man of his own mere dexterity or Power _can_ do. The next

principal one is conjuring. This is a principle I believe as natural to man as the air he

breathes (tho' not _so_ necessary). Every one wishes to peep into futurity & there are few but

who would not inquire into causes could they do it, or were it not forbidden them. Thes two

of course are consequences or consequents of their mythology. There are many in the

civilized or Christian world who absolutely & positively deny this power of theirs as being

absolutely impossible & at best but absurd & idle stories. Many of the things related of

these Conjurings I acknowledge to be so; but at the same time I am as positive & as

firmly persuaded of the truth of the assertion "that they have dealings with some supernatural

spirit," as I am convinced that I live & breathe in air; unless, indeed, we chuse to acknow-

ledge & believe a certain sect of Philosophers (of the last century I beleive) who _wish_ to tell

us that we _only_imagine ourselves alive_. And I am by no means inclined to acknowledge

myself as superstitious: I am convinced of this from reason, argument, comparison; in-

-short from _analysis_. Let any one man, unless he be a headstrong brute who is _de-

termined_ before hand not to be convinced, analyse their _discourses_ &c. &c. and I am confi-

dent he will beleive as much as many, or have great doubts at least. To absolutely

deny this, we must first deny that there is a Devil, & afterwards deny his pernicious power

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and if we deny these points, we must descend to a third, & more fit for an atheistical wretch

& a beast than a Christian, or even rational creature. I have heard some sensible & well informed

Gentleman deny it on the plea of their _ignorance_; but this again is _a_ basis & very

solid one. These people are still in a complete state of nature: their ideas of the true

God are far from clear or correct: they acknowledge him indeed as the Supreme & absolute Master of

all, but more or rather as a passive _Deity_ than as he really is; but their notions of their other

Deities come far more near the truth. Their wants indeed are also few, but they are arbitrary

& cannot be dispensed with, at least for any time; it is therefore very natural that they should em-

ploy their whole thoughts & most of their time in procuring these means to warding off or averting their dangers.

And I do not know of any method more adapted to this than the one they pursue, i. e.

Fasting & Sleeping to dream; & they do dream too: & many of these dreams are so complicated,

or compounded of so many different things that it is absolutely beyond the power of _their_ in-

vention to fabricate them. Surely a man man beleive his senses. A man tied, wound up in

a blanket, or skin equally soft: here he is held by one, two, or 3 men--he slips out of the

blanket & presents himself before you free, leaving the cords &c. _untied_ in the blanket: you

hear him Speak, & perhaps 20 other voices besides, all at the same: again he is bound as a

criminal, rather indeed as a Pig, crumpled into a heap & thrust in to his _hut_--at the

very instant of his entrance the hut shakes as if ten thousand devils were for pulling it

to pieces: you enter this, find the man absent, hear a fluttering about your ears, or see

a vast number of small lights resting on the hoops that hold the poles together:

immediately after you are out you hear the man speake within again; you look again & feel

for him, but hear him talking at a distance; What can this be but supernatural

agency?--I have never seen feats of _this_ kind, but others I have, not so _strong_, but equally con-

vincing. I have been informed that a young half-breed, abandoned with the indians almost

from his childhood, a few years back entered one of these conjuring _huts_ at the solicitation

of one of the N. W. Gentlemen to see what retarded the people so long. Previous to his entering a great

deal of conversation on the subject had been: matters were settled between them & the con-

juror. Some time after his entrance he began to cry (not weep) as a person uneasy,

at first the voice was within, but it appeared as rising in the air, & at last was lost.

"Well!" said one of the indians addressing one of the half-breeds, living with the white "Well! enter

"now, & see if he be there: thou art always doubting & denying what we say of these things:

"enter then & see if he be there, then indeed are our assertions false." He raised the bottom

of the _casement_ & entered, but as he was not below, he rose on his feet & felt for him, but

not to be found. However he was _paid_ for his curiosity: there was a dreadful flutter-

ing within, but especially about his head, his hair flying about in his face as if in

a tempest & frequent appearances of small lights before his eyes which ever way he turned: he

bawled out & asked those without what was the matter with him: he became afraid & _walkd_

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out as quick as he could. Very shortly after they heard the same cries of pain, faintly, at first, but

the voice soon entered. The _Conjuror_ said he was carried to where the people were "They are all

aslepp, at such a place & tomorrow will be here" &c. He said there were 4 (spirits) of them,

that carried him off: Each held him by the _little finger_ & _little toe_! I shall here relate

a couple more of these stories. And indian told me that several years back he left his lodge

on the borders of a large Lake to go to the house for some necessaries he wanted. He took

a traverse for some islands,--the weather was dull but mild: a storm very soon set in--

but he persevered: thinking the wind had changed, he also changed his course. He became

very much fatigued & laid down on the ice to rest himself & wait for day light, for

_the_ night had overtaken him. He was not long down before reflecting on his situation

he became extremely uneasy & was afraid of freezing. At last he heard a curious noise near

him that he could not account for: at first his fears increased greatly dreading it was

some malignant spirit; but having no alternative he resigned himself to his fate "& I became

"as composed as tho' I were safe; & I was too: for an animal much resembling a Wolf

"& black, came up & covered me; I was very cold, shivering in every limb, but I soon

"became quite warm: he rose from off me & went on as if inviting me to follow--his

"eyes appeared like 2 candles.--I followed--he led me to an island where I made a fire

"& warmed & dried myself; & as soon as I was rigged I followed him, for he went off & looked at

"me so earnestly I took it for an order: he led me straight to the water hole:--

"there happened to be people at the time there going for water--They saw _these_ lights

"& asked me what occasioned them, or who it was that came with me,--I told

"them it was a compassionate spirit that retrieved me from a dreadful death."--

--_2nd_! A young man lately told me the following "I was returning home with my

"uncle when come to _that_ point we heard something crying behind us he! he! ha! ha!

"& whistling alternatively. My uncle told me it was a Pah-Kack (Skeleton) & wanted to

"destroy us. It came up with us very soon & kept constantly buzzing & whistling in our

"ears so that indeed we were quite bewildered at last: it was at night & dark, but

"we kept strait on as we thought; we were mistaken, for after

"walking a long time, we at last came to the water hole again from where we had

"set off. We were both of much afraid; but finding this path we minded it no

"more tho' it pursued us making more & more noise the nearer we got _home_."

Many of these stories bear a great resemblance to those extravagant tales of

la Béte a la Grande Queue, Loup Garoup, Chasse Galerie & many others

natural to superstitious people, it requires therefore a great deal of caution &

attention to get at the true ones. I have here _inserted_ more than I originally intended,

but they will serve to give you an idea of the notions of these people; & except a few, I have

selected those that appeared most rational: _however they will all come in time_.

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There is a kind of disease(or distemper rather, & of the _mind_, I am fully persuaded,) peculiar to the

Crees & Sauteux's & of which they have the greatest dread & horor; & certainly not without the

very greast cause, the consequences 49 times out of 50 being death unfortunately to many be-

sides the _subjects_ or objects themselves. They term _this_ Wen-di-go (according to the

french pronunciation, which is more correct than the English, in this word)--the pro-

per signification of which, to me at least, & no one I think can doubt it, is _Giant_ of the

Anthropophagi _Genus_, sect, tribe, or kind &c. The stories related of these are as extravagant

& fantastatic as those we read in our old romances _in the days of Chivalry_; differing in no one

circumstance hardly but the means used in their destruction, which of course is often done by

the intervention or assistance of their Guardian Genii. However, there are some few more ra-

tional than those of _ours_ & tho' still beyond all bounds of credibility, are as devoutly be-

lieved by these poor creatures as the Gospel is by the most orthodox among us. I do not

remember any of these sufficiently correctly to give you a few of the stories, one excepted:--

--Suffice it to say that they are of uncommon size--Goliath is an unborn infant to them;

& to add to their _dread_, they are represented as possessing much of

the Power of Magicians. Their head reaching to the tops of the highest _Poplars_ (about 70, or 80,

feet) they are of proportionate _size_, of course they must be very heavy: their gait tho grand

& majestic, at every step the Earth shakes. They frequently pursue their Prey (_indians_ of

course) invisibly, yet they cannot so completely divest themselves of all the incommodi-

ties of nature as to prevent their approach being known. A secret & unaccountable horor pervades

the whole system of one, several, or the whole band, of those of whom he is in pursuit:

Phenomena in the heavens, earth &c. &c.--"In the days of_ Noah_ (or near them at least) there

were a large party of _indians_ collected together for mutual safety: many camps

had been already destroyed by him, & the indians were in great danger being entirely ex-

terminated. At last they bethought themselves of a plan. "It is needles to go to war upon him-

"--what can we do to him with our arms! Let us make an immense Large trap (of wood)

"& draw lots which of us shall serve as bait: it is a dangerous assay indeed, but will any

generous one amongst us refuse sacrificing his life for the safety of so many?"--They made

this trap on the opposite side of a small opening in the woods, so that he might see the

person seated from afar. it was between large trees which were made to serve as _Posts_.

It was finished. An old woman stepped up & said "My Grandchildren! I am now

"old & of no more account among ye: we are all in danger of being devoured by this insatiable

"& terrible beast, why should I then regret sacrificing a life that at best I can now

"enjoy but only for a short time, seeing it will in the end be productive of so much good?

"_I will go & be bait_." The others were extremely touched at her generosity, but they had no

alternative, & circumstances admitted of no delay. The old lady seated herself very com-

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composedly in the trap & awaited his arrival: the others fled off of course. It was time too, for he soon _hove_ in

sight!--Stalking along in all the stile & terror of Imperial Gradeur, his head equal with the tops

of the highest trees, & the ground shaking at every step, tho' froze, it being then depth of winter,

& his countenance denoting an assemblage of pity, contempt, rage & voraciousness. All this

did not dismay the old Lady: she remained quiet:--he perceived her--"What! What

"old woman, art thou doing there?" But changing his tone, which he did several times thus

continued; "Thou art of my natural enemies & I shall presently Grind thee." "Ah! my

"Grand Child! I am an old woman, abandoned & deserted by those whom I have suckled & bro't

"up: they are fled off in dread of thee, & being old & helpless they thrust me in this tuft of trees

"so as to be the less embarrassed: come now & assist me out & in acknowledgement I shall

"inform thee of their precautions, otherwise thou'lt lose thy life by their deceptions." He

was in no dread of the _indians_, so far as regarded their _own_ Power, but he thought a little

salutary advice would not be amiss, intending after this to _Grind_ the old _thing_ as he had pro-

mised himself. He drew up: "what a devil of a place they have put thee indeed--did they

think to conceal thee from me?"--He stooped to enter: when she found he had entered

far enough she touched a stick & down came all the weights & cross bar upon his

back. Tho' he was uncommonly strong the weight, & suddenness of the blow was such

that he gave way & was jamed between the two beams or bars--here he struggled denouncing

vengeance & eternal destruction to the whole of the _human_ race. The great bellowing

he made was a signal to the men who were in ambush not far off: they came

running up & soon dispatched him with a multitude of blows from axes & Chissels

&c. &c."--Thus were they for _one time_ releived: the women & children returned

to the camp & enjoyed themselves as usual without further apprehensions. These Gi-

ants as far as I can learn reside somewhere about the _North Pole_; & even at this day

frequently pay their unwelcome visits, but which however, are attended with a complete

fright only. It seems also that they delegate their Power to the indians occasionly; &

_this_ occasions that cannibalism which is Produced or proceeds rather from a sort of

distemper much resembling _maniaism_. There are 3 sorts or kinds that I

know of, & beleive there are no more. The first I have already related as above, & the

2 I am going to give you are sometimes _compounded_ together & sometimes _independent_;

but they are both equally true & melancly & distressing in whatever light we may view

them: However, I shall not pretend by any means to palm _all_ that is said about

them upon you as true--of this you'll by & bye be able to judge as well as myself

& not doubt. The first of these are such as are driven to this dreadful extremity by

starvation. In all _woody_ countries where the inhabitants lead a wandering, roving life, & whose

subsistence depend upon the Game they procure, they must of necessity be frequently pinched, & some-

times bro't very low. All _People_ cannot bear this privation alike & tho' there is perhaps not a

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a people in this world who take this so patiently as those people do, yet there are not wanting in-

stances where even with them that _nature_ gives-way. They vanish as a _dying_ Candle; but others can-

not stand it out so long: they must have something to eat, be it what it may: sometimes, tho' with

the most extreme reluctance at first, they feed upon the flesh of such as _have died_. Any kind of

animal substance at such times, must come very grateful to the Stomack; & hence it is I be-

lieve that those who have once preyed upon their fellows, ever after feel a great desire for the

same nourishment, & are not so scrupulous about the means of procuring it. I have seen

several that had been reduced this distressing alternative, & tho' many years after there ap-

peared to me a wildness in their eyes, a confusion in their countenances much resem-

bling that of reprieved murderers....Now if we consider how very precarious their

mode of subsistance is, how devoted they are to superstition & prejudice, we, i. e. such of _us_

as know more about them, we, I say, may wonder how they stand out so well: very many

instances I have known seem to be far beyond the power of human nature to stand:--Yet

notwithstanding this dreadful privation lasts not for a few days, but even to weeks & months,

during all which time the men are out from star-light to star-light & have never

anything more to _eat_ than some bits of leather, moss, bark & such like, it is very rare they

will kill a _fellow_ to live upon him. This is not universal, there are unfortunately still

too many exceptions; but these again would seem as denounciations from their Gods--

--They appear so to me--I can scarcely doubt it! and the indians themselves seem to think

the same tho' in another way. At this place where I am now writing (Lac La Ronge, English River) but

a few years back several instances occurred. An old Canadian is said to have lost one of his

Sons thus, tho' an excellent hunter: the old man sometimes speakes to me of that son: and the

second died on his way to the house, & not far off. The same year an indian killed all

his family but 2 daughters whom he compelled to partake with him, & for the rest of the

route he ........--I shall here give you a few stories of the kind. "_That_ same

"year (I do not know precisely when but only a few years back) a woman alone arrived at the

"house. Her appearance was haggard, wild, & distressed: However she was taken into _the_ house--

"questions put as usual, but the answers, vague, indefinite & contradictory: they

"handed her something to eat--she acted as if eating it indeed, but let the whole fall in

"the _inside_ of her gown: this rose suspicion. But what added to this was the extra-

"ordinary stench she emitted from the heat of the chimney; & shortly after her entrance, a

"part of a human shoulder the Dogs bro't in from upon her road. She went off--being

"directed upon a road leading to a camp not far off. As soon as she made her appearance the indians

"immediately conceived what was to matter; but thro' charity as well as for safety & to find the

"truth they gave her to eat, principally marrow-fat." Now these people pretend that cannibals

cannot bear this fat or grease, of course it was a kind of _ordeal_. "Every thing she did & said, notwithstand-

"ing her great caution, betrayed her. She took up some of the children of her acquaintances to kiss

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"kiss as is customary but would have given it a bite had they not taken it from her. They wat-

"ched her narrowly. All the men slept in one tent with her: she pretended to be asleep 'till

"she imagined the others were, then rose very cautiously & was beginning to prepare herself for _action_

"--One of the men perceived this--rose upon her with an axe; tho' the blow was violent &

"upon the head she would have killed him had not the others interfered: her wretched fate

"was soon decided." There is such a singular, strange, incomprehensible contradictoriness in

almost all these cases, & many I have heard, that I do most verily believe they are _denun_-

ciations, witch, or wizardisms: in any other manner they are not rationally to be account-

ed for, unless we suppose all those who feed on human flesh to be thus possest,--then it

is natural to man in those cases; but why then not the same with us as with these people?

--The 3d Kind, or delegated, which by what follows, I believe may be allowed to be

the term, are those who dream of the North, or the Ice, or both. Every one knows

where the North resides, but only few know the abode of Ice, or the Ice. This they pretend is the

Parent of Ice, is in the bowels of the Earth, at a great depth & never thaws--all ice originates

from this. These 2 they are much afraid of, because they are both highly malignant spi-

rits: there is no joking or jesting with them. Those who at _any_ future period are to become

cannibals thus dream of them. After the certain things usual in all dreams "I was

"invited by the North to partake of a feast of ducks, the most beautiful I had ever seen

"& well cooked--the dish was before me, I set _too_: a stranger by me touched me with his elbow & said, Eat not thou

"of that; look into thy dish; behold that which I had taken for the wing of a duck was

"the arm of a child! 'he! what a narrow escape'! said I. Then he took me into another

"room & gave me most excellent meat, the most delicious in appearance I had ever seen

"I would not eat--I discovered it was the flesh of _indians_ thus served up to me! He

"took me into a 3d room & gave me Tongues: These I also perceived were the Tongues of _in_-

"dians. 'Why refusest thou what I offer thee? is it not good?' 'I feel no inclination

"'to eat' I replied. Then he took me in a fourth room where fine beautiful

"_hearts_ were served up, & I was desired to eat, but I perceived that it was still the same

"I therefore refused. Then said he 'it is well done--thou hast done well!' Heh! had I unfor-

"tunately eaten of this then had I become a cannibal in addition to all my other misfortunes."

Those who eat at these feasts are frequently, but not universally told thus: " This is a sign to

"thee that thou shalt one day become a cannibal & feed on the flesh of thy fellows--When

"thou shalt see children play with, & eat, ice (or snow) _in_ thy Tent say 'my time is near';

"for then thou shalt soon eat _indian_ (human) flesh." They have such dread & horor of

this that it is constantly in their minds. "You white people! who live at your ease, get your

"living out of your Nets or from your indians, & besides are not otherwise troubled as we,

"make light of these Things:--I do not make much account of them either, but I tell you that he

"who thus once dreams of either of those Dogs are for ever after continually troubled with them

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"--we do every thing in our Power to drive him away from us, but still he hovers about us & we can-

"not avoid him. You are very fortunate--you live as you please, never care for him nor does he molest

"you."--Such I am told are the _sentiments_ of these people in General. I look upon this

as a sort of mania, a fever, a distemper of the brain. Their eyes (for I have seen thus perplexd)

are wild & uncommonly clear--they seem as if they glistened--It seems to me to

lodge in the Head. They are generally rational except at short, sudden intervals when the

paroxysms cease them: their motions then are various & diametrically contrary at one

time to what they are the next moment--Sullen, thoughtful, wild look & perfectly

mute:--staring in sudden convulsions, wild incoherent & extravagant language.

There was one a few years back infected with this not far from where I was at

the time: the accounts given of him, tho' I shall not vouch for their truth are

thus. One night towards the latter end of December he began staring at his daugh-

ter with an extraordinary intenseness: "My daughter! I am fond of thee! I love

"thee extremely"--"I know thou dost" replied the woman abashed, for she was then

very young"--Yes! I love thee--I think I could eat a piece of thee, I love thee

"so much". The Girl exclaimed at his rashness--there were but 3 of them

the father, daughter & her husband. When it was dark he put himself stark-naked &

uttering a strong tremulous noise, & his teeth chattering in his head as if thro' cold, rose

up & walked out of the Tent & laid himself curled as a dog in a heap upon the wood

that his daughter had that day bro't to the door. Here he remained all night in-

spite of what they could do. A little before day he returned. Thus did he every

night for about a month & every time slept out naked; nor would he eat,

excepting at times a little raw flesh. In the day time he was more composed,

but his face &c. bore the appearance of one possessed of the Devil. He recovered &

became as usual, composed, & good natured--I knew them all well, but had no

dealings with them from the year before (1812)--A young indian a few years

back had _one_ of the above Dreams. He became very uneasy & thoughtful finding it recur

so very frequently: & he would have willing undergone any torments any death rather than

become an anthropophagi: he also frequently desired his friends upon any, the least appear-

ance of these symptoms in him to kill him. "For if you do not kill me 'till I have eaten of _human_

"flesh, you'll perhaps not be able to do it afterwards; but my Children! Oh! my children!

"how grieved am I to leave ye! but it must be so--I have no alternative." "Spare me

"not, my friends I conjure you"! He had been a good hunter & a peaceable indian, & of course

much loved by his friends: this business depressed them a great deal. At last the time approach-

ing fast his brother one day remained behind with him to watch him, whilst the others pitch-

ed off: about the time this one thought the others had finished the encampment he proposed their

setting off to join them. But before long he left his brother behind & laid an ambush for him not

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not far from the Tent. This was a preconcerted scheme, the other men of course were not far off.

The sick one drew near, in a very slow & thoughtful manner: however when he came near to where

his brother was hid, he stopped, looked up & called out "Thou thinkest thyself well hid from

"me my brother, but I see thee: it is well thou undertakest, it had been better for thee however

"hadst thou began sooner. Remember what I told you all--it is my _heart_; my _heart_, that is

"_terrible_, & however you may injure my body if you do not completely annihilate my _heart_

"nothing is done." The brother was sure that he was not discovered, this _knowledge_ being the

information of some of the spirits: he therefore did not answer. Some of the other men had

gone to meet him & endeavoured to amuse him that the brother might give the first

blow: accordingly he shot, straight for the heart--he dropped, but rose immediately,

& continued towards the camp that was within sight laughing at their undertaking. "The

"Ball went through & through, but not a drop of blood was seen--_his heart was alrea-

"ready formed into Ice_." Here they seized & bound him & with ice chissels & axes

set to work to dispatch him. "According to his desire they had collected a large pile

"of dry wood & laid him upon it.--The body was soon consumed, but the heart remained perfect

"& entire" it rolled several times off the Pile--They replaced it as often: fear ceased them--

"then with their (Ice) chissels they cut & hacked it into small bits, but yet with diffi-

"culty was it consumed"!!! They fancy that blood which circulated thro' the heart

first turns into water, then coagulates or congeals, & shortly after becomes into solid

imperforable or impenetrable ice. The only antidote or remedy for this, is to give them

large draughts of high-wines; double distilled spirits, or the spirits of wine, if any

can be had the better: this taken in large draughts & frequently, & _kept_ beside a large

fire, flows to the heart & thaws the ice: if a profuse sweat ensues it is a happy

omen. An indian with me this winter gave out his apprehensions that he was thus

tormented--I communicated it to 2 others who happened to come in about that time: "Why do you not give him

"large draughts of your strongest spirits to drink & keep him in the room beside a large

"fire." I replied that I was afraid it would burn him "Oh! no--if he is a real

"Wendigo it will only do him good by driving out the ice; but if he _lies_ to you indeed,

"then it certainly will injure him; but it will be good for him, & teach him for the future

"not to impose upon people to frighten them." However, they are in general kind &

extremely indulgent to those thus infected: they seem to consider it as an infliction &

are desirous of doing all they can to assist. There are however many exceptions: but these

again depend upon the circumstances &c. attending them. One of my best hunters here

is thus tormented, or at least thus torments himself; & very often desires his friends in

compassion to put a period to existence the first symptoms he may shew of cannibalism.

A young girl lately maried, & scarcely worth a _Filip_, so small & diminutive, was this winter

seized with this phrensy--the consequence was that the men durst not leave the tent for any

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any length of time, being obliged to assist the women in holding & preventing her from biting or eating

any of the children, & perhaps herself. They bethought of a sacrifice i.e. cropping her hair & short--

--she recovered & is now well. She says "I do not recollect any single one circumstance of all that

"is told me.--I thought I was always on the tops of the Trees." There is another one of my in-

dians thus affected too. The indians say it is a punishment (from some of their _familiars_ of

course) for so lightly esteeming their ceremonies; nay indeed & ridiculing them often. This

fall he began: there were but 2 men of them together (with each his family)--Things

bore a most dismal aspect;--at last the wife of the other, who by-the-bye is said to

a little affected that way too, told him one day that he sprang forward to seize one of

_his own_ children, to "keep quiet, for thou dog if a Gun hath no effect on thee, my

" axe shall--I shall chop thee up into slices:--thou hast then better be quiet."

This kept him indeed quiet for some time: how they are now I cannot say, not hav-

ing heard of them from the beginning of Decr (now Apl. 20th). They appear most

inclined to prey _first_ upon their own family: & they also think that fire arms

are absolutely unable to injure them--"a ball cannot injure _Ice_: to destroy

"_Ice_, it must be _chopped up_: & the _heart then is all Ice_." They sometimes,

indeed frequently recover with the warm weather "for the sun then _animates_

all nature"!!!--There are many other instances of a like kind in their tendency

or consequences, but different in their proceedings that I cannot bring to mind at present: I men-

tion several of these to shew you the different manner they are infected--in the mean time

I shall relate you others not less entertaining. There are several Spirits of whom these

people are much afraid, but four principally, they being the most malignant & little

accepting of _excuses_ however great & urgent they may be for the non performance of _their_

sacrifices. These are the _North, Ice, Skeletons & the Crazy woman_, or foolish,

mad, jealous, woman. "Not very many years ago an indian had entered his conjuring _hut_.

"She came among the rest; but being displeased with the conjuror on account of some

"sacrifice to other spirits, she seized & carried him off! Skeleton perceived it, &

"being of the conjuror pursued Jealousy: finding herself nearly overtaken she prefered

"her own safety to vengeance & let the _indian_ fall _in some place_ at a vast dis-

"tance from where he had been taken--Skeleton took him up & bro't him back

"to the great satisfaction of all parties"! "She frequently comes with the _others_

when they conjure, but on her appearance she is desired to be quiet "_Pay-ah-tick_"

i.e. gently, quietly, peaceably &c." Master Skeleton also is as much dreaded as

Folly, if-not more, because he shews himself at any time he pleases, it not being

necessary to conjure to call him to. There _is_ an indian who before he married had his

_Dress Shoes_ made by this Lady (Folly, or Jealousy)--She was of course extremely fond of him"--"The shoes

"were beautifully garnished, far superior to anything of the kind done by _our_ women"! There are not

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wanting Ladies living with the white who confer full share of their _favors_ on some of the in-

dians; & from one of these I fancy it is he got these shoes; but to hide the business imput-

ed them to Folly, which served him a double end. If I can see that Chap I shall be very

particular in my inquiries of him--I know him well. This brings to my mind the

_White Stag_ or Hind, _Sertorius_ had in his exile & during his wars with his country as

mentioned by Plutarch. Indeed--to be candid, _I_ find a very great affinity between the

ideas & notions of these people & those of the Greeks & Romans &c. &c. And by these, much,

far much better, than by the incongruous hypothesis of the learned might be traced the

_origin_ of these people; & I am far from taking the task to be difficult: would _we_

only divest ourselves of _our own_ prejudices & take the proper plan this great _Enigma_,

if I may so explain myself, would be not perfectly cleared I allow, but a rational

clew afforded to the unravelling of it. I have read many of these _hypo-

thesis_ but they are so filled with inconsistencies that I could scarcely believe men could

employ so much time in them ..... I could say something else instead of the conclusion

of this last sentence. A Gentleman, & an Englishman too, but I forget his name, would

wish to _insinuate_ that these people are from a different origin with ourselves i.e.

Adam; & to prove his hypothesis he begins by an anatomising hogs! (See the Encyclopae-

dia, not by Rees, but _Fitz-Patrick_ I believe) This puts me in mind of some of the

_Newtonian Systems_ i.e. there is no such thing in nature a _Cold_--we must

say an _absence_ of _Heat_! why cannot we as well say there is no such thing as _dark-

ness_, but merely an _absence of light_, or reverse either, & either will be as reasonable

--most strange reasoning is this indeed!

Confession. These People have a notion that _confession_ saves them

from many accidents & also preserves the lives of the Sick, or rather restores them to

their wonted health &c. I have not learned the origin of this; when, why, or wherefore, but it

seems to be very remote, to have sprang with their mythology. I shall it make a point to enquire

very particularly into this; & for this, as well as other things, at different quarters, to find & detect

_errors_ &c. but all, however, that I have written in these pages, tho' there may be some difference

in the recital & perhaps a _few_ stragling circumstances, are, I have great reason to think

fundamentally the same throughout among these people....... When any one

of them is particularly affected with diseases out of the common course of nature _here_,

or, tho' the disease may be precisely the same as all others, yet from certain circumstan-

ces, individually, or a combination of them, they say he is Oh-gee-nay in Cree,

or On-gee-nay in Sauteux (the On- pronounced as in french & _not_ English), by which

it would seem as if they meant he was afflicted or chastised for his own sins, or those of some

of his or her, near relatives, i.e. father, mother &c. if children: if grown up & married persons,

for their own. Whether they only imagine this, or are informed of it by conjuring, _private_ infor-

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information from their _Familiars_, or from the Symptoms of the Sick person &c. &c. I cannot say,

but the thus afflicted person must confess his Sins publickly. Now in these confessions as in

all their other discourses or conversations (_initiating_ & _giving of medicines_, excepted) they use no

circumlocution, no secret or enigmatical word or term, to screen themselves; but all is de-

livered in plain terms & before every one that chuses to hear: These confessions are ter-

rible things; & they seem far more sincere & complete than those of many catholics.

--They have wonderful retentive memories, & no scene, no crime from their earliest

years unto that day do they hide. But Great God! what abominations!--one would

scarcely imagine the human mind capable of inventing such infamously dia-

bolical actions as _some_ do commit: murder, incest, & other things if possible an

hundred fold more debasing the human Soul. Whether they repent of these things neither

can I say, but it would appear as if they were the acts of a contrite & most humbly

penitant Soul. I have never had an opportunity of hearing these from _their own_ mouths,

but _other_ indians have told me of them, & tho' before their families _sometimes_, have never

omitted one single circumstance from the suggestions of the idea down to the very

last _conclusion_. When I heard of these things at first, I _would not_ beleive them; but hearing

them come so circumstantially _I trembled for the Land I sojourned in_ "lest it should

vomit me out as the land of Canaan did its inhabitants" "or be swallowed up in

its destruction as Sodom & Gomorrah"! It is true they are not _all_ so; no, I

am told there are but few, & in charity I hope it is; otherwise what will be my

fate seeing I am in a certain degree partaker with them! Surely the inha-

bitants of such a land, at _best_, cannot look for more than mere _present enjoy-

ment_. When I reflect seriously on _all_ these things as I sometimes do, revolv

ving them in every different manner in my mind it is beyond the power of

words to express my feelings. Poor unfortunate blind Creatures! That it is

from _Blindness_ they commit these things. I am fully persuaded, because I am equally confi-

dent that they do not attach that same degree of criminality to them we, _from the re-

vealing of the Scriptures_ to us, do: some, they consider in the light of trifles; some natural; some

weaknesses: but all tend to the gratification of most Bestial appetites, whatever may

have been the original cause, _curiosity_, or otherwise. However, I received a piece of infor-

mation in one of these, & _it_ was circumstantially detailed, that has cleared a point to

me I could never solve: & Tho I enquired of both Wool & Bob, they were not wiser than my-

self. Indeed, without the _trial_ or experiment, it seems impossible to say certainly

where the cause lies: now I know it, if ever an opportunity offers, or that it pleases God I

again revisit my own lands I shall be able to speak to a certainty. As I cannot write

Latin, I shall say no more of _it_ at present.--

A few years back an indian at the next Post above _this_ died: he had been a long time sick, &

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& from this conceived himself _ongenay_ & accordingly prepared for his Confession.

Having received the details at 2 & 3d hand I shall endeavour to give _part_ of them to you as near _their_

Stile as I can; but really I find myself _very inadequate_ to the task: there is a certain

_Poetic_ Sublimity in their language on such _like_ occasions as will not easily meet with credit

from those (the better informed) of the civilized world unacquainted with these people. Even

amongst ourselves there are but few; for few can judge of the beauties of a language & most of

those few have too hi a notion of their own mighty superiority to stoop to _regular_ conver-

sation with them: But to return: after having revealed all, or most part of his Sins to

the company in general he thus addressed his family in particular--"You see my Chil-

"dren my distressed state: I cannot move nor stir without assistance, & I feel strengthened

"in my lungs (breast, heart) merely as it were by Permission of my _Dreamed_ (some parti-

"cular one he meant) "to divulge my offenses to the Gods (or God) publicly, before you

"you all, to deter you from the same vices (wickednesses). I was once a young man also, the

"same as you are now, healthy & vigorous; nothing appeared difficult nor dangerous to me--

"I lived as became a man, & prospered accordingly; but I thought that this proceeded from my

"own Power only: had I so continued, all had been well! but no, I _unfortunately_ heard

"speake of Such indians (meaning _this_ place, _as my informants tell me_), how powerful

"they were in their medicines, the extraordinary feats they performed. I envied them, &

"thought that I required but _that_ knowledge more to render me perfect (immortal) &

"happy:--I undertook a voyage to that place: I found that the bare truth had been

"scarcely told me--I burned with anxiety to becoming as knowing as themselves & I

"was gratified. Had I rested here, all had yet been well; but in learning their me-

"decines I also learned of them those vices, those sins, that by _their practice_ have

"reduced me to this wretched situation. My Sons! take example from your father!

"be good, charitable, & peaceable indians as I was at the first set off of my life, & employ the

"same means, indulge use the same anxiety to _avoid_, that I did to _procure_, that information

"that hath reduced me so far below the level even of a dog. Never forget this, never in-

"dulge even the least desire of such acquisitions; for if you once begin you will be

"deluded by their flattery to that destruction I have found. But you are young men! &

"unless you find grace you also will be deluded & lost as I am"! I have heard a good

deal said of _this_ indian's confession & exhortations to his Sons--they were not lost. He

himself lived but a short time & seemed much comforted by it.

There is a tribe of _Athabasca_ that go by the name of _Beaver Indians_. From

the tenets of their religion I _am told_ that when laying under any malediction, be-

wichisms, &c. or conceive themselves so, they make a vow that the first animal the shall

kill they will do _So_--they do not fail, but immediately proceed in quest of another which by this

diabolical action they think they will soon find & kill. They do not _touch_ the animal afterwards as

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as those Beasts among the Crees & Sauteux do, but leave it lay as a sacrifice: they consider it as a

duty imposed upon them; but the others do it from mere beastiality. "Such a one did so, bro't home

"part of the meat, & we all of us eat it--O! the Dog!" said an indian not long ago to me.

Lest I may not soon have another opportunity of writing on these Subjects to _you_ I shall

add a few more _fragments_. An indian here, passing for a great Doctor was applied to

(& is still) by many to attend upon them. "Several of these he retrieved from death: One

"of his dreamed, I beleive the North, was not pleased & told the Doctor 'never to administer

"'his medecines to those he had doomed to death.' The Dr replied it was hard & unchari-

"table seeing he could prolong their days a little. ' Well! for every one that thou dost

"'deprive me of, I shall take one of thy children'; & the Dr lost 8 or 9. (I cannot

"now remember well); but he is now grown more cautious". But this Dr is himself a

beast. "Being unable to stand from sickness he told 2 of his wives 'Take ye me one

"'under each arm to my sweat-heart.--I feel myself dying & dont chuse _thus_ to

"'go': & he actually did. Remember, _I am told this_; but I have reasons to beleive it.

--He is an incestuous beast: otherwise I find him a good indian & what is most

strange, sensible beyond many of his equals.--

I have got a caracature here of the Devil carrying off a Taylor. I asked one

of my indians if any of their familiars resembled him & how they were,--the reply was "Yes,

"he resides in the North (at the Pole I suppose) & has a vast number of young men: The

"indians report of some finding their tracks that are very numerous & exactly resemble the

"tracks of the Grey Deer (carriboeuf); but neither him nor his young men are very wick-

"ed: North, Ice, Skeleton, & Folly are the most wicked & ill inclined of all those

we dream of, or enter the conjuring box"!--

Of their Feasts, I cannot say more than any common observer--I have been in-

vited, & partaken of many of them, but I never thought of enquiring into their origin, the

causes &c. of them. But from the little I could learn or rather understand from the

speeches made at _all_ of them, & what I have learnt in regard to other things, I think

may say without dreading contradiction, that as there are songs, ceremonies &c.

appropriate to every one of their Gods or Familiars or Devils, there also _feasts_ made for

each according to the whim, dream, or some other circumstance of the one who makes them.

We denominate these Feasts, & from their own Term it would seem they so mean;

but I consider this again as a premature interpretation which I have not leisure to

explain: I consider them rather as _sacrifices_--indeed they may perhaps rather

be esteemed as partaking of both. I have somewhere above said that they are _obliged_

to make an annual sacrifice to some of their Gods as the non-performance passes not

off with impunity--these therefore are obligatory, or compulsory sacrifices; but besides these

they also have Free-will sacrifices. These Feasts or sacrifices are not _universally_ of

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of _Flesh_:--they have them of Flesh, Grease, dried berries, rum, &c. &c. and few of these

Feasts are made without _the one who makes it_ offers a certain (very small, only a few mouths-

ful) to _him_ whom it is in honor of, or intended for, which he most commonly puts into

the fire, _in_ or on, the Ground. Some of them are very grand & ceremonius:--the _tit_

bits of the animal only, as the head, heart, & liver, tongue, & paws when of a Bear: It is

only the Great men that are allowed to eat of these: Others again, besides the above, the

brisket, rump & ribbs; & very seldom a woman is allowed to partake of them, parti-

cularly if it is _un festin à tout manger_, i. e. to eat the whole; tho' there may be

sufficient for 2 or 3 times the number of Guests, all must be eaten before day; tho' in

certain cases the Feaster is obliged, & commonly does, take part back, providing a

knife, a bit of tobacco, or something else attend with the dish. In these great

Feasts the feaster makes one or several Speeches before _we_ begin to eat, & one again

after all is done, & sometimes sings, beats the drum & speeches during the whole

time of the feast, never partaking of a morsel himself. At Some of them there is

dancing to be performed: I happened to be called to one of these many years ago

--it was the principal parts of a bear; & the Paunch had been filled with the

liver, heart & fat with blood, minced, & much resembling that dish the Scotch

term _haggish_: we were all very hungry & tho' we gormandized (it cannot be

called _eating_) there yet remained full 2/3ds. The Feaster was uneasy & said he would

have been proud had we eaten all, for in that case his Dreamed would have been

propitious: we were obliged to dance also; but when I could stow no more I gave him

my knife & a bit of Tobacco & walked off leaving him to settle with his God as well

as he could; but indeed I was not very scrupulous then, otherwise I had most

certainly avoided many of them, tho' it is oftentimes dangerous if there be not

method or qualification in the refusal. Their feasts of rum are often to some

one of the 4 wicked ones, praying them to be propitious & not allow themselves to be

influenced by the wicked sollicitations of envious indians. Many years ago I

happened to be out a hunting a few miles from the house & came unexpectedly

upon the lodge of a few indians I had that day given rum to. I heard one of

them harangue, & drew up cautiously to listen--He entreated the rain, snow &

frost to have pity upon their young ones (that they might kill) &c. I commu-

nicated this a few years after to a couple of Gentlemen--one of them longer

in the country than myself denied it & enquired of his wife who had lived a

long time with the indians--she corroborated his denial--I perceived the

cause, & told him that it was because _they_ do not chuse that we become too well

informed of all their ceremonies: it was to no effect, & I had almost a mind to credit

the woman too myself, but by _insinuation_ I find I am perfectly right. Thus it

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it happens in almost every thing else: a thing that does not meet with our approbation, or be a

little beyond the Sphere of our limited information, we immediately deny or condemn; whereas by

taking _proper_ measures to enquire or inform ourselves not only those things themselves but others

far more interesting, & sometimes too of the greatest moment, whether to ourselves or others, are rendered

probable, reasonable, certain. Hence it is also that many upon receiving a piece of informa-

tion there rest themselves as upon a Rock of certainty. Now either of these I consider

equally blameable as they lead to distrust, doubt, & sometimes to a complete refutation or asser-

tion of facts that very oftentimes cast a stain or stigma sometimes upon a whole people.

& without any other foundation than as might be said that all Powerful _Veto_.--

They have feasts for the dead, most commonly berries,--or in countries where it is made,

Sugar: generally yearly a bark box of perhaps 2 or 3 Gallons is placed _in_ the grave, upon

it , or well hid in some private nook, if they are afraid, or do not chuse, it be taken

--I ought rather to have said these are sacrifices; but independent of these they have Feasts

also, & feasts of Baptism. Feasts inshort for almost every occasion. Besides these

they have _smoking_ feasts: these are to deliberate.--I shall, should it please God I live,

make it a point to enquire particularly into the origin of all these.--

June 5th. These last 3 days have been busy & turbulent ones for me--it is now

considerably past midnight (& of course the 6th June) but my indians are drinking

& I cannot think of going to bed Till they do I shall employ my few remaining

_leisure_ moments ('till next year, please god I live so long) in giving you an

account of a conjuring bout I with some difficulty got an indian to make

last night (June 4th).--In the evening the hut was prepared at some dis-

tance from the houses on account of the stink as _the Spirits_ cannot, or will

not endure any pollution--The hut consisted of 10 poles about 7 feet out

of Ground, well stuck in, & somewhat better than 3 feet diameter--the

Poles were secured with 2 hoops: they were covered with 2 Parchment skins

(of Moose) well bound with many rounds of strong leather line: _the

top was _covered_ with a dressed skin & secured also, to prevent its being

carried off (by the wind)--About 10P.M. (still broad day light with

us) we drew up with the conjuror, smoked & chatted some time. after

this he took his drum (much resembling a tambourine) & with a

stick gently struck it all the time he made a speech: I was almost

touching him (all seated) but from the noise of the drum & his low voice,

for the man has a dreadful complaint on his lungs, I could only gather

"Take pity upon me; take pity upon me; hear & come: let me not

speake in vain, nor become abashed--show me charity" &c. &c.--it was

a moderate & decent prayer. After this _they_ (for there were several men) began

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began to sing, using the drum & rattler--they sang among others the moose, horse,

Bear, & Dog Songs; about a dozen in number, when he prepared by taking off his

clothes, all to his cloute, & asked who should tie him, I replied that I would,

but was afraid of hurting him: another conjuror did beginning with his

fingers between the 2 joints nearest the hand nearly as I can describe

it--thus giving a double turn to the line between each

finger, & the line was new Mackerel, small, which I happened to have

in my pocket by accident.--I drew up to _inspect_ & observing the fin-

gers to swell upon his complaining of the tightness I felt a good deal for

him. After this his blanket was wrapped round him & tied in such a

manner, lengthways, crossways & every way, & a good knot _I_ tied at

each meeting of the cords; for I assisted in _this_, that I could have laid

any wager that it was beyond the Power of Spirits themselves, thus tied, to

eradicate themselves; & his hands were _under_ his hams--as he could no

more move than fly, _of himself_, the other conjuror & I put him to the

door, but behold! it was with difficulty we could just get his

head in, the entry being too narrow by about 10, or 12 ins. screwing

& jaming considered. "It will do, it will do" said the conjuror--"cover

me now"--his back was covered with a blanket & we all retreated

to our seats, myself about 4 feet distant--The others took the drum

& began to sing. I could not help but laughing in myself & pitying the

boldness of their vanity,--but I had soon occasion to think other-

wise & had I not predetermined that reason should conduct me throughout the

whole of this, I cannot say how far in the _other_ extreme _I_ might have gone.

But to return: the conjuror desired the others to sing, they began a short song,

I believe it was that of the _Stone_, & the man entered in an instant! I was

struck dumb with astonishment; for he appeared to me to

_slide_ in by something that was neither invisible nor descernible--I heard some-

thing that for the life of me I cannot account for, & that's all: from the time

we covered him (25.' Past 10 P.M) to the time we had done hunting for the

twine that tied his fingers, not quite 5 minutes elapsed, & not 1 1/2 minutes

before his blanket & the cords were thrown out to us!--Not one of them,

apparently (i.e. one knot) _untied_!--My astonishment & apprehen-

sions of his being entirely carried off from us were such, that I was nearly

springing up to haul him out, for fear of his being for ever lost. The others

continued singing a few other songs & I had the utmost anxiety in hearing repeated-

ly call out as if in the greatest apprehensions himself "enough! enough! e-

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Enough of ye I say"; & frequently for the space of some minutes repeating the same,

& now & then calling out "do not _Thou_ enter." The _Stone_ was the first one known

to us, by his song; for every one almost that entered sang _his_ song, to which those

(the indians) on the outside would keep chorus. A vast number entered, I verily

beleive upward of an hundred; for upwards of that number of times the frame

shook back-&-forwards and very smartly as if to fall; & among the first

were some truly terrible characters. I have almost entirely converted myself

from these foolish ideas of Ghost & hobgoblins, but I assure you in truth

that I more than once felt very uneasy. The Ice entered--he made a noise

extremely resembling that made by a person shivering with cold, loud, &

hoarse & _liquid_. The Devil _himself_ also entered in _propria persona_, in

a very authoritative & commanding manner: I assure you there was no

laughing nor gigling outside, all the time he sang & spoke. The Turtle

spoke as an old Jocular man. "I hate the french; for in their travels

"when they find me, they kill me & eat me:--I shall answer none of their questions"

but this was a joke; for he laughed. "Speake out Turtle, speake out, louder that

"we hear the", said those without "--I would too, replied he, but my voice is

"so strong I must contract it thus otherwise ye could not endure the sound

"of it." "Hop! continued he, I must imitate the drunk", which he did

to the great diversion of us all & concluded with snoring, the natural

end of all drunken feasts & then became quiet, on which another voice

(which I also perfectly heard & understood as well the Turtle herself) cried

out--"see! see! if she does not look like a frog stretched out" & this

raised a proper laugh both in & out. The Dog entered, & spoke perfectly

plain & distinct, & with a more elegant & harmonious voice I ever heard

in my life. Bears of 3 or 4 different sorts, the horse, moose, Skeletons,

spirits of departed & _still living friends_ entered; but none but the

latter & above mentioned were to be understood by any but the conju-

ror himself. On the entering of one "that is my (_adopted_) Son" said

an Indian seated by me & called out his name to which he readily

answered besides questions: this young man & a girl, both living,

spoke very plain (you must observe that it is not their bodies, but their

Souls or Spirits that enter)--Children almost at the instant of birth,

Dwarfs, Giants; but this latter did make a noise indeed. We all

laughed very heartily when the horse entered; for it appears he passed too

near the Turtle who called out as the horse was flying about (in the inside)

singing & rattling his rattler, "I wish you would take care of yourself & _not tread

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"tread_ on one" in allusion to his diminutive size in comparison with that of

horse. It is somewhat surprising that every one that entered, whether he spoke plain,

or was interpreted--their First words were your lands are distressed--keep

not on the Gnd River--sickness, sickness; "but from amongst _ye here_ I shall

select only a few aged ones" said one of the latter, but in a _voice_ no one but the

conjuror could understand--as he went out however the Conjur<<<<<<or paid him a most

bawdy compliment--we all laughed & asked what was the matter "pah! no-

thing. I am only afraid of him said the Conj.--One of them that entered

apparently the Devil himself for he spoke & acted _en veritable maitre_

startled us all a great deal & enquired authoritatively & angrily, "what

"want ye of me?--speake? "--Upon several hurried enquiries put

to him he said that some things I saw & heard in my house this win-

ter, were by Mr Frobisher, who expired so dreadfully in 1819--"he

"is a skeleton (Pah-kack); & it is he who built _this_ house--he comes

"to see"--!!! Tho' I did certainly both hear & see, several times this winter,

& once in particular, about 2.a.m. yet I do not feel much inclined to add

faith to this assertion of Davy's--I must have something more substantial.

But I am much inclined to doubt master Davy's assertions & consider _this_ & several others

of his sayings at former Periods in the same light as those he delivered at many of

Grecian temples; for I have every substantial reason to consider him as the same identical Gen-

tleman: however, a short time hence will decide: The Turtle said we should

have a good deal of rain; but not a _very_ great deal & a very hi wind, & as soon as

the Sun should appear, "at its setting an indian (naming him by a very extraor-

dinary & bawdy features in his _person_) should arrive & bring us meat; _but this

you will eat of course, & I shall go without_"--{"Beware of yourselves--Tomorrow

night you shall drink & be drunk: drink & leave the house as soon as you

"can; _for there are from that wind_ (by which he designated the _South_)

"_who if they drink with ye, ye shall become pitiful_" alluding to two

blackguard half breed brothers, who proud of the bravery of their deceased father are

ever & anon insulting & domineering over the other indians: it is worthy of remark

that an aged man in the course of this last winter was advertised of the Same, &

repeatedly pressed not to drink at the house on their accord}. This is now

the 6th (June) the Sun appears, but the wind is very hi, & we have frequent

showers of rain & snow.--About midnight the Conjuror addressed me &

asked if I wished to see any of _them_ (the Spirits)--I accepted the offer & thrust

my head underneath, & being upon my back I looked up & near the top

observed a light as of a Star in a Cloudy night about 1 1/2in. long & 1 broad; tho'

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tho' dim, yet perfectly distinct. Tho' _they all_ appear as lights, some larger & others smaller,

this one was denominated the Fisher Star; the name by which they designate the Plough, I

believe we call it, or Great Bear, from the supposed resemblance it bears to that animal,

the fisher. When I was entering, several of the Indians on the outside called out

to the Spirits "Gently! Gently! It is our Chief who wishes to see ye:--do

"him no evil" &c.--I had my apprehensions. A little after one P.M. one of

my men looked in, with several Indians, & saw several small lights about

as large as the Thumb nail. A few minutes before 2 P.M. being day light

they gave another shaking to the frame & made their exit.

The above is an account of only a small part, for I am too much pressed

for time--I cannot therefore enter into particulars, nor a larger detail; nor give

you my opinion further than a few words. I am fully convinced, as much so

as that I am in existance, that Spirits of some kind did really & virtually

enter some truly terrific, but others again quite of a different character.--

I cannot enter into a detail by comparisons from ancient & more modern history,

but I found the consonance, analogy, resemblance, affinity, or whatever

it may be termed so great, so conspicuous that I verily bEleiv I shall never

forget the impressions of that evening; but above all things that sticks most

forcibly in my mind is the unbound Gratitude we owe, & ought to shew,

every instant of our existance to that almighty Power that deigned to sacrifice

his only Son for us for our Salvation! Oh my God! let me never for-

get this!--& teach me to thank thee not only with my lips

but with every action of my life! x x x x x x x x &c. &c.--

Here I must close & in a few minutes Seal up this for your peru-

sal, sincerely wishing I may find an opportunity, safe, of conveying it

to you--How earnestly I wish Robt had been present & understood

the language--This would convince the most skeptic.--

To Mr Wm Nolan, Wm Henry G. Nelson

Note: Read these Pages among yourselves, & lend them

not out of the house--

REFERENCES

General References:

_Atlas of Saskatchewan_ (CD ROM Edition). Saskatoon. University of

Saskatchewan. 2000.

"Forts Folle Avoine Historical Park", website of the Burnett

Historical Society.

http://theforts.org

Hoffman, Walter James. _The Midē´wiwin or "Grand Medicine Society" of the Ojibwa_.

in _Seventh Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology to the Secretary of the

Smithsonian Institution, 1885-1886_. Government Printing Office, Washington, 1891.

Project Gutenberg E-book #19368.

Kirk, Sylvia & Brown, Jennifer. "George Nelson", _Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online_

http://www.biographi.ca/009004-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=4104

Nelson, George. _My First Years in the Fur Trade: The Journals of 1802 - 1804_. Peers,

Laura & Schenck, Theresa (eds). St. Paul, Minnesota, Minnesota Historical Society Press. 2002.

Language References:

_A New English Dictionary on Historical Principles;..._ (The Oxford

English Dictionary). Oxford University Press. 1888 - 1933.

http://archive.org/details/ANewEnglishDictionaryOnHistoricalPrinciples.10VolumesWithSupplement

Noah Webster. _American Dictionary of the English Language_. New

York. S. Converse. 1828.

http://archive.org/details/americandictiona01websrich

Clark, William & Lewis, Meriwether. _History of the Expedition under the Command

of Captains Lewis and Clark, Vol. I. To the Sources of the Missouri, Thence Across

the Rocky Mountains and Down the River Columbia to the Pacific Ocean. Performed

During the Years 1804-5-6._ New York. 1814.

Project Gutenberg E-Book #16565.

Thoreau, Henry. "Ktaadn, and the Maine Woods". _Sartain's Union Magazine_, July, 1848.

http://www.walden.org/documents/file/Library/Thoreau/writings/mainewoods/KtaadnSartain's.pdf