Though their language differs so greatly, as do many of their customs,
their religious notions exhibit great uniformity throughout the whole
country. They all possess a belief, though it is vague and indistinct,
in the existence of a Supreme, All-Powerful Being, and in the
immortality of the soul, which, they suppose, restored to its body, will
enjoy the future on those happy hunting-grounds which form the red man's
heaven. They also worship numerous inferior deities or evil spirits,
whom they endeavour to propitiate, under the supposition that unless
they do so they may work them evil rather than good. They suppose that
there is one god of the sun, moon, and stars; that the ocean is ruled by
another god, and that storms are produced by the power of various malign
beings; yet that all are inferior to the Supreme Ruler of the universe.
We can trace in some of the tribes customs and notions which have been
derived from those of far-distant nations. Thus, the tribes of
Louisiana kept a sacred fire constantly burning in their temples: the
Natches, as did the Mexicans, worshipped the sun, from whom their chiefs
pretended to be descended. By some tribes human sacrifices were offered
up,--a custom which was practised by the Pawnees and Indians of the
Missouri even to a late period. Several of the tribes buried their dead
beneath their houses; and it was an universal custom among all to inter
them in a sitting posture, clothed in their best garments, while their
weapons and household utensils, with a supply of food, were placed in
their graves, to be used when they might be restored to life. Several
of their traditions evidently refer to events recorded in Scripture
history. The Algonquin tribes still preserve one pointing to the
upheaval of the earth from the waters, and of a subsequent inundation.
The Iroquois have a tradition of a general deluge; while another tribe
believe not only that a deluge took place, but that there was an age of
fire which destroyed all things, with the exception of a man and woman,
who were preserved in a cavern. Many similar traditions exist; while it
is probable that those mentioned refer to the destruction of the Cities
of the Plain by fire which came down from heaven, and to the confusion
of tongues which fell upon the descendants of Noah in the plain of
Shinar.