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