Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Sketches Of The Manners And Customs Of The North-American Indians.
" Not long after this happened , a man of such a surprizing height that his head reached up to the clouds , came to level the land , which at that time Was a very rude mass ; and after he had done this , by the help of his walking-stick he marked out all the lakes , ponds , and rivers , and immediately caused them to be filled with water . He then took the dog , and tore it to pieces ; the guts he threw into the lakes different kinds offish
and rivers , commanding them to become the ; the flesh he dispersed over the land , commanding it to become different kinds of beasts and land-animals ; the skin he also tore in small pieces , and threw it into the air , commanding it to become all kinds of birds ; after which he gave the woman and her offspring full power to kill , eat , and never spare , for that he had commanded them to multiply for her use in abundance . After this injunction , he returned to the place whence he came , and has not been heard of since . "
RELIGION . * ' Relig ion has hot as yet begun to dawn among the Northern Indians : for though their conjurors do indeed sing songs , and make long speeches , to some beasts and birds of prey , as also to imaginary beings , which they say assist them in performing cures on the sick , yet they , as well as their credulous neighbours are utterly destitute of every them will
idea of practical relig ion . It is true , some of reprimand their youth for talking disrespectfully of particular beasts and birds ; but it ' is done with so little energy , as to be often retorted back in derision . Neither is this , nor their custom , of not killing wolves and jquiquehatches , universally observed , and those who do it can only be viewed with more pity and contempt than the others : for I always confidence which
found it arose merely from the greater degree of they had in the supernatural power of their conjurors , which induced them to believe , that talking lightly or disrespectfully of any thing they seemed to approve / would materially affect their health and happ iness in this world ; and I never found any of them that had the least idea of futurityMatonabbeewithout one exceptionwas a man of as
. , , clear ideas , in other matters , as any that I ever saw : he was not only a perfect master of the Southern Indian language , but could tell a better story of our Saviour ' s birth and life , than one half of those Who call themselves Christians ; yet he always declared to me , that ^ neither he , nor any of his countrymen , had an idea of a-future state . Though he had been taught to look on things of this kind as useless , his own good toleration and
sense had taught him to be an advocate for universal ; I have seen him several times assist af some of the most sacred rites performed by the Southern Indians , apparently with as much zeal , as if he had g iven as much credit to them as they did ; and with the same liberality of sentiment he would , I am persuaded , have assisted at the altar of Christian Churchor in a . Jewish ; not with a
a , synagogue view to reap any advantage himself , but merely as he observed , to assist others who believed in such ceremonies . " Being thus destitute of all relig ious control , these people have , to use Matonabbee ' s . own words , ' nothing to do but consult their
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Sketches Of The Manners And Customs Of The North-American Indians.
" Not long after this happened , a man of such a surprizing height that his head reached up to the clouds , came to level the land , which at that time Was a very rude mass ; and after he had done this , by the help of his walking-stick he marked out all the lakes , ponds , and rivers , and immediately caused them to be filled with water . He then took the dog , and tore it to pieces ; the guts he threw into the lakes different kinds offish
and rivers , commanding them to become the ; the flesh he dispersed over the land , commanding it to become different kinds of beasts and land-animals ; the skin he also tore in small pieces , and threw it into the air , commanding it to become all kinds of birds ; after which he gave the woman and her offspring full power to kill , eat , and never spare , for that he had commanded them to multiply for her use in abundance . After this injunction , he returned to the place whence he came , and has not been heard of since . "
RELIGION . * ' Relig ion has hot as yet begun to dawn among the Northern Indians : for though their conjurors do indeed sing songs , and make long speeches , to some beasts and birds of prey , as also to imaginary beings , which they say assist them in performing cures on the sick , yet they , as well as their credulous neighbours are utterly destitute of every them will
idea of practical relig ion . It is true , some of reprimand their youth for talking disrespectfully of particular beasts and birds ; but it ' is done with so little energy , as to be often retorted back in derision . Neither is this , nor their custom , of not killing wolves and jquiquehatches , universally observed , and those who do it can only be viewed with more pity and contempt than the others : for I always confidence which
found it arose merely from the greater degree of they had in the supernatural power of their conjurors , which induced them to believe , that talking lightly or disrespectfully of any thing they seemed to approve / would materially affect their health and happ iness in this world ; and I never found any of them that had the least idea of futurityMatonabbeewithout one exceptionwas a man of as
. , , clear ideas , in other matters , as any that I ever saw : he was not only a perfect master of the Southern Indian language , but could tell a better story of our Saviour ' s birth and life , than one half of those Who call themselves Christians ; yet he always declared to me , that ^ neither he , nor any of his countrymen , had an idea of a-future state . Though he had been taught to look on things of this kind as useless , his own good toleration and
sense had taught him to be an advocate for universal ; I have seen him several times assist af some of the most sacred rites performed by the Southern Indians , apparently with as much zeal , as if he had g iven as much credit to them as they did ; and with the same liberality of sentiment he would , I am persuaded , have assisted at the altar of Christian Churchor in a . Jewish ; not with a
a , synagogue view to reap any advantage himself , but merely as he observed , to assist others who believed in such ceremonies . " Being thus destitute of all relig ious control , these people have , to use Matonabbee ' s . own words , ' nothing to do but consult their