276 ^^ "^^^ FASCINATING FACULTY 



out of fear. Perhaps, all mankind * admit the exiftence of 

 two great beings, the one good and all-benevolent, the other 

 bad and ftudious of evil. In our own continent, where, I 

 believe, this notion was univerfal, certain tribes were afliduous 

 in their adoration of the latter being, whilft the former, whom 

 the light of reafon taught them to confider as the fource of 

 life, and all their bleffings, was merely acknowledged and 

 named, but unworfhipped and negleded f . The Delawares, 

 and fome other nations who fpeak dialects of their language, 

 believe that a turtle, of an enormous fize, inhabits the deep, 

 and fupports upon his back this continent, or, as they call it, 

 ifland. They fay it is in the power of this animal, by diving, 

 to drown the world, as he has already done, in former ages. 

 They, therefore, endeavour to conciliate his friendfhip and 

 good-will. With this view, they make rattles of the turtle- 

 fliell, into which they put fmall ftones, beans, or Indian-corn J, 

 and play with this inftrument, at their dances. The turtle is 

 greatly efteemed by them ; and, in the fulnefs of a mixed zeal 

 and fear, they even deign to call him Mannitto, or God . 

 becaufe, they fay, he can live both upon the land and in the 

 water §. 

 It Is not likely It feems very probable to me, that the veneration for the 

 lat^/thlSe rattle-fnake had its birth in fear, and not in the belief that this 

 from a belief of reptile poflefled the power of fafcinating animals. If, as fome 

 itsfafcination. vvriters have aflerted, the Indians were in poireflion of abfolute 

 fpecifics for the bite of the rattle-fnake, I am of opinion that 

 the veneration for this animal would not have exifted ; or, at 

 leaft, that it would not long have continued. But the Indians 

 are often unable to prevent or to cure the effedts of the adive 

 poifon of this ferpent, which not unfrequently deflroys them {|. 



I return 

 * I fpeak of mankind In the aggregate, and not of individuals 

 among them. 



f John De Laet, fpcaking of the Indians of New- York, has 

 the following woMs : " Caeterum nullus ipfis religionis fenfus, 

 nulla Dei veneratio: diabolumquidemcolunt fed nontam folemniter 

 neque certis ceremonii?, ut Africani faciunt," &c. Nevus Orbis 

 feu Defcriptionis Indae Occidcntalis Libri xviii. lib. iii. cap. xi. 

 p. 75. Lugd. Batuv. 1633. 

 X Maize. 



§ MS. by Mr. John Heckewelder, penes me, 

 H Adair fays, he does "not remember to have feen or heard of 



