278 JOHN LEDYARD. 



preceding day, I went soon to rest. After I had 

 lain down, the Russians assembled the Indians in a 

 very silent manner, and said prayers after the man- 

 ner of the Greek Church, which is much like the 

 Roman. I could not but observe with what particu- 

 lar satisfaction the Indians performed their devoirs 

 to God through the medium of their little cruci- 

 fixes, and with what pleasure they went through the 

 multitude of ceremonies attendant on that sort of 

 worship. I think it a religion the best calculated in 

 the world to gain proselytes, when the people are 

 either unwilling or unable to speculate, or when 

 they cannot be made acquainted with the history 

 and principles of Christianity without a formal 

 education. 



"I had a very comfortable night's rest, and did 

 not wake the next morning until late. As soon as 

 I was up, I was conducted to a hut a little distance 

 from the one I had slept in, where I saw a number 

 of platforms raised about three feet from the ground, 

 and covered with dry, coarse grass and some small, 

 green bushes. There were several of the Russians 

 already here, besides those that conducted me, 

 and several Indians, who were heating water in a 

 large copper caldron over a furnace, the heat of 

 which and the steam which evaporated from the 

 hot water rendered the hut, which was very tight, 



