of the American Indians, 32^ 



mission from the French King, who hearkened to the inter- 

 preter Avith great attention, embraced me, and gave me assur- 

 ances of his respect and veneration for his majesty. He re- 

 ceived the sword, razors, and presents with joy. I gave the 

 ladies some neat scissors, a tortoiseshell knife, and some pins 

 to use in heu of their thorns, with a silver thimble, and some 

 needles. The finest of the women, seeing me admire her neck- 

 lace of large pearls, insisted, with abundance of civility, on my 

 acceptance of it. One of the ladies, on receiving a present, 

 squeezed my hand pretty hard, which gave me reason to sup- 

 pose that they might easily be tamed, and taught the politer 

 arts of conversation. The prince invited me to stay the night, 

 and gave me in charge to an officer, who conducted me into 

 such an apartment as that of the king, and they brought me a" 

 collation of wild-fowl, fruit, and liquors. The old gentleman 

 who was with me, acquainted me that they obeyed their sove- 

 reign's absolute will, and owned his children as his lawful suc- 

 cessors ; that when he died, they sacrificed his chief wife, his 

 steward, and twenty men to serve him in the next world; 

 that when he went out, the roads were strewed with sweet 

 herbs, and no one moved while he was passing ; that no one 

 could drink out of his cup or eat out of his dish. They wor- 

 ship the sun, have temples, altars, and priests, and a perpetual 

 fire as the emblem of the sun. 



*• In the spring, they go in a body and turn up a large space 

 of land, with drums beating all the while*. In autumn, they 

 gather their Indian corn, keep it to the next June, and then 

 feast on cakes made of it. On the top of the wall of the tem- 

 ple are several pikes, upon which are stuck the heads of their 

 enemies and of criminals. On ,the front there is a knob, co- 

 vered round with hair, and above that a heap of scalps in form 

 of a trophy. The inside of the temple is only a nave painted 

 at top, with all sorts of figures ; in the centre is a hearth, and 

 three billets upright always burning, attended by two priests in 

 white vestments. Round this, prayers are said at sunrise, 



vol. i. 313. The name of this Calmuc goddess is Nangilma. It has an eye in each 

 of the three foreheads ; one face is while, one black, and the third is a medium colour. 

 The Abbe could not get any details respecting it. There is another named Tarni 

 Negonizan Bourchan, with three heads and twelve arms, and three children in her 

 arms, much resembling the Manippc of Thibet. Dr. Clarke gives another, which 

 be calls the Osiris, or Bacchus of the Calmucs. It is these resemblances of the 

 Calmucs to the Egyptians which have misled theorists regarding America. 

 ♦ The Incas did the same. — Cgnquest ofPeruj 197. 



