2IO OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING 



ble, keen, fuccefsful warior."* The fame author tells 

 us, that when the Indian phyficians, or priefts, vifit 

 their patients " they invoke the raven, and mimichis 

 croaking voice."-f' Mr. Pennant, on the authority of 

 Mr. Hutchins, informs us that the " northern Indians^ 

 on the contrary, deteft this and all the Crow kind.".]; 



The very faithful Portuguefe author, whom I have al- 

 ready quoted, inform.s us, that when Fernando de Soto 

 was at Cutifachiqui in Florida, in the year 1540, the 

 female cazique of the place having obferved the unlimited 

 appetite of the Spaniards for pearls, " fhe bid the Gover- 

 nour (Soto) fend and fearch in fome Tombs that were in 

 her Town, telling him that he would find abundance 

 there;, and that if he caufed thofe alfo of the other Vil- 

 lages to be fearched, they would furniih Pearls enough to 

 load all the horfes of the Army. The Tombs of the Town, 

 continues our author, were indeed fearched, where we 

 got fourteen bufhels of Pearls ; and the figures of Chil- 

 dren and Birds made alfo of Pearl. "§ 



I have faid that fome of the Mexican idols were fur- 

 nifhed with bird's heads. I (hall now mention fome of 

 thefe idols. 



In Cholula, the miferable inhabitants worlliipped an 

 idol, which was the god of trade or merchandize, the 

 people of this commonwealth being much given to traffick. 

 This idol was called Quetzaalcoalt. It was placed verv 

 high in a temple. It had about it gold, filver, jewels, 

 very rich feathers, and habits of various colours. It had 

 the form of a man, but the vifage of a little bird, with a 

 red bill, and above a comb full of warts, having ranks of 

 teeth, and the tongue hanging out. Acofta, who is my 



* The Hiftory of the American Indians, p. 194. 

 , f Ibid. p. 173. % Arflic Zoology. Vol. I. p. 287. 



§ A Relation of the Invafion and Conqueft of Florida, 6:c. p. 64 and 

 65. 



authority 



