60 M'Keevor's Voyage to Hudson's Hay, 



r/.i J' . n* i , 



Though I am not so credulous," continues Mr. Hearne, " as 



to believe, that the conjuror absolutely swallowed the bayonet, 

 yet I must acknowledge, that, in the twinkling of an eye, he 



conveyed it to God knows where; and the small piece of 



wood, or one exactly like it, was confined close to his teeth, 

 He then paraded backward and forward before the conjuring- 

 house for a short time, when he feigned to be greatly disor-: 

 dered in his stomach and bowels ; and, after making many 

 wry-faces and groaning most hidepusly, he put his body into 

 several distorted attitudes, very suitable to the occasion. He 

 then returned to the door of the conjuring-house, and, after 

 making strong efforts to vomit, by the help of the string he, 

 at length, and after tugging at it fpr some time, produced the 

 bayonet, which apparently ne hauled out of his mouth, to the 

 no small surprize of all present. He then looked round with 

 an air of exultation, and strutted into the conjuring-house, 

 where he renewed his incantations, and continued them withr 

 out intermission for twenty-four hours." The other instance 

 which Mr. Hearne mentions, is that of a poor paralytic Indian, 

 who had been in a most deplorable condition for a length of 

 time. " That nothing," remarks Mr. Hearne, " might be 

 wanting towards his recovery, the same man who deceived me 

 in swallowing a bayonet in the summer, now offered to swal- 

 low a large piece of board, about the size of a barrel-stave, in 

 order to effect his recovery. The piece of board was prepared 

 by another man, and painted according to the directions of the 

 juggler, with a rude representation of some beast of prey on 

 one side ; and on the reverse was painted, according to their 

 rude method, a resemblance of the sky. After holding the 

 necessary conference with the invisible spirits, he asked if J 

 was present, for he had heard of my saying that I did not see 

 him swallow the bayonet fair ; and, on being answered in the 

 affirmative, he desired me to come nearer; on which the Indians 

 made a lane fpr me to pass, and I advanced close to him, and 

 found him standing at the conjuring-rhouse door as naked as 

 when born. When the piece of board was delivered to him 

 he proposed at first only to shove one-third of it down his 

 throat, and then walk round the company ; afterwards to shove 

 down another third, and so proceed till he had svrallowed the 

 whole, except a small piece of the end, which was to be left 

 behind for the purpose of hauling it up again. When he put 

 it to his mouth it apparently slipped down his throat like light- 

 ning, and only left about three inches sticking without his 

 Jips ; after walking backwards and forwards three times, he 

 hauled i' up again, and ran into the conjuring-hoijse with 

 great precipitation. This he did, to all appearance, with great 



