828 LAWSON'S HISTORY 



so much deprived of reason, and unmaned, as 

 never to be masters of half the breavery nature 

 designed for us. 



ISTot but that the Indians have as many lying 

 -stories of spirits and conjurers, as any people in 

 the world ; but they tell it with no disadvantage 

 to themselves ; for the great esteem which the 

 old men bring themselves to, is by making the 

 others believe their familiarity with devils and 

 spirits, and how great a correspondence they 

 have therewith, which if it once gains credit, they 

 ever after are held in the greatest veneration' 

 imaginable, and whatever they after impose upon 

 the people, is received as infallible. They are so 

 little startled at the thoughts of another world, 

 that they not seldom murder themselves ; as for 

 instance, a Bear river Indian, a very likely young 

 fellow, about twenty years of ago, whose mother 

 was angry at his drinking of too much rum, and 

 chid him for it, thereupon replied, he would have 

 her satisfied, and he would do the like no more ; 

 upon which he made his words good; for he went 

 aside, and shot himself dead. This was a son of 

 the politic king of the Machapunga, I spoke of 

 before, and has the most cunning of any Indian I 

 ever met withal. 



Most of the savages are much addicted to drunk- 

 enness, a vice they never were acquainted with, 

 till the Christians came amongst them. Some of 

 them refrain drinking strong liquors, but very few 

 of that sort are found amongst them. Their chief 



