52 J^flE KISrORY OF 



with snow, and nothing is to be seen upon the trees but icicles. All the peo- 

 ple are hungry, yet have not a morsel of any thing to eat, except a bitter kind 

 of potato, that gives them the dry gripes, and fills their whole body with 

 loathsome ulcers, that stink, and are insupportably painful. Here all the wo- 

 men are old and ugly, having claws like a panther, with which they fly upon 

 the men that slight their passion. For it seems these haggard old furies are 

 intolerably fond, and expect a vast deal of cherishing. They talk much, and 

 exceedingly shrill, giving exquisite pain to tlie drum of the ear, which in that 

 place of torment is so tender, that every sharp note wounds it to the quick. 

 At the end of this path sits a dreadful eld woman on a monstrous toad-stool, 

 whose head is covered with rattle-snakes instead of tresses, with glaring 

 white eyes, that strike a terror unspeakable into all that behold her. This 

 hag pronounces sentence of woe upon all the miserable wretches that hold 

 up their hands at her tribunal. After this they are delivered over to huge 

 turkey-buzzards, like harpies, that .fly away with them to the place above 

 mentioned. Here, after they have been tormented a certain number of years, 

 according to their several degrees of guilt, they are again driven back into 

 this world, to try if they will mend their manners, and merit a place the next 

 time in the regions of bliss. This was the substance of Bearskin's religion, 

 and was as much to the purpose as could be expected from a mere state of 

 nature, without one glimpse of revelation or philosophy. It contained, however, 

 the three great articles of natural religion : the belief of a God ; tiie moral 

 distinction betwixt good and evil; and the expectation of rewards and 

 punishments in another world. Indeed, the Indian notion of a future happi- 

 ness is a little gross and sensual, like Mahomet's paradise. But how can it 

 be otherwise, in a people that are contented with Nature as they find her, and 

 have no other lights but what they receive from purblind tradition? 



14th. There having been great signs of rain yesterday evening, we had 

 takeia our precautions in securing the bread, and trenching in our tent. The 

 men had also sti'etclied their blankets upon poles, pent-house fashion, against 

 the weather, so that nobody was taken unprepared. It began to fall heavily 

 about three o'clock in tlie morning, and held not up till near noon. Every 

 thing was so thoroughly soaked, that we laid aside all thoughts of decamping 

 that day. This gave leisure to the most expert of our gunners tg go and try 

 their fortunes, and they succeeded so well, that they returned aijout noon 

 with three fat deer, and four wild turkeys. Thus Providence took care of as, 

 and however short the men might be in their bread, it is certain they had 

 meat at full allowance. The cookery went on merrily all night long, to keep 

 the damps from entering our pores; and in truth the impressions of the air 

 are much more powerful upon empty stomachs. In such a glut of provisions, 

 a true woodsman, when he has nothing else to do, like our honest country- 

 men the Indians, keeps eating on, to avoid the imputation of idleness ; though, 

 in a scarcity, the Indian will fast with a much better grace than they. They 

 can subsist several days upon a little rockahominy, which is parched Indian 

 corn reduced to powder. This they moisten in the hollow of their hands 

 with a little water, and it is hardly credible how small a quantity of it will 

 support them. It is true they grow a little lank upon it, but to make them- 

 selves feel full, they gird up their loins very tight with a belt, taking up a hole 

 every day. With this slender subsistence they are able to travel very long 

 journeys; but then, to make themselves amends, when they do meet with 

 better cheer, they eat without ceasing, till they have ravened themselves into 

 another famine. 



This was the first time we had ever been detained a whole day in our 

 camp by the rain, and therefore had reason to bear it with the more patience 



