246 SUPERSTITION AND WITCHCRAFT. 
aged men, known as ‘bone-pickers,’ to clean 
the bones, when the flesh decayed, and carry 
them to their village for interment. 
Barbarians are generally superstitious to an 
extreme, believing in hobgoblins, witchcraft, 
legerdemain and all seat of mummeries.* 
Like many grandmothers in backwoods life, 
they aca in recounting the extraordinary 
apparitions, transmigrations, sorceries, etc., 
which they pretend to have witnessed. No- 
thing seems too absurd for their belief’ Among 
many other cases of similar cast, an intelli- 
gent Potawatomie once assured me that he 
had witnessed the death of one of his na- 
tion, who had received a stab in his side 
with a knife (probably in some illicit adven- 
ture); and it being unknown to his friends 
how the wound had been inflicted, it was cur- 
rently reported and believed, that from their 
* The Indians often so imposed upon the credulous ancients as 
oo them believe ert Bes direct communication with Satan. 
th 
and howe they receave answere of hym of thynges tocoome :” and 
very seicualy and philosophically ed that, “the devyll 
beynge so auncient an Astronomer, kriowethe the tymes of thynges, 
and seeth howe they are naturally dinecte “F ” to whi “ he appends 
: y is now prohibited by thetr more civilized | 
laws. Yet the more barbarous tribes still have their conjurers and 
medicine-men, who deal in auguries and mystic ceremonies; which, 
with their dances, constitute the greater part | 
