SwANTON] INDIANS OP THE SOUTHEASTERN UNITED STATES 743 



There seems to have been a distinction between the priests and 

 conjurers or wonder workers. Hariot says that "the Priests of the 

 aforesaid Towne of Secota are well stricken in yeers, and as yt seem- 

 eth of more experience then the comon sorte" (pi. 94.) (Hariot, 1893, 

 pi. 5). He remarks of the "coniurers or iuglers" that they 



vse strange gestures, and often contrarie to nature in their enchantments: 

 For they be verye familiar with deuils, of whome they enquier what their enemys 

 doe, or other such thinges. [PI. 95.] (Hariot, 1893, pi. 11.) 



The costumes of these learned gentlemen have been described 

 elsewhere (pp. 477-479) . 



Public expressions of religion were much the same among the 

 Virginia Algonquians. 



Henry Spelman has the following naive account of the religious 

 beliefs of the Powhatan and Potomac Indians among whom he was 

 a captive: 



You must understand that for y« most part they worship y© diuell, which 

 y* coniuerers who are ther preests, can make apeare unto them at ther pleasuer, 

 yet neuer y« less in euery cuntry they haue a seuerall Image whom they call 

 ther god. As with the great Pawetan he hath an Image called Cakeres which 

 most commonly standeth at Yaughtawnoone (in one of y^ Kinges houses) or at 

 Oropikes in a house for that purpose and with him are sett all the Kings 

 goods and presents that are sent him as y® Cornne. But y® beades or Crowne 

 or Bedd which y® Kinge of England sent him are in y® gods house at Oropikes, 

 and in their houses are all y® Kinge ancesters and kindred commonly buried. 

 In y® Patomecks cuntry they haue an other god whom they call Quioquascacke, 

 and unto ther Images they offer Beades and Copper if at any time they want 

 Rayne or haue to much, and though they obserue no day to worshipe ther 

 god: but vppon necessitye, yet once in the yeare, ther preests which are ther 

 coniuerers with y* men, weomen, and children doe goe into the woods, wher 

 ther preests makes a great cirkell of fier in y® which after many obseruanses in 

 ther coniurations they make offer of 2 or 3 children to be giuen to ther god if 

 he will apeare unto them and shew his mind whome he will haue. Vppon which 

 offringe they heare a noyse out of y® Cirkell Nominatinge such as he will haue, 

 whome presently they take bindinge them hand and footte and cast them into 

 y« circle of the fier, for be it the Kinges sonne he must be giuen if once named 

 by ther god. After y^ bodies which are offered are consumed in the fier and 

 ther cerimonees performed the men depart merily, the weomen weaping. 

 (Smith, John, Arber ed., 1884, pp. cv-cvi.) 



Powhatan is said, upon one occasion, to have "vowed revenge" 

 against his enemies, "after their manner, pointing to the Sunne" 

 (Smith, John, Arber ed., p. xliv). 



In their temples [notes Smith] they have his image [1. e. the image of Oke] 

 evill favouredly carved, and then painted and adorned with chaines, copper, 

 and beades, and covered with a skin, in such manner as the deformity may 

 well suit with such a God. ( Smith, John, Tyler ed., 1907, p. 109. ) 



Elsewhere he speaks of Oke as their chief god and says that they 

 called the others "quiyoughcosughes." Strachey, however, applies 



