752 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 137 



But this holy Person, with all his Eloquence and Sanctity of Life, was able to 

 make very little Reformation amongst them. Some few Old Men did listen a 

 little to his Wholesome Advice, but all the Young fellows were quite incorrigible. 

 They not only Neglected his Precepts, but derided and Evil Entreated his Person. 

 At last, taking upon Him to reprove some Young Rakes of the Conechta Clan 

 very sharply for their impiety, they were so provok'd at the Freedom of his 

 Rebukes, that they tied him to a Tree, and shol him with Arrows through the 

 Heart. But their God took instant Vengeance on all who had a hand in that 

 Monstrous Act, by Lightning from Heaven, & has ever since visited their Nation 

 with a continued Train of Calamities, nor will he ever leave off punishing, and 

 wasting their People, till he shall have blotted every living Soul, of them out of the 

 World. (Bassett, 1901, pp. 290-292.) 



Lawson informs us that the Indians of his acquaintance were great 

 believers in spirits and witches but were not afraid of them at night, 

 something of an exaggeration one would think : 



Not 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 correspond- 

 ence 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 an- 

 other world, that they not seldom murder themselves. (Lawson, 18G0, pp. 

 327-328.) 



In another place : 



They all believe, that this world is round, and that there are two spirits; tlie 

 one good, the other bad. The good one they reckon to be the author and maker 

 of everything, and say, that it is he, that gives them the fruits of the earth, and 

 has taught them to hunt, fish, and be wise enough to overpower the beasts of the 

 wilderness, and all other creatures, that they may be assistants, and beneficial to 

 man ; to which they add, that the quera, or good spirit, has been very kind to the 

 Englishmen, to teach them to make guns, and ammunition, besides a great many 

 other necessaries, that are helpful to man, all which, they say will be delivered 

 to them, when that good spirit sees fit. They do not believe that God punishes 

 any man either in this life, or that to come ; but that he delights in doing good, 

 and in giving the fruits of the earth, and instructing us in making several useful 

 and ornamental things. They say, it is a bad spirit, who lives separate from the 

 good one, that torments us with sicknesses, disappointments, losses, hunger, travel, 

 and all the misfortunes, that human life is incident to. (Lawson, 1860, pp. 

 342-343.) 



The misfortunes of the wicked after deatli alluded to elsewhere must 

 have been attributed to the bad spirit. 



They think [he says! that the country of souls lies a great way off in this world 

 which the sun visits in his ordinary course, and that [the good soul] will have 

 the enjoyment of handsome young women, great stores of deer to liunt, never 

 meet with hunger, cold or fatigue, but every thing to answer his expectation and 

 desire. This is the heaven they propose to themselves ; but, on tlie contrary, for 

 those Indians that are lazy, thievish amongst themselves, bad hunters, and no 

 warriors, nor of much use to the nation, to such they allot, in the next world, 



