Chap. II. AMERICA. 



and the Goods be found in his cudody, the Governor of the place where he refides 

 commands him onely to reftore the fame to the Owner. If any one murther or kill 

 the other, the Relations of the (lain, if they can take the Malefactor in twenty four 

 hours, may without Examination or delay put him to death alfo ; but that time 

 being once expir'd, the Revenger is liable to be kill'd in the fame time by his Rela- 

 tions whom he flew. All Obligations have their power and vertue from certain 

 Prefents deliver'd upon the making of a Contract, which is done thus : They dry 

 as many Sticks as they have Articles, which if they agree upon, every Man on the 

 concluding of the Difcourfe lays a Prefent before the others Feet. Sometimes they 

 hang up the Prefents, becaufe they are ofteitthree days in Confutation before they 

 refolve 5 after which if the Prefents be taken down, it is a certain fign of their 

 Agreement 5 but if not, they proceed no farther, unlefs the Articles and-Prefents 

 are alter'd. On Bufineffes of confequence the Commonalty repair to their Gover- 

 nor's Houfe, there to hear and enquire what the Nobility there alfembled have 

 concluded or refolv'd on 5 at which the bed Orator (landing up, tells them their 

 Intentions, It happens fometimes that a turbulent Perfon making a Mutiny, and 

 refilling to hearken to reafon, is immediately beheaded by one of the Nobility 5 

 in contradiction of which none dare prefumeto fpeakthe leaft word. 



There are fcarce any fteps of Religion found amongftthefe People, onely they 

 fuppofe the Moon to have great influence on Plants. The Sun, which over-looks 

 all things, is call'd to witnefs whene're they Swear. They bear great refpect, and 

 (land much in fear of Satan, becaufe they are often plagued by him when they go a 

 Hunting or Fifliing : wherefore the firft of what they take is burnt in honor of 

 him, that he to whom they afcribe all wickednefs might not hurt them. When 

 they feel pain in any part of their Body, they fay that the Devil fits in the fame. 

 They acknowledge that there refides a God above the Stars, but troubles not him- 

 felf with what the Devil doth on Earth, becaufe he continually recreates himfclf 

 with a mod beautiful Goddefs, whofe original is unknown.: She on a certain time 

 (fay they) defcended from Heaven into the Water, (for before the Creation all 

 things were Water) into which (he had inftantly funk, had not the Earth arofe un» 

 der her Feet, which grew immediately to fuch a bignefs, that there appear'd a 

 World of Earth, which produced all forts of Herbs and Trees ; whilft the Goddefs 

 taking to her felf a Hart,Bear,and Wolf, and Conceiving by them, (he was not lor^g 

 after delver'd of feveral Beads at one time : and from thence proceeded not onely 

 the diverfity of Beads, but alfo Men, of which fomeare black, white, or fallow; 

 in nature fearful like a Hart, or cruel and valiant like a Bear, or deceitful like 

 Wolves: after this the Mother of all things afcended up to Heaven again, and 

 fported there with the Supream Lord, whom they fay they know not, becaufe they 

 never faw him : wherefore they fhall have lefs to anfwer for than Qmfi\ans y which 

 pretend to know him to be the Puniflier of things both good and bad, which are 

 daily committed by them : and for this ridiculous Opinion they can hardly be 

 brought to embrace the Qjriflian Faith. 



Concerning the Souls of the Deceafed, they believe, that thofe which have been 

 good in their life-time, live Southward in a temperate Countrey,where they enjoy 

 all manner of pleafure and delight -, when as the Wicked wander up and down in a 

 miferable Condition. The Eccho which refounds from the Cries of wild Beads in 

 the Night, they fuppofe to be the Spirits of Souls tranfmigrated into wicked 

 Bodies. 



At their Cantica's y or Dancing-Matches, where all Perfons that come are freely 

 Entertained, it being a Fedival time, Their Cudom is when they Dance, for the 



Spectator 



i7# 



i 



■ 



Council- a' 

 fembly. 



Rcligioiij 



Diabolical 

 Worfliip. 



Their.ridicu- 

 lous Opinion 

 of God. 



As alfo of the 

 Creation; 



Of the Im- 

 mortality of 

 the Soul, j 



Their CdniL 

 cas.,- or D'aa- 

 cing. 



