Travels in North Jmerîca» 251 



even nothing in Nature that hath not its Spirit, if we believe the 

 Savages ; but they are of all Degrees, and have not the fame 

 Power. When they do not comprehend a Thing, they aflign 

 to it a fuperior Genius, and their Way of Exprelfion in this Cafe 

 is to fay, // is a Spirit, It is the fame for ftronger Reafons with 

 Refped to Men, thofe who have fingular Talents, or who do ex- 

 traordinary Things, they fay are Spirits ; that is to fay y they 

 have a Guardian Genius of a more exalted Degree than Men 

 in general. 



Some, efpecially the Jugglers, endeavour to perfuade the 

 Multitude that they are fometimes in a Trance. This Madnefs 

 has exifted at all Times, and among all Nations, and has given 

 Birth to all the falfe Religions. The Vanity, which is fo natural 

 to Mankind, has never imagined a more effectual Method to 

 j-ule over the Weak : The Multitude at laft draw after them 

 thofe who pride themfelves moft in their Wifdom. The Ameri- 

 €a?t Impoftors are not behind-hand with any in this Point, and 

 they know how to obtain all the Advantages from it which they 

 propofe. The Jugglers never fail to publifh, that during their 

 pretended Extacies, their Genii give them great Informations of 

 Things done at the greateft Dillance, and of future Events ; and 

 as by Chance, if we will not allow the Devil any Share in it, 

 they fometimes happen to divine or guefs pretty right, they 

 acquire by this a great Reputation : They are reckoned Genii of 

 the firft Order. 



As foon as they have declared to a Child what he mull for 

 Sometim'^s the Time to come^ook upon as his Guardian 



chan^^thir GeriU tîiey^tnîfrud him carefully of the 



mid^oh ^ * Obligation he is under to honour him, to 



n <wjy. follow the Council he fhail receive from him 



in his Sleep, to merit his Favours, to put all his Truft in him, 

 and to dread the EfFeéls of his Anger if he negleds his Duty 

 towards him. The Feflival terminates in a Feaft, and the Cuf- 

 tom is alfo to prick on the Body of the Child, the Figure of his 

 Okki, or his Manitou. One would imagine that fuch a folemn 

 Engagement, the Mark of which can never be effaced, fliould 

 he inviolable ; neverthelefsj there needs only a Trifle to break 

 it. 



The Savages do not eafdy acknowledge themfelves in the 

 Wrong, even with their Gods, and make no Difficulty to juftify 

 themfelves at their Expence : Therefore, the firft Time they have 

 Occafion to condemn themfelves, or to lay the Blame on their 

 Guardian Genius, the Fault always falls on the latter. They 

 feek another without any Ceremony, and this is done with the 

 fame Precautions as at firfl. The Women have alfo their Mani- 

 tQMh or their Okkis^ but they do not fo much regard them as the 



Kk ^ Men; 



