2^4 Hijîorîcal Journal of 



the Feafls, which I have juft mentioned ; that they begin by 

 giving Thanks to the Spirits for the Succefs of the Chace ; af- 

 terwards another takes a Loaf of Petuny breaks it in two, and 

 throws it into the Fire. This is certain, that thofe who have men- 

 tioned them as a Proof of the FofTibility of Atheifniy properly fo 

 called, are not acquainted with them. It's true that they never 

 difcourfe about Religion, and that their extreme Indolence on this 

 Point has always been the greateft Obftacle we have met with iq 

 converting them to Chriftianity. But however little they dif- 

 courfe about it, we fhould do wrong to conclude from thence 

 that they have no Idea of God. 



Indolence is their prevailing Charader : It appears even in 

 the Affairs which concern them moft : But in Spite of this Fault, 

 in Spite even of that Spirit of Independence in which they are 

 bred, no People in the World have a greater Dependence on the 

 confufed Ideas they have preferved of the Deity ; even to that De- 

 gree, that they attribute nothing to Chance, and that they draw 

 'Omens from every Thing ; which they believe, as I have faid 

 before, are Notices from Heaven. 



I have read in fome Memoirs, that many Nations of this Con- 

 Feâals amon ^^"^^^ ^^ve formerly had young Maids, who 

 ejta s among never had any Converfation with Man, ^nd 

 the bavâmes, -it -^l 



^ never married. I can neither warrant, nor 



€ontradi6l this Fad.- Virginity is of itfelf a State fo perfedt, 

 that it is no Wonder it has been refpeéled in all the Countries 

 of the World: But our oldeil MifTionaries have faid nothing, , 

 that I know of, of thefc VeJdals ; though many agree concern- 

 ing the Efteem they had for Celibacy in fome Countries. I 

 find alfo, that among the Hurons and the Ircquois there were, 

 not long fince, a Kind of Hermits, who obferved Continence ; 

 and they fhew us fome very falutary Plants, which the Savages 

 fay have no Virtue, if they are not adminillered by Virgin Hands. 

 The Belief the beft ellablilhed amongft owx Americans ^ is that 

 neirThou ks Immortality of the Soul. Neverthe- 



/ oug s lefs they do not believe it purely fpiritual, 

 @f the Immortality ,i ^i • r> *• « j / r ..u 



cf the Soul no more than their Genii; and to Ipeak the 



^ * Truth, they cannot well define either one 



or the other. When we afk what they think of their Souls, 

 they anfwer, they are as it were the Shadows, and the animated 

 Images of the Body : And 'tis in Confequence of this Princi- 

 ple, that they believe every Thing is animated in the Univerfe. 

 Therefore it is entirely by Tradition that they hold that our 

 Souls do not die. In the different ExprefTions they ufe to ex- 

 plain themfelves on this Subject, they often confound the Soul 

 with its Faculties, and the Faculties with their Operations^ 



thougli^ 



