Traveh in North Jmerka. 271 



tKe Company prefent, defiring them to pull up this Piece of 

 Wood ; and as no Perfon can fcarce ever accomplifh it, tiiey ne- 

 ver fail to fay it is the Pevil that holds it ; then, feigning to 

 ftab this pretended Devil, they loofe the Wood by little and little, 

 by raking the Earth round about it ; after which they draw it up 

 with Eafe, and all prefent cry out, Fiélory / To ihis W ood there is 

 faftened underneath a little Bone, or fome fuch Thing, which 

 they did not fee at firil ; and the Quacks making the People 

 prefent obferve it, cry out, T/pts ^vas the Caufe of the Diftem- 



per ; ^as riecejfary to kill the Deuil to get it.'*'* 



This Farce lafteth four or five Hours, at the End of which the 

 Do6lor wants Reil and Refrefhment : He goes away, afluring 

 the Patient that he will infallibly recover, if the DiPcemper 

 has not got the upper Hand ; that is to fay, if the Devil, be- 

 fore his Retreat, has not already given him a mortal Wound. 

 But how is the Do6lor to know this ? He pretends to know 

 it by Dreams ; but he .takes fpecial' Care not to fpeak plainly 

 till he fees what Turn the Diftemper is like to take. Whea 

 he judgeth it is incurable, he retires, and after his Example 

 every Body forfakes the fick Perfon. If after three Days he 

 is ftill alive, the Deuil (faith the Dodor) is refohved he Jhall 



not recover, aitd "will not let him die : We 7nujl cut of Charity put 



an End to his SufferinosJ*^ Immediately the deareft Friends of 

 the Patient fetch cold Water, and pour on his Face till he 

 e'xpireth. The Delufion is fuch, that many Thanks are re- 

 turned to the Doélor, with a confiderable Reward. 



Some Nations of the South have Maxims that are entirely the 

 Reverfe : They never pay the Doélor till after the Cure, If 

 the Patient dies, the Dodor is in Banger of Lis Life. Accord- 

 ing to the Iroquois^ every Diftemper is a DeilrG of the Soul^ and 

 Death is the Ccnfequence of not accompliihing the Defire. 



I make an End, Madam, becaufe tlie Article of the Dead 

 would carry me too far, and every Thing is getting ready for 

 my Journey. In all Probability I fhall foon have Lelfure to 

 write to you again ; bat you will not hear from me. the focner on 

 this Account; for from hence to xh^ Illinois there is no Like- 

 lihood that I fnall find any Opportunity of fending yon my 

 Letters ; fo that if I v/rite any before I arrive there, you will re- 

 ceive them as late as if I wrote them from that Country. 



' / am, êzC. 



. ^^"^ 



9 



LETTER 



