ACCOUNT OF THE INDIANS. 299 



have only a very confused and limited idea of the 

 existence of a Supreme Being, the maker and 

 governour of the world, or of the devil or any 

 evil spirit ; and they, therefore, neither worship 

 the former nor fear the latter. But they believe, 

 as it has been already observed, in the immortal- 

 ity of the soul, and think when it leaves its pres- 

 ent body, it goes into the bowels of the earth, 

 where, they suppose it will be more happy 

 than when an inhabitant of its surface. But 

 they seem to have no idea of future rewards or 

 punishments, in consequence of any thing which 

 they may have done, while resident on earth. 

 And whether the soul will be furnished with 

 another body, when it leaves that which it ani- 

 mated on earth, they say they cannot tell, it being, 

 as they add, beyond their comprehension. They 

 firmly believe, however, that a departed soul can, 

 if it pleases, come back to the earth, in a hu- 

 man shape or body, in order to see his friends, 

 who are still alive. Therefore, as they are about 

 to set fire to the pile of wood, on which a corpse 

 is* laid, a relation of the deceased person stands 

 at his feet, and asks him if he will ever come 

 back among them. Then the priest or magician, 

 with a grave countenance, stands at the head of 

 the corpse, and looks through both his hands on 

 its naked breast, and then raises them toward 



