ACCOUNT OF THE INDIANS. 



367 



ceremonies, many of which are probably unmean- 

 ing. 



Some Indians make a promise to the Master 

 of Life, that they will make a feast every spring 

 during a certain number of successive years, 

 if their lives are spared ; and they religiously 

 fulfil such vows. 



Some of their feasts are designed to propitiate 

 the evil spirit, as are nearly all the sacrifices 

 which they make of their property. Sometimes 

 in an open enclosure, on the bank of a river or 

 lake, they make large sacrifices of their property. 

 They choose a conspicuous situation, that those 

 who pass by, may be induced to make their offer- 

 ings. If any of the tribe that makes these offer- 

 ings, or even a stranger who is passing these pla- 

 ces, should be in urgent want of any thing which 

 has been deposited as an offering, he is allowed to 

 take it, by replacing it with another article which 

 he can spare, though of inferiour value ; but to 

 take wantonly any of those devoted articles, is 

 considered as sacrilege. 



There are also certain large rocks and caves, 

 which they never pass without leaving at them 

 some trifling articles ; for they suppose that they 

 are the habitations of some good or evil spirits. 

 Indeed they think that almost every lake, river 



