SWAMPY CONJURORS. 



113 



The heathen Muskegs or Swampys address their in- 

 vocations to the Evil Spirit, but they acknowledge the 

 existence of a Supreme and Good Being. The Bishop 

 of Eupert's Land had an opportunity of witnessing the 

 idolatrous worship of the conjurors of the Swampys on the 

 Lower Winnipeg in 1852. He describes the scene in the 

 following words : — " There were two or three tents. I 

 entered the largest, and there found the son of Wassa- 

 cheese sitting in solitary state. I was about to sit down 

 where I saw some articles expanded, and where at first I 

 thought he had prepared a seat for me ; but I found, on 

 a second look, that these were the idols of the chamber 

 of imagery, the instruments of his art as conjurer, and 

 the feast spread out for spirits. I asked him to explain 

 his magic art, which he said he would if I would give 

 him some flour. I gave him instead a little tobacco, and 

 then heard his tale. He showed me, as a special favour, 

 that which gave him his power — a bag with some red- 

 dish powder in it. He allowed me to handle and smell 

 this mysterious stuff, and pointed out two little dolls or 

 images which, he said, gave him authority over the souls 

 of others ; it was for their support that flour and water 

 were placed in small birch-rind saucers in front. . 

 The altar was raised a little on some Indian matting, and 

 on it, ranged in order, the bags and images and all the 

 instruments of his craft. 0 what is man without the 

 grace of God ! " * 



At Islington there are now (1857) five houses, besides 

 the mission-house and a school-house, which is used as a 

 chapel. With the exception of the hill of drift clay, on 

 which the Mission is situated, the country is wholly gra- 

 nitic in the immediate neighbourhood, and resembles the 



VOL. I. 



The Net in the Bay, p. 19. 

 I 



