( '47 ) 



tafies ; and as chance alone, if we would hot af- 

 cribe fome fliare of it to the devil, caufes them to 

 divine or conjecture fome times pretty right, they 

 acquire by this means great credit, and are be- 

 lieved to be genii of the firft order. 



As foon as it has been declared to a child 

 what he is thence forward to regard as his pro- 

 tecting genius, they inftruct him with great cafe 

 in the obligation he owes him, to honour him* 

 to follow the council he fhall receive from him in 

 fleep, to merit his favour, to place in him his 

 whole confidence, and to dread the effect of his 

 difpleafure ihould he neglect to acquit himfelf of 

 his duty to him. This folemnity ends with' a 

 feaft, and the cuflom is likewife to prick on the 

 body of the child the figure of his O K K I, or 

 M A N I T O U. It would feem that fo folemn an 

 engagement, the mark of which can never be ef- 

 faced, ought to be inviolable ; a very fmall matter 

 is however fufficient to break it. 



The Indians are not eafily brought to cdnfefs 

 themfelves in the wrong, even to their gods them- 

 felveSj and make no manner of difficulty in j unifying 

 themfelves at their expence : thus whenever they are 

 under the neceffity either of condemning them- 

 felves or their tutelar, the blame is always thrown 

 upon the latter, and they apply to another with- 

 out any ceremony, only obferving the fame rights 

 as to the former : The women have alfo their Ma- 

 nitous, or Okkis, but are far from paying them 

 the fame refpect with the men, perhaps from their 

 giving them lefs employment. 



To all thefe genii are offered different forts of 

 offerings, or if you will facrifices. They throw 

 into the rivers and lakes tobacco or birds, which 



L 2 have 



