( *5& ) 



There is nothing in which thefe barbarians car- 

 ry their fuperftition to a more extravagant length, 

 than in what regards dreams ; but they vary great- 

 ly in their manner of explaining themfelves on this 

 point. Sometimes it is the reasonable foul which 

 ranges abroad, whilft the fenfitive foul continues 

 to animate the body. Sometimes it is the familiar 

 genius, who gives falutary council with refpecf. to 

 what is going to happen. Sometimes it is a vifk 

 made by the foul of the object of which he 

 dreams. But in whatever manner the dream is 

 conceived, it is always looked upon as a thing fa- 

 cred, and as the moft ordinary way in which the 

 gods make known their will to men. 



Filled with this idea, they cannot conceive how 

 we ihould pay no regard to them. For the moft 

 part they look upon them either as a denre of the 

 foul infpired by fome genius, or an order from him ; 

 and in confequence of this principle, they hold it a 

 religious duty to obey them 5 and an Indian ha- 

 ving dreamed of having a finger cut off, had it 

 really cut off" as foon as he awoke, after having 

 prepared himfelf for this important action by a 

 feaft. Another having dreamed of being prifoner 

 and in the hands of his enemies, was much at a lofs 

 what to do he confuited the jugglers, and by 

 their advice, caufed himfelf to be tied to a poft and 

 burnt in federal parts of the body. 



There are happy and unhappy dreams. For 

 in (la nee, to dream of feeing a great number of 

 elks is, fay they, a fign of life ; but to dream of 

 feeing bears, denotes that the party is foon to die. 

 I have already faid, that we muft except thofe times 

 in which they prepare themfelves for the hunting 



