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They all fell to counterfeit the madman, crying 

 with all their might, that they had animals in their 

 bellies, but added, that they were unwilling to 

 throw themfelves into the river in order to dif- 

 lodge them, on account of the cold and that they 

 thought fweating a much better way. Our hypo- 

 condriac found this propofal excellent ; a ftove was 

 immediately creeled, into which they all entered 

 with loud cries, every one endeavouring to coun- 

 terfeit the cry of the animal he pretended to 

 have in his belly, one a goofe, another a duck, a 

 third a buftard, and a fourth a frog the dream- 

 er alfo counterfeited the cry of a racoon. But what 

 is really ridiculous is, that all the reft beat meafure, 

 ftriking with all their might upon his fhoulders, 

 with defign to fatigue him, and caufe him to fall 

 afleep. To any other than an Indian, he had what 

 was fuflicient to hinder him from doling his eyes 

 for feveral days *, they however fucceeded in what 

 they intended. The patient flept long, and at his 

 waking found him felf perfectly cured, being neither 

 fenfible of the fweating which mud have exhaufted 

 him, nor of the blows and bruifes which he had re- 

 ceived, and having loft the remembrance even of 

 the very dream which had coft him fo dear. 



But i; is not only he who dreams that is to fa- 

 tisfy the obligations, he believes he is laid under 

 by the dream : it would be a crime* in any perfon 

 to refufe him, what he has defired in his dream, 

 and you may very well judge, Madam, with what 

 coniequences this is likely to be attended* But as 

 the Indians are not much governed by felf-intereft, 

 this principle is attended with lefs abufe than it 

 would be any where elfe ; and befides, every one 

 may ufe it in his turn. If the thing defired happen 

 to be of fuch a nature as not to be capable of being 



fu mimed 



