16^ 



SUPEllSTITIOXS. 



Some say that the stars are old Indians ; that the milky 

 way is the field where the old Indians hunt ostriches, and that 

 the Magellan clouds are the feathers of the ostriches which 

 they kill. They have an opinion that the creation is not yet 

 exhausted ; nor all of it yet come out to the daylight of this 

 upper world. The wizards, beating their drums, and rattling 

 their hide-bags full of shells, or stones, pretend to see into 

 other regions under the earth. Each wizard is supposed to 

 have familiar spirits in attendance, who give supernatural in- 

 formation, and execute the conjuror's will. They believe that 

 the souls of their wizards, after death, are of the number of 

 these demons, called Valichu, to whom every evil, or unplea- 

 sant event is attributed. 



" Their religious worship is entirely directed to the powers 

 of evil ; except in some particular ceremonies made use of in 

 reverence to the dead. 



" To perform their worship they assemble together in the 

 tent of the wizard, who is shut up from the sight of the rest 

 in a corner. In this seclusion he has a small drum, one or two 

 round calabashes or bags of dry hide, with small sea shells in 

 them, and some square bags of painted hide in which he keeps 

 his spells. He begins the ceremony by making a strange noise 

 with his drum and rattle-bags ; after which he feigns a fit, or 

 struggle with the evil spirit, who it is then supposed has 

 entered into him ; keeps his eyes turned up, distorts his face, 

 foams at the mouth, screws up his joints, and, after many vio- 

 lent and distorting motions, remains stiif and motionless, resem- 

 bling a man seized with an epilepsy. After some time he 

 comes to himself, as having overcome the demon's influence ; 

 next he feigns, behind his screen, a faint, shrill, mournful 

 voice, as of the evil spirit, who, by this dismal cry, is sup- 

 posed to acknowledge himself subdued ; and then the wizard, 

 from a kind of tripod, answers all questions that are put to him. 



" Whether his answers are true or false, is of very little 

 consequence ; because, if his intelhgence should prove false, it 

 is the fault of the demon, or Valichu. On all these occasions 

 the wizard is well paid. 



