THE DIVIDING LINE 
61 
off in that solitary place, and .were informed that the bears are so discreet as 
not to trust their unwieldy bodies on the smaller limbs of the tree, that would 
not bear their weight; but after venturing as far as is safe, which they can 
judge to an inch, they bite off the end of the branch, which falling down, 
they are content to finish their repast upon the ground. In the same cautious 
manner they secure the acorns that grow on the weaker limbs of the oak. 
And it must be allowed that, in these instances, a bear carries instinct a great 
way, and acts more reasonably than many of his betters, who indiscreetly 
venture upon frail projects that will not bear them. 
1 3th. This being Sunday, we rested from our fatigue, and had leisure to re- 
flect on the signal mercies of Providence. 
The great plenty of meat wherewith Bearskin furnished us in these lonely 
woods made us once more shorten the men’s allowance of bread, from five to 
four pounds of biscuit a week. This was the moie necessary, because we 
knew not yet how long our business might require us to be out. 
In .the afternoon our hunters went forth, and returned triumphantly with 
three brace of wild turkeys. They told us they could see the mountains dis- 
tinctly from every eminence, though the atmosphere was so thick with smoke 
that they appeared at a greater distance than they really were. 
In the evening we examined our friend Bearskin, concerning the religion of 
his country, and he explained it to us, without any of that reserve to which 
his nation is subject. He told us he believed there was one supreme God, 
who had several subaltern deities under him. And that this m.aster God made 
the world a long time ago. That he told the sun, the moon, and stars, their 
business in the beginning, which they, with good looking after, have faithfully 
performed ever since. That the same Power that made all things at first has 
taken care to keep them in the same method and motion ever since. He be- 
lieved that God had formed many worlds before he formed this, but that those 
worlds either grew old and ruinous, or were destroyed for the dishonesty of 
the inhabitants. That God is very just and very good — ever well pleased with 
those men who possess those god-like qualities. That he takes good people 
into his safe protection, makes them very rich, fills their bellies plentifully, 
preserves them from sickness, and from being surprised or overcome by their 
enemies. But all such as tell lies, and cheat those they have dealings with, 
he never fails to punish with sickness, poverty and hunger, and, after all that, 
suffers them to be knocked on the head and scalped by those that fight against 
them. He believed that after death both good and bad people are conducted 
by a strong guard into a great road, in which departed souls travel together 
for some time, till at a certain distance this road forks into two paths, the one 
extremely level, and the other stony and mountainous. Flere the good are 
parted from the bad by a flash of lightning, the first being hurried away to 
the right, the other to the left. The right hand road leads to a charming 
warm country, where the spring is everlasting, and every month is May ; and 
as the year is always in its youth, so are the people, and particularly the wo- 
men are bright as stars, and never scold. That in this happy climate there 
are deer, turkeys, elks, and buffaloes innumerable, perpetually fat and gentle, 
while the trees are loaded with delicious fruit quite throughout the four sea- 
sons. That the soil brings forth corn spontaneously, without the curse of la- 
bour, and so very wholesome, that none who have the happiness to eat of it 
are ever sick, grow old, or die. Near the entrance into this blessed land sits 
a venerable old man on a mat richly woven, who examines strictly all that 
are brought before him, and if they have behaved well, the guards are order- 
ed to open the crystal gate, and let them enter into the land of delight. The 
left hand path is very rugged and uneven, leading to a dark and barren coun- 
try, where it is always winter. The ground is the whole year round covered 
