52 - 
THE HISTORY OF 
with snow, and nothing is to be seen upon the trees but icicles. All the peo- 
ple are hungry, yet have not a morsel of any thing to eat, except a bitter kind 
of potato, that gives them the dry gripes, and fills their whole .body with 
loathsome ulcers, that stink, and are insupportably painful. Here all the wo- 
men are old and ugly, having claws like a panther, with which they fly upon 
the men that slight their passion. For it seems these haggard old furies are 
intolerably fond, and expect a vast deal of cherishing. They talk much, and 
exceedingly shrill, giving exquisite pain to the drum of the ear, which in that 
place of torment is so tender, that every sharp note wounds it to the quick. 
At the end of this path sits a dreadful old woman on a monstrous toad-stool, 
whose head is covered with rattle-snakes instead of tresses, with glaring 
white eyes, that strike a terror unspeakable into all that behold her. This 
hag pronounces sentence of woe upon all the miserable wretches that hold 
up their hands at her tribunal. After this they are delivered over to huge 
turkey-buzzards, like harpies, that fly away with them to the place above 
mentioned. Here, after they have been tormented a certain number of years, 
according to their several degrees of guilt, they are again driven back into 
this world, to try if they will mend their manners, and merit a place the next 
time in the regions of bliss. This was the substance of Bearskin’s religion, 
and was as much to the purpose as could be expected from a mere state of 
nature, without one glimpse of revelation or philosophy. It contained, however, 
the three great articles of natural religion : the belief of a God; the moral 
distinction betwixt good and evil; and the expectation of rewards and 
punishments in another world. Indeed, the Indian notion of a future happi- 
ness is a little gross and sensual, like Mahomet’s paradise. But how can it 
be otherwise, in a people that are contented with Nature as they find her, and 
have no other lights but what they receive from purblind tradition 1 
14th. There having been great signs of rain yesterday evening, we had 
taken our precautions in securing the bread, and trenching in our tent. ‘The 
men had also stretched their blankets upon poles, pent-house fashion, against 
the weather, so that nobody was taken unprepared. It began to fall heavily 
about three o’clock in the morning, and held not up till near noon. Every 
thing was so thoroughly soaked, that we laid aside all thoughts of decamping 
that day. This gave leisure to the most expert of our gunners to go and. try 
their fortunes, and they succeeded so well, that they returned about noon 
with three fat deer, and four wild turkeys. Thus Providence took care of us, 
and however short the men might be in their bread, it is certain they had 
meat at full allowance. The cookbry went on merrily all night long, to keep 
the damps from entering our pores ; and in truth the impressions of th^ air 
are much more powerful upon empty stomachs. In such a glut of provisions, 
a true woodsman, when he has nothing else to do, like our honest country- 
men the Indians, keeps eating on, to avoid the imputation of idleness ; though, 
in a scarcity, the Indian will fast with a much better grace than they. They 
can subsist several days upon a little rockahominy, which is parched Indian 
corn reduced to powder. This they moisten in the hollow of their hands 
with a little water, and it is hardly credible how small a quantity of it will 
support them. It is true they grow a little lank upon it, but to make them- 
selves feel full, they gird up their loins very tight with a belt, taking up a hole 
every day. With this slender subsistence they are able to travel very long 
journeys; but then, to make themselves amends, when they do meet with 
better cheer, they eat without ceasing, till they have ravened themselves into 
another famine. 
This was the first time we had ever been detained a whole day in our 
camp by the rain, and therefore had reason to bear it with the more patience. 
