82 
AMERICANS. 
which has lost a relation, prepares to retaliate on that of the offender, 
They^often kill the murderer ; and when this happens, the kindred of 
the last person slain, look upon themselves to be as much injured, 
and to have the same right to vengeance, as the other party. In 
general, however, the offender absents himself, and the friends send 
compliments of condolence to those of the person that has been mur- 
dered. The head of the family at length appears with a number of 
presents, the delivery of which he accompanies with a formal speech. 
The whole ends, as usual, in mutual feastings, songs, and dances. If 
the murder is committed by one of the same family or cabin, that 
cabin has the full right of judgment within itself, either to punish the 
guilty with death, or to pardon him, or to give some recompense to 
the wife or children of the slain. Instances of such a crime, however, 
very seldom happens; for their attachment to those of the same 
family is remarkably strong, and is said to produce such friendship 
as may vie with the most celebrated in real or fabulous antiquity. 
i 
Superstitions. 
The chief ingredient in the character of the Americans, is their 
propensity for war, which gives a strong bias to their religion. Are- 
koni, or the god of battle, is revered by them as the great god of 
the Indians. Him they constantly invoke before they go out into the 
field, and according as his disposition is more or less favourable to 
them, they conclude that they will be more or less successful. Some 
nations worship the sun and moon ; among others there, are num- 
bers of traditions, relative to the creation of the world and the history 
of the gods, traditions which resemble the Grecian fables, but which 
are still more absurd and inconsistent. But religion is not the pre- 
vailing character of the Indians ; and except when they have some 
immediate occasion for the assistance of their gods, they pay them no 
sort of W'orship. 
Like all rude nations, however, they are strongly addicted to super- 
stition. They believe in the existence of a great number of good and 
bad genii or spirits, who interfere in the affairs of moitals, and produce 
all their happiness or misery. It is from the evil genii in particular 
that our diseases proceed, and it is to the good genii we are indebted 
for a cure. The ministers of the genii are the jugglers, who are also 
the only phisicians among the savages. These jugglers are supposed 
to be inspired by the good genii, most commonly in their dreams, with 
the knowledge of future events; they are called in to the assistance 
of the sick, and are supposed to be informed by the genii whether 
they will get over the disease, and in what way they must be treated. 
But these spirits are extremely simple in their system of physic, and, 
in almost every disease, direct the juggler to the same remedy. The 
patient is enclosed in a narrow cabin, in the midst of which is 
a red stone pot ; on this they throw water, until he is well soaked with 
the warm vapour and his own sweat. Then they hurry him from this 
bagnio, and plunge him suddenly into the next river. This coarse 
method, which costs many their lives, often performs very extraordinary 
cures. The jugglers have likewise the use of some specifics of won- 
derful efficacy ; and all the savages are dexterous in curing wounds 
