Chapter VI: Part 1: {1} Introductory Remarks (3)

He ceased, began to talk with us and saying he was
afraid it would not _answer_. Thus he did three times,
and the bark moved every time with the same violence.
Now he desired, in the beginning, that if his _familiar_
would have compassion on him, he would render these three
moose foolish that they might not be possessed of their
usual cunning.

The next day we went out, the old man, his son and myself,
a hunting. We were hungry; we walked till late in the day,
and finding no tracks, I proposed our return. But he told
me we ought to proceed, for in the low ground beyond a small
ridge then near in sight of us we may perhaps find some
tracks. "I am never deceived when I am answered (my bark
dances)."

We soon reached this low ground and shortly after heard a
noise: jumping, running, and breaking of sticks. "Ah! Here
they are!" said the old man. "See how their _head_ is turned!
What a noise they make, how they play. They are foolish."

We killed them all. If you doubt me, ask any of the Indians,
and see if they won't all tell you that _he_ does so when he
wants to kill.

[As Love Potions (Baptiste's Stories)]

Another story: for _love potions_ or philters are also composed of this.

There were several young men (half-breeds) of us together, and
also some young women who came with us to await the arrival of
their husbands from Fort William at _that_ place. Two of our party
wanted to pay them a _visit_ in the night. And I endeavoured to
dissuade them, but to no purpose. They went, and met with the
reception I foretold. They began bawling out, and on purpose,
to awake every one near and shame us, for we were lodging by
ourselves. And then [they] took good cudgels and pursued them
into our place. _We_ enjoyed this confusion of the others though
partly at our own expense.

One of them then addressed me. "Come Baptiste, this _bitch_ has
vexed me. I know you have _good medicine_. Give me some of it that
I may laugh at her in my turn." (I must tell you that one of them
I have known many years back was, and is still, a _bitch_--i.e.
according the Indian acceptation (as well as our own) of the term.
And the man is the same one I mentioned little above, at the
conclusion and beginning of pp. 30 and 31.)

I gave him some with the _directions_. He returned again very
soon after (in the same night) [and] found her asleep. He
then rubbed her forehead, opposite her heart, the _pit_ of the
stomach, and the palms of both hands. Then he awoke her. The
next day as my comrades were desirous of revenging themselves,
they broached the conversation publicly and had the laugh in
their turn. The women had the _best_ at the offset, but as they
could not deny the other charges, they became extremely
confused and vexed. A quarrel ensued, but my comrads
exultingly told them, "We can turn and twist you _now_ about
our fingers as we please!" And {33} they did too. For the
women both _giving suck_ at that time, thought it was their
children that were handling them, as they used but _one_
finger, and gently.

The other story is thus.

A man that I have with me at present, in consequence of some
_slips_ of his _rib_, had frequent and some severe quarrels with
her. She began to hate him and wanted to go with her
_paramour_. The husband though vexed and confused _did not want_
to lose her. He began by soothing, coaxing, and caressing her.
But she always bawled out as loud as she could that everybody
might hear, though it were at midnight, "Thou white dog! Leave me
alone. Why art thou fumbling at me?"

The more she became averse the more he coaxed, and she
bawling out, "Don't _slabber_ me!" every time he attempted
to kiss her. And she was watching a fair opportunity to
slip off to her lover (an Indian).

At last he lodged his complaints to me and asked if
I could not _assist_ him. I gave him some of this _medicine_
with the usual directions. And [I] told him as soon as he had
executed all properly, to come away and leave her and not
return to her for a couple of days so that in her turn she might
suffer.

He had not long left her 'till she called for him as if
wanting something. And like a goose he went immediately, though
I done all I could to make him pay her in her own coin. Since
that time they live as you see them. _But_ if you doubt of this also,
you can easily make the experiment. Chuse any one you please, and
let her be ever so coy, and shy, you will bring her as you want!!!

Shortly after this I made some general enquiries of the man
latterly in question. But he would not avow [to it], though
from his confusion and [the] precipetency with which he answered,
I believe there is _something_ in the business.

It is with this medicine (continued the half breed) that the
young men do completely and universally succeed with all the
women that please them.

[Effecting and Avoiding Spells]

With this also, principally, they succeed in bewitching any one they are averse to, and prevent them from killing such animals as they please. They draw the likeness of the animal or animals they do not chuse the others to kill, put of this medicine (though most commonly mixed with some others in this latter case) upon the hearts, and desire that they may become shy and fly off upon any the least appearance or approach of them. Or they will _conjure_ and desire some of their _familiars_, one or several, to _haunt such a one_ in all his motions and scare and frighten off and _render wise_ any _such_ and _such_ animals--and let the distance be hundreds of miles off. Their familiars, that are spirits residing in the air, and transport themselves in an instant to any place they [please], and who see all that is going on _below_, keep _all_ away accordingly.

To evade this is a task that but few can succeed in. They must first conjure to learn who it is that has bewitched them. Then they inquire what is to be done. But here lies the difficulty. Sometimes they are told they _must_ leave the appointed time run out; at others [perform] such and such ceremonies, which is tantamount to the first answer; but at others again, it is easily dispelled. This {34} depends entirely upon the precautions the _bewitcher_ has taken; the power, influence, or number of his dreamed; as also on the other hand, the dreamed, their power; [and on the] influence of the _bewitched_. But sometimes on a very slight or trivial cause depends the whole.

[Dealing with Spells on Firearms]

[The Old Canadian's Account]

I shall tell you another story. An old Canadian I have now with me has been in the habit of _living-free_ for many years back. In the beginning of a winter he was tenting with some Indians, and one of them, an impertinent, bombastic sort of character, was boasting to him of the great power and effect of some medicines and a drum he had lately received from a Sauteux.

For some time I did not mind him, but finding he became
at last troublesome, and insinuating as plainly as he
durst that _he_ was now invulnerable, or rather immortal,
and that _we_ were helpless, a quarrel ensued 'till at
last, "I fxxt. upon your medicines and drum and the one
also who gave them to you!" said I.

We seperated in no good friendship. At night he made a
feast and invited me amongst the rest with the design of
poisoning me. But his friends remonstrated so effectually
that he put this off and intended shooting me going out of
the lodge. But this also the others would not allow. He
was vexed. I kept my eye upon him, determined I should
give the first blow on the least motion he might make.
Finding himself prevented in these, he said that I indeed
should kill two moose, but that the rest of the year I
should starve as a dog.

I seperated next day with my wife and children. They were
under great apprehensions, but I mocked all their conjurings.
I very shortly killed two moose, but these indeed were the
last. I walked and hunted every day. And seldom one day
passed but I fired at the buffaloe, moose, or some other
animal, but never got anything, anything! I and my family
were near dying with hunger.

I tried everything in my power, never giving myself the
least trouble about the Indian's menaces. At last the spring
arrived. Ducks and geese came, but no better success. At last
one day, prowling in my canoe, I met two other _free-men_,
[one of whom], after mutual inquiries, told me the same thing
had happened him. And [he said] that an Indian told him to
file off a small piece of the _muzzle_ of his gun and wash it
well with water in which _sweet-flag_ had been boiled. And
[it] killed after that as before.

I laughed at the idea. But reflecting that it was an innocent
experiment, and I could not offend the Almighty, I tried. And
the first animals I saw I immediately killed. This sir
(continued he) I assure you is a positive fact!!!

I find that the Indians have recourse to this method also. But you
must observe: as is the disease, so is the remedy.

[The Iroquois' Account]

Another story just now occurs to me which I shall relate, not so much to multiply these pretended proofs, as to show that our Iroquois, Algonquins [and others] are not such complete converts to the Christian faith as most people may complacently imagine. But rather [they] have a mongrel religion like those whom the King of Babylon sent to inhabit Samaria when he carried Reuben and Ephraim captives (in the Bible).

This winter an Iroquois {35} told me that one winter he was out a beaver hunting with many of his friends. The oldest man of their party proposed one day that a certain number of them should go out a hunting moose or buffaloe, and the others beaver. This one says:

I returned at night after a good success--the old man nothing.
He became envious, a quarrel ensued, and after this many
others. One day I fired at a moose as he was running past me.
He fell. I went to him, and just as I was for beginning to skin,
he rose up, but with my axe I brought him down. It was very far
from home. I merely opened him and returned light, trusting to
the others of our party, for I had no desire of partaking of the
dry provisions the old fellow had of his own. Immediately on
entering the lodge, we had another severe quarrel, and he told
me I should not any more exult in my prowess as he should take
care I should not kill any more animals for _some time_.

As we were coming to _knife work_, I ordered my wife to bundle
up all our things and my lodge, and pitch off. It was then late,
and I had not yet eaten. As none of my friends knew that I had
killed, I did not chuse to tell them, but merely said as I was going
off. "Let those who are fond of me, or who chuse, follow me." But
none came, and I encamped upon my moose.

Every day I went a hunting. Scarcely a week passed but I
fired twenty, thirty, and sometimes upward of fifty shots upon
buffaloe or moose but could never kill. I would _miss_, or _the ball
twisting in the hair would fall by the animal_ without doing further
injury. I starved for a long time and became so weake that I could
hardly walk.

At last my wife, a woman of this country, one day that I had
been out as usual had prepared some good strong lye, and on my
return, washed my gun with it, filled it, and stopping both the
orifices, put it over the smoke where it remained all night. She also
took a number of the balls and boiled them likewise in the lye,
telling me she had seen her uncle do so many years before when he too
had been bewitched. I thought, at all events, it could do no harm.
And besides, I could have done anything I was so hungry.

The next day I went out again [and] found another flock or herd of
near twenty buffaloe. I drew nigh and took all my usual precautions.
I fired, one dropped; [I] fired again, another dropped. I killed
fourteen out of that herd, and ever after missed not once!

I asked him how the old fellow had done [it].

He said, "I suppose it was as they frequently do: bury a piece of my meat in the ground and pray the Devil to prevent my killing. For the Iroquois, when they take it in their head, are very wicked and do not want power!"

[The Half Breed's Account]

A few days ago a half-breed abandoned with the Indians came in. And amongst his other _wantages_, [he] asked me for a small piece of (red) sealing-wax, "... because my brother cannot draw blood from the animals he fires at. By heating his gun and applying this wax the blood will flow profusely from the wounds." He expressed himself afraid that his brother might have been bewitched, and by retarding this operation he might enter _dans sa mal chance_!

{36} These few _examples_ will suffice to shew you that they have different methods of _bewitching_ and also different ways of clearing themselves. And the faith and dread they have of this is scarcely credible, and the consequences are often too uncommonly distressing.

[Stories of the Hairy Breasts and Nayhanimis]

[North Wind's Challenge] I shall now give you of the Story of the Hairy Breasts. Near the days of _Noah_, nations were few and small. Wee-suck-ā-jāāk (Noah, I shall call him for abbreviation sake) had a son, as I told you before, whose name was Nay-hân-nee-mis [Nayhanimis]. Being strait'ned for provisions, he went out to angle with some of the Hairy-Breasts. They came to a lake, pierced several holes, but the North (or North Wind, as you chuse) being envious of Nayhanimis froze the water down to the very ground so that in the deepest parts they found but earth. And after much digging, at last [they] reached the bottom. But behold that also was frozen--and who knows to what depth in the Earth!

Finding this to be the case Nayhanimis, addressed his friends thus.

I see this is the doing of the North Wind. (Now by rights
the North Wind ought to have been his maternal Grand Father--but
what cannot envy do?) He is envious of us and wants to make
us die of hunger. But he shall not! I have to propose to you
to cut off my head, rip up my body, beginning at the throat.
You must not hurt nor break any single one of my bones, but
carefully take off all the flesh, dry it, and make pounded meat
of it. Of this you must sprinkle a little in every one of the
holes. You must also _chop_ up my heart into very small pieces
and throw a few of these pieces also into each hole. Then put
in your lines, and you'll take as many fish as you please. But
my bones you must put in a heap, carefully by themselves.

Mind! Upon your faithful observance of all these commands
depends our mutual safety. The North thinks himself sole
master, and would wish to crush us because we begin to have a
little knowledge. But he shall know me!

They [did] accordingly, and accordingly also they took abundance of fish. North perceived this. He came to see, and finding himself thus frustrated, inquired how it came about. They told [him]. He challenged Nayhanimis who by this time had revived. And besides, a beautiful large feather he had sticking in his cap, or head, which none durst wear but such as have given incontestible proofs of their manhood [and] bravery. He likewise had a smoking bag of the skin of a badger. Nayhanimis accepted the challenge.

"It seems, Nayhanimis, you are a great man, a man of extraordinary power and abilities! Let us have a trial, and see which of us has the most, for I also have some knowledge."

Nayhanimis answered, "No! I have but little power. But that little I employ as much as I can to the general benefit of my fellows. Let us see what you can do, which if I cannot, then you will certainly be superior to me."

Here they performed one or two wonderful feats. But in [these] Nayhanimis had the advantage most confessedly. The North pierced his body through, and [did] another extraordinary thing I cannot well recollect. But the other [did] more and recovered not only more suddenly but more perfectly.

At last the North put a bet and said, "Let us see for this last act. I will cut off my head, and if I cannot replace and recover {37} perfectly, the same as I am at present, then my _house_ and all I have shall be yours. But if I succeed, and you cannot, then all your _possessions_ shall be mine."

Nayhanimis consented for he was secretly desirous of humiliating the self-sufficient spirit of North. They tried. North failed, but Nayhanimis completely succeeded. He deliberately severed his head from his body, put it down on the ground beside him very composedly, and then replaced it, when it became as though nothing had happened. But this was owing to the power and virtue of his _plume_ which, however, the others knew nothing of.

It appears that the North also recovered but by the assistance of his friends, of whom he had a numerous train. North was faithful to his promise. [He] gave him his house which was beautiful and spacious, but mostly underground, or at least in the side of a mountain. All [North's] friends turned out, put in Nayhanimis and gave him the full possession.

But he was no sooner in than they secured all the outlets: doors [and] windows. And [they] set it on fire to destroy one whom they found so much more powerful than themselves! Nayhanimis, finding this to be the case, was not in the least dismayed, but took his smoking bag and thus addressed it. "Now _thou_, Badger, our mutual safety depends upon thy obedience and expedition. Thou art made to pass _through_ the earth as _[quickly]_ as _upon_ it. These fools think to destroy us, but thou must show that we are superior to them."

During the conflagration they were enjoying the scene and exulting in the idea of having at last succeeded in destroying so formidable an adversary. But what was their consternation when they saw him come to them without even one hair of his head singed! They were _appalled_ with astonishment, and had not the power of utterance.

At last, recovering a little, they endeavoured to pass it off as a joke and turn it to his own advantage, by silencing at one blow the envy and malice of _all_ his enemies, pretending to be staunch friends of his. But he was not thus to be duped. Yet he showed a superiority of sentiment and generosity, equal to his powers and abilities, by giving them (though _contemptuous_ if you please) pardon. So much for this _Part_.

[Nayhanimis Wars with the Hairy Breasts]

Thus did matters pass on for yet a few years. The _Indians_ began to _multiply_ and inhabit the world. But the Hairy Breasts, a jealous, envious, and at best foolish people, could not well behold _their_ prosperity. They made _war_ upon them (the _Indians_) by stealth and destroyed numbers. Their affairs bore a most dismal aspect--[The Hairy Breasts wished for] no less than the total extinction of the whole race.

At last Nayhanimis pitched off with his wife, _her father_, and another one. There were four of them. He found a Beaver lodge. Here some of the _Hairy-Breasts_ came up with him: compliments at first, afterwards sneers, taunts and revilings--but so ambiguously [given] that no hold could be taken.

"How numerous, how many are there of ye?" inquired [one of] the Hairy Breasts.

"We are twenty of us." replied Nayhanimis;

"And so are we." rejoined the others.

Now they here entered into an arrangement that whoever found _Beaver_ for the future, it should be his own. But to avoid any wrangles, he who _found_ the Beaver should plant a stick or branch upon the lodge as a mark. On their return {38} home, each recounted to his family what he had met with in the course of the day.

"Now," said _Nayhanimis_ addressing his family, "we must take twenty beavers, one for each man of them (meaning the Hairy Breasts) and make a feast. If it turns out that we be able to eat these twenty beaver, and they not, then we shall be superior to them and have the upper hand."

The beaver were cooked accordingly. He took his _rattler_ which he shook to the tunes of his songs, performed the usual ceremonies, and they ate the whole twenty beavers with ease. Then addressing his family thus said, "These Hairy Breasts are great boasters, but cowards. They are a people of no account. Tomorrow will decide all."

The Hairy Breasts on their return did the same as Nayhanimis and cooked also twenty beavers, thinking that his band did really consist of that number. They ate, but every one was already full and yet more than three quarters of the feast remained. "Give me my rattler," said one of the oldest, "that I sing. It may happen that we find grace."

He sang and shook his rattler, but it would not sound. After frequent repeated trials to no effect, he became vexed and threw it out of doors among the dogs. "This dog of a rattler will not sound in spite of all my endeavours. But hold! Hear how it rattles now that it is out. Go for it one of ye! Perhaps it was owing to some fault in me."

They brought it to him. But [it was] still as before; he threw it out again in a rage. It was no sooner out than it sounded [as] well as before. It was brought in again, but as before, again. Then he threw it out for good, vexed and disappointed to the utmost degree. But his friends were not pleased. They considered this a portentious omen and his behavior foolish, and by no means calculated to reconcile their _Deities_ to them. He comforted them by telling them, "The numbers of the adverse party must be few. Otherwise we had surely been able to _eat_ the whole of this feast. They are few and we _shall_ subdue them."

The next day they all pitched off. Nayhanimis came first to a beaver lodge and marked it. [He] came [to] another and marked that one also. But making a circuit, in which he hung up his bow [and] quiver in a tree at his own height, came round to the same lodges and found that the Hairy Breasts had put marks of their own and thrown his one away. Exasperated he threw theirs away and replaced his. And [he] made another circuit, when he found the Hairy Breasts had replaced their own again. He also remarked that the Hairy Breasts had hung up their bows _in the tops of very high trees_, trusting to their numbers.

At last they met, greeted each other at first, then sneers, quarrels, a challenge and then the battle. They were to fight _man to man_.

Nayhanimis killed nineteen right out, but the twentieth had near killed him. However, this was but an accident usual in battles. He soon killed him also.

The women were coming up when, raising his voice to a pitch to be distinctly heard by all, [he] said:

Such of ye _Indian_ women as have been taken from your homes
[and] had your husbands killed, such of ye Indian women as
are willing to return to your nation, take all axes and
others arms out of the hands of these Hairy Breast women.
Seperate yourselves from them; attack {39} and destroy them
_all_. Leave not one alive to carry the news to the others.

They seperated accordingly and killed every soul.

Then he took them to his tent and [found] by their answers to his queries that there [was] still another band, not far off, consisting of forty young and two old men of the Hairy Breasts. He ordered a quantity of poles or pickets to be cut very long, and made a kind of fort of them round his own tent. And [he] gave orders to them to gather a vast quantity of snow round all the sides of it to come over the points, so that neither the pickets nor tent might be seen, and that this rising might have the appearance of a natural hill-- something in short in the form of a pit. He immediately made a number of lances, and spears and walked off in quest of his enemies.

He soon reached their camp, drew near, and found that there were but two old men. All the others were out a hunting. Here he listened to their conversation and was burning with indignation at the stories these two old men told each other of the cruelties they had done to the _Indians_. They were chuckling at this when he sprang into the tent, took each by the head and thrust their faces [into] the fire and sprang out again to listen.

One of them, returning to his senses, for they had both fainted during the ceremony, exclaimed thus, "My old friend! What is the matter with me? I lost my senses quite suddenly and now that I am come to, I feel my face quite sore and cannot see."

"It is the same with me." replied the other one

"Then it must be some evil spirit that has pounced upon us." resumed the first.

At last Nayhanimis addressed them thus:

I shall tell ye old men a story too. There were two old men
formerly seated in their tents relating to each other the
exploits of their younger days and the cruelties they
committed upon the _Indians_.

Nayhanimis was near. He pounced upon them and thrust both
their heads together into the fire. When your children
and young men be returned from their hunting, tell them
this story. In the meantime I shall return home and make
ready for them. My name is _Nayhanimis_ and I reside at
_such_ a _place_ (i.e. I am _called_, or named,
Nayhanimis ...).

The old men, as may be imagined, were thunderstruck with this and durst not say a word more. But in the evening the young men came home. They were astonished to see their fathers in such a plight.

"Children! Behold your fathers!" said they. "Had any _miscreant_ durst act in such a manner to _our_ fathers, their villany should certainly not have passed off thus. _But we are now old men and of no more account_!!!"

This last apostrophe above all the rest roused them to vengeance. They merely scraped the snow off their feet and legs and went immediately in quest of him vowing vengeance all the way of a most cruel and _exemplary_ nature.

Nayhanimis was on his guard. Every soul able to wield a weapon had one in his hand, besides an infinite number of spears and sharp stakes stuck in the ground. The Hairy Breasts came, but not perceiving the trap on account of the snow that was brought over [the] ends of the stockades, they all fell in, one upon the other, and impaled themselves in their fall on these sticks. All of them but two or three met with instantaneous death. The few that were not injured were put {40} to an excruciating but immediate death to satisfy the _manes_ of the departed _Indians_. And he proceeded immediately to the camp, killed the remaining two old men, scoffing and taunting them at the same time. Immediately after this he ordered such of the _Indian_ women as had had their husbands killed, or were taken by the Hairy Breasts, to seperate from the other women and inflict the same punishment upon them and their children as had been done to their friends.

Thus were the Hairy Breasts entirely [extirpated] merely
by their own folly and wickedness. Had they lived peaceably,
and allowed the _Indians_ to partake of the blessings of this
world without envy, as well as themselves, and to which they
had an undoubted right, they might still have been in existence.

However, there are still two nations of them, one of which is
on _your_ lands, the others, I believe beyond the seas. But they
are an insignificant and most despicable people. They pretend
to antiquity and would fain extort respect from the _moderns_
(i.e. themselves, or the Indians, _principally_). But their very
countenance, appearance, everything about them denotes folly,
and seems more to demand contempt than to call for respect. I
saw one many years back, who was brought by the traders from
somewheres on your lands. [His] face was venerable, but still
there was a meanness in the _whole_ of him that I could not
account for. I respected him, and wanted to treat him
accordingly. This is as from the stories I had heard related of
them. But the traders laughed at _us_ and asked one if I was
inclined to respect folly, insignificance, and nothing!!!

[Notes]

I have been a long time in writing these pages, and have been frequently disturbed. I have been often obliged to put by my paper after seating myself five or six times to write only one word. From such long and frequent interruptions _much_ method and correctness cannot be expected. I therefore send them to you in the form of _notes_.

[Motives for Writing the Journal]

My motives for thus employing my time and paper were first to amuse and instruct myself, but principally for your own amusement and such few friends as you may think _worthy_ of the communication. _Lend them not [out] of the house_, nor let too many see them, for I have some notion, please God I live, to digest them into form and regularity, and have them published--besides a vast many others I [propose], with God's help, collecting. But this is merely between ourselves, and immediately after perusal blot out all _this_ paragraph.

Journals [and] voyages of these people have been frequently published. But I have met with none that gives so circumstantial a detail of their private life (if I may so say) as is necessary to give that insight to their ideas and notions (and this latter term too, I think, critically speaking, cannot be applicable to them) that is required, and so much wanted, to form a proper estimate of man in his _natural_ state.

We all see them, hear them and relate of them. But where is there one who can give the _whys_ and _wherefores_ that these people do so and so? I beg you will _blot_ this last paragraph entirely out, at least the first part. And do not be premature in your condemnation or judgement of me, for I trust my motives are entirely destitute of vanity, and only the desire of truth urges me, or at least [the desire for] true and just information. G N. April 16th 1823.

{41} [Comments on Aboriginal Beliefs]

Such are the notions and ideas of these people. They acknowledge a superior power, not Wee-suck-ā-jāāk, as I was erroneously informed, _but the same _one_ you adore in the Christmas holidays_. This one they have a great respect and veneration for. But seldom it is, as far as I can learn, that they sacrifice or pray to him, make speeches, which, though extempore, _I_ consider as much prayers as though they were composed after the most deliberate and mature reflection. And many parts of them [are] so simple, plain, natural, and withal so sublime, that I frequently felt great pleasure in attending to them.

But these sentiments are so few comparitively speaking, and the absurdities so great and frequent, that few men can hear them without lamenting their ignorance. They have often seemed to me as desirous in a high degree of becoming acquainted with the true _mode_ of worshipping, from the frequent changes, even during my time, they have made in their _worshippings_. As a proof of this is the avidity with which they seize any new system introduced from their _southern_ neighbors, the short time they hold it, and how completely it is abandoned, if not entirely forgotten for another equally, if not more, absurd than the former. To introduce a new system among them, it is only necessary to report an extravagant tale of some wonderful character, the cures by _this_ means that have been performed, and such like miraculous and fantastic nonsense. But in their fundamental points I perceive no visible alteration.

[Mee-tay-wee]

The principal of these is what they call the Mee-tay-wee, a ceremony I shall compare to freemasonry. But the initiations are public. Every one that chuses comes to see them, and many are invited. Here, in the course of initiation, are ceremonies or deviltries performed that no man of his own mere dexterity or power _can_ do.

[Conjuring]

The next principal one is conjuring. This is a principle I believe as natural to man as the air he breathes (though not _so_ necessary). Everyone wishes to peep into futurity, and there are few but who would not inquire into causes could they do it, or were it not forbidden them. These two, of course, are consequences or consequents of their mythology. There are many in the civilized or Christian world who absolutely and positively deny this power of theirs as being absolutely impossible and at best [believe them] but absurd and idle stories.

[Evidence of Spirits through Conjuring Practice]

Many of the things related of these conjurings I acknowledge to be so. But at the same time I am as positively and as firmly persuaded of the truth of the assertion _that they have dealings with some supernatural spirit_, as I am convinced that I live and breathe in air. [That is] unless, indeed, we chuse to acknowledge and believe a certain sect of philosophers (of the last century I believe) who _wish_ to tell us that we _only imagine ourselves alive_. And I am by no means inclined to acknowledge myself as superstitious. I am convinced of this from reason, argument, comparison--in short, from _analysis_. Let any one man, unless he be a headstrong brute who is _determined_ beforehand not to be convinced, analyse their _discourses_, and I am confident he will believe as much as many, or have great doubts at least. To absolutely deny this, we must first deny that there is a Devil, and afterwards deny his pernicious power. {42} And if we deny these points, we must descend to a third, and [one] more fit for an atheistical wretch and a beast than a Christian, or even rational creature. I have heard some sensible and well informed gentleman deny it on the plea of their _ignorance_. But this again is _a_ basis and very solid one.

These people are still in a complete state of nature. Their ideas of the true God are far from clear or correct. They acknowledge Him indeed as the supreme and absolute master of all, but more, or rather as, a passive _deity_ [more] than as he really is. But their notions of their other deities came far more near the truth.

Their wants indeed are also few, but they are arbitrary and cannot be dispensed with, at least for any time. It is therefore very natural that they should employ their whole thoughts and most of their time in procuring these means to warding off or averting their dangers. And I do not know of any method more adapted to this than the one they pursue: fasting and sleeping to dream. And they do dream too. And many of these dreams are so complicated, or compounded of so many different things that it is absolutely beyond the power of _their_ invention to fabricate them.

Surely a man may believe his senses. A man tied, wound up in a blanket or skin equally soft. Here he is held by one, two, or three men. He slips out of the blanket and presents himself before you free, leaving the cords _untied_ in the blanket. You hear him speak, and perhaps twenty other voices besides, all at the same. Again, he is bound as a criminal, rather indeed as a pig, crumpled into a heap and thrust into his _hut_. At the very instant of his entrance, the hut shakes as if ten thousand devils were for pulling it to pieces. You enter this, find the man absent, hear a fluttering about your ears or see a vast number of small lights resting on the hoops that hold the poles together.

Immediately after you are out, you hear the man speak within again. You look again and feel for him, but hear him talking at a distance. What can this be but supernatural agency? I have never seen feats of _this_ kind, but others I have, not so _strong_, but equally convincing.

[Conjuring Ceremony for a N. W. Co. Gentleman]

I have been informed that a young half-breed, abandoned with the Indians almost from his childhood, a few years back entered one of these conjuring _huts_ at the solicitation of one of the North West gentlemen to see what retarded the people so long. Previous to his entering a great deal of conversation on the subject had been [taking place]. Matters were settled between them and the conjurer. Some time after his entrance, he began to cry (not weep) as a person uneasy. At first the voice was within, but it appeared as rising in the air, and at last was lost.

"Well!" said one of the Indians, addressing one of the half-breeds living with the white. "Well! Enter now, and see if he be there. Thou art always doubting and denying what we say of these things. Enter then, and see if he be there. Then indeed are our assertions false."

He raised the bottom of the _casement_ and entered. But as he was not below, he rose on his feet and felt for him, but [the conjurer was] not to be found. However he was _paid_ for his curiosity. There was a dreadful fluttering within, but especially about his head. His hair [was] flying about in his face as if in a tempest, and [there were] frequent appearances of small lights before his eyes whichever way he turned. He bawled out and asked those without what was the matter with him. He became afraid and _walked_ {43} out as quick as he could.

Very shortly after, they heard the same cries of pain, faintly at first, but the voice soon entered. The _conjurer_ said he was carried to where the people were. "They are all asleep, at such a place and tomorrow will be here." He said there were four (spirits) of them, that carried him off. Each held him by the _little finger_ and _little toe_!

[Stories]

I shall here relate a couple more of these stories.

[The Hunter and the Wolf Spirit]

An Indian told me that several years back he left his lodge on the borders of a large lake to go to the house for some necessaries he wanted. He took a traverse for some islands. The weather was dull but mild. A storm very soon set in. But he persevered. Thinking the wind had changed, he also changed his course. He became very much fatigued and laid down on the ice to rest himself and wait for daylight, for _the_ night had overtaken him. He was not long down before, reflecting on his situation, he became extremely uneasy and was afraid of freezing.

At last he heard a curious noise near him that he could not account for. At first his fears increased, greatly dreading it was some malignant spirit. But having no alternative he resigned himself to his fate.

And I became as composed as though I were safe. And I was
too, for an animal much resembling a wolf, and black, came up
and covered me. I was very cold, shivering in every limb, but
I soon became quite warm. He rose from off me and went on as
if inviting me to follow. His eyes appeared like two candles.
I followed.

He led me to an island where I made a fire and warmed and
dried myself. And as soon as I was rigged, I followed him,
for he went off and looked at me so earnestly I took it for
an order. He led me straight to the water hole. There
happened to be people at the time there going for water.
They saw _these_ lights and asked me what occasioned them,
or who it was that came with me. I told them it was a
compassionate spirit that retrieved me from a dreadful death.

[Pursuit by a Pahkack]

_Second_ [Story]! A young man lately told me the following.

I was returning home with my uncle when come to _that_ point,
we heard something crying behind us, "He! He! Ha! Ha!" and
whistling alternatively. My uncle told me it was a Pah-kack
(Skeleton), and [it] wanted to destroy us. It came up with
us very soon and kept constantly buzzing and whistling in
our ears so that, indeed, we were quite bewildered at last.
It was at night and dark, but we kept straight on as we
thought. We were mistaken for, after walking a long time,
we at last came to the water hole again from where we had
set off. We were both of [us] much afraid, but finding this
path, we minded it no more though it pursued us making more
and more noise the nearer we got _home_.

Many of these stories bear a great resemblance to those extravagant tales of la Béte a la Grande Queue, Loup Garoup, Chasse Galerie and many others natural to superstitious people. It requires, therefore, a great deal of caution and attention to get at the true ones. I have here _inserted_ more than I originally intended, but they will serve to give you an idea of the notions of these people, and, except a few, I have selected those that appeared most rational. _However they will all come in time_.

{44} [Wetiko]

There is a kind of disease (or distemper rather, and of the _mind_, I am fully persuaded) peculiar to the Crees and Sauteux, and of which they have the greatest dread and horror. And certainly [the fear is] not without the very greatest cause--the consequences, forty-nine times out of fifty, being death unfortunately to many besides the _subjects_ or objects themselves. They term _this_ Wen-di-go (according to the French pronunciation, which is more correct than the English, in this word)--the proper signification of which, to me at least, and no one I think can doubt it, is _Giant_ of the Anthropophagi _Genus_, sect, tribe, or kind.

The stories related of these are as extravagant and fantastic as those we read in our old romances _in the days of chivalry_. [They differ] in no one circumstance hardly but the means used in their destruction which, of course, is often done by the intervention or assistance of their guardian genii. However, there are some few more rational than those of _ours_, and though still beyond all bounds of credibility, are as devoutly believed by these poor creatures as the Gospel is by the most orthodox among us. I do not remember any of these sufficiently correctly to give you a few of the stories, one excepted.

Suffice it to say that they are of uncommon size. Goliath is an unborn infant to them. And to add to their _dread_, they are represented as possessing much of the power of magicians. Their head reaching to the tops of the highest _poplars_ (about seventy or eighty feet), they are of proportionate _size_. Of course they must be very heavy. Their gait, though grand and majestic, at every step the earth shakes. They frequently pursue their prey (_Indians_ of course) invisibly. Yet they cannot so completely divest themselves of all the incommodities of nature as to prevent their approach being known. A secret and unaccountable horror pervades the whole system of one, several, or the whole band of those of whom he is in pursuit. [There are] phenomena in the heavens [and] earth.

[Trapping a Wetiko]

In the days of _Noah_, (or near them at least) there were a
large party of _Indians_ collected together for mutual safety.
Many camps had been already destroyed by him, and the
Indians were in great danger [of] being entirely exterminated.

At last they bethought themselves of a plan. "It is needless
to go to war upon him. What can we do to him with our arms!
Let us make an immense large trap (of wood) and draw lots
[for] which of us shall serve as bait. It is a dangerous assay
indeed, but will any generous one amongst us refuse sacrificing
his life for the safety of so many?"

They made this trap on the opposite side of a small opening in
the woods, so that he might see the person seated from afar.
It was between large trees which were made to serve as
_posts_. It was finished.

An old woman stepped up and said, "My Grandchildren! I am
now old and of no more account among ye. We are all in danger
of being devoured by this insatiable and terrible beast
Why should I then regret sacrificing a life that, at best
I can now enjoy but only for a short time, seeing it will
in the end be productive of so much good? _I will go and be
bait_."

The others were extremely touched at her generosity
but they had no alternative, and circumstances admitted of no
delay. The old lady seated herself very {45} composedly in
the trap and awaited his arrival. The others fled off of
course. It was time too, for he soon _hove_ into sight, stalking
along in all the stile and terror of imperial grandeur.
His head [was] equal with the tops of the highest trees, and
the ground [was] shaking at every step, though frozen, it being
then depth of winter. And his countenance denoted an
assemblage of pity, contempt, rage and voraciousness. All
this did not dismay the old lady; she remained quiet.

He perceived her. "What! What, old woman, art thou doing there?"
But changing his tone, which he did several times, thus continued,
"Thou art of my natural enemies and I shall presently grind thee."

"Ah! my grandchild! I am an old woman, abandoned and deserted
by those whom I have suckled and brought up. They are fled
off in dread of thee, and being old and helpless, they thrust
me in this tuft of trees so as to be the less embarrassed.
Come now and assist me out, and in acknowledgement I shall
inform thee of their precautions. Otherwise thou'lt lose thy
life by their deceptions."

He was in no dread of the _Indians_, so far as regarded their
_own_ power, but he thought a little salutary advice would not
be amiss, intending after this to _grind_ the old _thing_ as he
had promised himself.

He drew up. "What a devil of a place they have put thee indeed.
Did they think to conceal thee from me?"

He stooped to enter. When she found he had entered far enough,
she touched a stick. And down came all the weights and cross
bar upon his back. Though he was uncommonly strong, the weight
and suddenness of the blow was such that he gave way and was
jammed between the two beams or bars. Here he struggled denouncing
[and calling for] vengeance and eternal destruction to the whole
of the _human_ race.

The great bellowing he made was a signal to the men who were
in ambush not far off. They came running up and soon dispatched
him with a multitude of blows from axes and chisels. Thus
were they, for _one time_, relieved. The women and children
returned to the camp and enjoyed themselves as usual without
further apprehensions.

These giants, as far as I can learn, reside somewhere about the _North Pole_. And even at this day, [they] frequently pay their unwelcome visits, but which, however, are attended with a complete fright only.

It seems also that they delegate their power to the Indians occasionally. And _this_ occasions that cannibalism which is produced or proceeds rather from a sort of distemper much resembling _maniaism_.

[Habits and Types of Wetiko]

There are three sorts or kinds that I know of, and believe there are no more. The first I have already related as above, and the two I am going to give you are sometimes _compounded_ together and sometimes _independent_. But they are both equally true and melancholy and distressing in whatever light we may view them. However, I shall not pretend by any means to palm _all_ that is said about them upon you as true. Of this you'll by and bye be able to judge as well as myself, and not doubt.

[Those Driven to Cannibalism by Starvation]

The first of these are such as are driven to this dreadful extremity by starvation. In all _woody_ countries where the inhabitants lead a wandering, roving life and whose subsistence depends upon the game they procure, they must of necessity be frequently pinched and sometimes brought very low. All _people_ cannot bear this privation alike. And though there is perhaps not {46} a people in this world who take this so patiently as these people do, yet there are not wanting instances where, even with them, that _nature_ gives way. They vanish as a _dying_ candle.

But others cannot stand it out so long; they must have something to eat, be it what it may. Sometimes, though with the most extreme reluctance at first, they feed upon the flesh of such as _have died_. Any kind of animal substance, at such times, must come very grateful to the stomack. And hence it is, I believe, that those who have once preyed upon their fellows ever after feel a great desire for the same nourishment. And [they] are not so scrupulous about the means of procuring it. I have seen several that had been reduced [to] this distressing alternative. And though [it be] many years after, there appeared to me a wildness in their eyes, a confusion in their countenances much resembling that of reprieved murderers.

Now, if we consider how very precarious their mode of subsistance is, how devoted they are to superstition and prejudice, we--such of _us_ as know more about them--we, I say, may wonder how they stand out so well. Very many instances I have known seem to be far beyond the power of human nature to stand.

Yet, notwithstanding this dreadful privation lasts not for a few days, but even to weeks and months, during all of which time the men are out from star-light to star-light and have never anything more to _eat_ than some bits of leather, moss, bark and such like, it is very rare they will kill a _fellow_ to live upon him. This is not universal. There are unfortunately still too many exceptions, but these again would seem as denounciations from their gods. They appear so to me--I can scarcely doubt it! And the Indians themselves seem to think the same, though in another way.

At this place where I am now writing (Lac La Ronge, English River), but a few years back, several instances occurred. An old canadian is said to have lost one of his sons thus, though an excellent hunter. The old man sometimes speaks to me of that son. And the second died on his way to the house, and not far off. The same year an Indian killed all his family but two daughters whom he compelled to partake with him, and for the rest of the route he ...........

I shall here give you a few stories of the kind.

[Story of a Wetiko Woman]