Page:A Topographical Description of the State of Ohio, Indiana Territory, and Louisiana.djvu/129

119 a council of the subordinate chiefs and warriors. To this council he states his object, and explains his views and intentions; and if a general assent be not given, he lays aside his project.

These people believe in a supreme power, whom they call the Great Spirit. To him they attribute every good they enjoy, and consider it as his gift. But they render homage to another Spirit, subordinate to the Great Spirit, who is the author of all the evil and misfortune they suffer. By appeasing his wrath, they hope to escape the troubles with which he might be disposed to visit them. They have also many other inferior deities, which they conceive have power to do them good or evil. They believe, if they are faithful to their nation and kind to their relatives, good warriors and good hunters, that when they die, they shall go to a most delightful country, which abounds in game; where there will be perpetual day; a bright sun and clear sky; when they will meet their old friends; and where they will enjoy every pleasure they were fond of here, without interruption. But that those who are bad here, especially those who are ungrateful to the aged, when they die, will go to a place of punishment, where they will suffer the severest privations, and be denied every thing that was pleasant or desirable in this life. But the traders say, it is with great difficulty they can be prevailed upon to converse at all on these subjects. The French made repeated attempts to introduce Missionaries