Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/104

 9 2 On the defcent of the American Indians from the jfews f

it rather would have ftrongly moved him to flretch out to them a kind and helping hand, according to the old beloved fpeech of IJhtohoollo Aba to his Hottuk Ifljtohoollo, who were fufficiently fupported at the .public expence, and ftrictly ordered to fupply with the greateft-tendernefs, the wants of others.

He fmartly retorted my objections, telling me, that the white people's excufes for their own wrong conduct, were as falfe and weak as my com plaints were againft him. The red people, he faid, jaw very clearly through fuch thin black paint -, though, his facred employment was equally hid from them and me j by which means, neither of us could reafonably pre tend to be proper judges of his virtuous conduct, nor blame him for the ne- ceflary effect of our own crimes, or urge it as a plea for cheating him out. of his yearly dues, contrary to the old divine fpeech, for the crops became light by their own vicious conduct, which fpoiled the power of his holy things.. So that it was vifible, both the red and white people were, commonly too partial to themfelves ; and that by the bounty of the fupreme fatherly Chieftain, it was as much out of his power, as diftant from his kindly heart, either to wrong the beloved red people, or the white nothings; and that it became none, except mad light people, to follow the crooked fteps of Hottuk Ookproofe, the accurfed people.

As there was no interruption to our winter-night's chat, I afked him in a friendly manner, whether he was not afraid, thus boldly to fnatch at the di vine power of distributing rain at his pleafure, as it belonged only to the great beloved 'thundering Chieftain, who dwells far above the clouds, in the new year's unpolluted holy fire, and who gives it in common to all nations of people alike, and even to every living, creature over the face of the whole earth, becaufe he made them and his merciful goodnefs always prompts him to fup.ply the wants of all his creatures. He told me, that by an ancient tradition, their Lodche were pofiefled of art extraordinary divine power, by which they foretold, hidden things, and by the beloved, fpeech brought down fhowers of plenty to the beloved people ; that he very well knew, the giver of virtue to nature refided on earth in the un polluted holy fire, and likewife above the clouds and the fun, in the ihape of a fine fiery fubftance, attended by a great many beloved peo ple j and that he continually weighs us, and meafures out good or bad

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