Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/116

 104 On the defcent of the American Indians from the Jews.

ancient cuftom, the former is obliged to eat of the fanctifying fmall-leafed tobacco, and drink the fnake-root, in a feparate hut for the fpace of three days and nights without any other fubfiftence, before the folemnity begins i befides his full portion along with the reft of the religious order, and the old war-chieftains, till the end of the general faft, which he pretends to obferve with the ftrideft religion. After the firft-fruits are fanftified, he lives moft abftemioufly till the end of the annual expiation, only fucking water-melons now and then to quench thirft, and fupport life, fpit- ting out the more fubftantial part.

By the Levitical law, the priefts were obliged to obferve a ftrider fanftity of life than the laity ; all the time they were performing the facerdotal offices, both women and wine were ftrictly forbidden to them. Thus the Indian religious are retentive of their facred myfteries to death, and the Arcbi-magus is vifibly thin and meagre at the end of the folemnity. That rigid felf- denial, feems to have been defigned to initiate the Levite, and give the reft an example of leading an innocent fimple life, that thereby they might be able to fubdue their unruly paflions ; and that by mortifying and purifying himfelf fo exceflively, the facrifice by paffing through his pure hands, may be accepted, and the holy Spirit of fire atoned, according to the divine law. The fuperannuated religious are alfo emulous in the higheft degree, of ex celling one another in their long fafting, for they firmly believe, that fuch an annual felf-denying method is fo highly virtuous, when joined to an obe dience of the reft of their laws, as to be the infallible means of averting evil, and producing good things, through the new year. They declare that a fteady virtue, through the divine co-operating favour, will infallibly infure them a lafting round of happincfs.

At the end of this folemn faft, the women by the voice of a crier, bring to the outfide of the holy fquare, a plentiful variety of the old year's food newly dreft, which they lay down, and immediately return home ; for every one of them know their feveral duties, with regard both to time and place. The centinels report the affair, and foon afterward the waiters by order go, and reaching their hands over the holy ground, they bring in the provifions, and fet them down before the famimed multitude. Though moft of the people may have feen them, they reckon it vicious and mean to Jhew a gladnefs for the end of their religious duties, and fhameful

to

�� �