Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/118

 1 06 On the defcent of the American Indians from the Jews.

lawful for them either to blow it with bellows, or their breath. The Magians, or followers of Zoroafter, poured oil on their fuppofed holy fire, and left it to the open air to kindle it into flame. Is not this religious cere mony of thefe defolate Indians a ftrong imitation, or near refemblance of the. Jewifh cuftoms ?

Their hearts are enlivened with joy at the appearance of the reputed holy fire, as the divine fire is fuppofed to atone for all their paft crimes, except murder : and the beloved waiter mews his pleafure, by his cheerful induftry in feeding it with dry frefh wood ; for they put no rotten wood on it, any more than the Levites would on their facred altars. Although the peo ple without, may well know what is tranfafling within, yet, by order, a crier informs them of the good tidings, and orders an old beloved woman to pull a bafket-full of the new-ripened fruits, and bring them to the be loved fquare. As me before had been appointed, and religioufly prepared for that folemn occafion, me readily obeys, and foon lays it down with a cheerful heart, at the out-corner of the beloved fquare. By ancient cuftom, me may either return home, or Hand there, till the expiation of fin hatli been made, which is thus performed The Archi-magus r or fire-maker, rifes from his white feat and walks northward three times round the holy fire, with a flow pace, and in a very fedate and grave manner, flopping now and then, and fpeaking certain old ceremonial words with a low voice and a rapidity of exprefllon, which none underftand but a few of the old be loved men, who equally fecrete their religious myfteries, that they may not be prophaned. He then takes a little of each fort of the new har- veft, which the old woman had brought to the extremity of the fup pofed holy ground, rubs fome bear's oil over it, and offers it up toge ther with fome flefli, to the bountiful holy Spirit of fire, as a firft-fruit offering, and an annual oblation for fin. He likewife confecrates the but- ton-fnake-root, and the cufleena, by pouring a little of thofe two ftrong decoctions into the pretended holy fire. He then purifies the red and white feats with thofe bitter liquids, and fits down. Now, every one of the out laws who had been catched a tripping, may fafely creep out of their lurking holes, anoint themfelves, and drefs in their fineft, to pay their grateful thanks at an awful diftance, to the forgiving divine fire. A religious waiter is foon ordered to call to the women around, to come for the facred fire : they gladly obey. When they come to the outfide of the quad rangular holy ground, the Arcbi-magus addrefles the warriors, and gives

them

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