Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/136

 124 n the defcent of the American Indians from the Jews.

any of the people, as a certain effect of the divine fire i though the lurking enemy fometimes kills them in their religious retirement. Notwithstanding they reckon it conveys a moft horrid and dangerous pollution to thofe who touch, or go near them, or walk any where within. the circle of their retreats ; and are in fear of thereby fpoiling the fuppofed purity and power of their holy ark, which they always carry to war, yet the enemy believe they can fo cleanfe themfelves with the confecrated herbs, roots, &c. which the chieftain carries in the beloved war-ark, as to fecure them in this point from bodily danger, becaufe it was done againft their enemies.

The non-obfervanee of this feparation,. a breach of the marriage-law, and murder, they efteem the moft capital crimes. When the time of the wo men's feparation is ended, they always purify themfelves in deep running water, return home, drefs, and anoint themfelves. They atcribe thefe monthly. periods, to the female ftrufture, not to the anger of IJhtohoollo Aba.

Gorrefpondent to the Mofaic law of women's purification "after travel*.. the Indian women abfent themfelves from their hufbands and all public company, for a confiderable time. The Mujkobge women are feparate for- three moons, exclufive of that moon in which they are delivered. By the Jewilh law-, women after a male-birth were forbidden to enter the temple ^, and even, the very touch of facred things, forty days. And after a female,.,, the time of feparation was doubled.

Should any of the Indian women violate this law- of purity, they would ! be cenfured, and fuffer for any fudden ficknefs, or death that might happen. among the people, as the necefiary effect of the divine anger for their polluting fin, contrary to their old traditional law of female purity. Like the greater part of the Ifraelites, it is the fear of .temporal evils, and the profpec"l of temporal good, that makes them fo tenacious and obiervant of their laws. At the dated period, the Indian womens impurity is finifhed by ablution, and they are again admitted to focial and holy privileges.

By the Levitical law, the people who had running ijjues, or fores, were deemed unclean, and ftriftly ordered apart from the reft, for fear of pol luting them ; for every thing they touched became unclean. The Indians, in as ftricl: a manner, obferve the very fame law ; they follow the ancient

Ifraclitilh.

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