Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/180

 1.6-8 On tie defcent of 'the American Indians from the Je*ws.

reprefentative of the ftrangers, who by way of honour, and ftrong aflurance of friendlhip, is feated on the central white or holy feat, " the beloved cab- bin" (which is about nine feet long and feven feet broad), they wave the eagles tails backward and forward over his head *. Immediately they be gin the folemn fong with an awful air; and prefently they dance in a bowing pofture ; then they raife themfelves fo erect, that* their faces look partly upwards, waving the eagles tails with their right hand to ward heaven, fometimes with a flow, at others with a quick motion ; at the fame time they touch their breaft with their fmall callabafh and peb bles fattened to a (lick of about a foot long, which they hold in their left hand, keeping time with the motion of the eagles tails : during the dance,, they repeat the ufual divine notes, YO, &c. and wave the eagles tails now and then over the (Granger's head, not moving above two yards backward or forward before him. They are fo furprifingly ex pert : in their fuppofed religious office, and obferve time fo exactly, with their particular geftures and notes, that there is not the lead dilcernible difcord. If the Hebrews danced this way, (as there is ftrong presumptive proof) they had very fweating work, for every joint, artery, and nerve, is ft retched to the higheft pitch of exertion ; and this may account for Saul's daughter Michal, .chiding David for falling in with the -common dancers,

The Indians cannot Ihew greater honour to the greateft potentate on earth, than to place him in the white feat invoke YO HE WAH, while

againft whom they have hoftile views, to approach the white feat ; as their holy men, and holy places, are confidered firmly bound to keep good faith, and givefure refuge. Indeed in the year 1750, after having narrowly efcaped with my life from the Cheerake lower towns, 1 met two worthy gentlemen at the fettlement of Ninety-fix, who were going to them. I ear- neftly difluadcd them againft purfuing their journey, but without effect : when they arrived at the middle Cheerake towns, the old beloved men and war chieftains invited them and twenty of the traders to go in the evening to their town-houfe, to fit on their white beloved feat, partake of their feaft, and fmoke together with kindly hearts, according to their old friendly cuflom. The gentlemen happily rejected the invitation, and boldly told them they were apprifed of their treacherous intentions : they braved a little, to furprife and intimidate the Indians, and then mounted, directed their courfe toward the place where a tieacherous .smbufcade had been laid for them but they foon filently took another cou.rfe, and pafiing through an unfufpefted difficult marfh, and aimoft pathlefs woods, by the dawn of the morning they reached the Georgia fide of Savannah river, which was about So miles, where a body of <he Mufkohge chanced to be preparing for war againft the treacherous Cheerake. Thefe pro- teftcd them from their purfuers, and the gentlemen arrived fafe at Augufta, the upper bar- wer and Indian mart of Georgia.
 * When they are difaffefted, or intend to declare war, they will not allow any of the party

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