Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/35

 aver/ion to images* 23

be drank in the fynedrion, they frequently, on common occafions, will bring it there, and honour it with the firft conch-fhell-full, by the hand of the chief religious attendant : and then they return it to its former place. It is ob- fervable, that the fame beloved waiter, or holy attendant, and his co-adju tant, equally obferve the fame ceremony to every perfon of reputed merit, in that quadrangular place. When I pail that way, circumftances did not allow me to view this fingular figure, but I am aflfured by feveral of the traders, who have frequently feen it, that the carving is modeft, and very neatly finifhed, not unworthy of a modern civilized artift. As no body of people we are acquainted with, have, in general, fo great a mare of flrong natural parts as thofe favages, .we may with a great deal of probability fup- pofe, that their tradition of the fecond commandment, prevented them from having one, not to fay the fame plentiful variety of images, or idols, 'as have the popifh countries.

Notwithstanding they are all degenerating apace, on account of their great intercourfe with foreigners, and other concurring caufes ; I well remember, that, in the year 1746, one of the upper towns of the aforefaid Mufkohge, was fo exceedingly exafperated againft fome of our Chikkafah traders, for having, when in their cups, forcibly viewed" the naked nefs of one of their women, (who was reputed to be an hermaphrodite)v'that they were on the point of putting them to death, according to one of their old laws againft crimes of that kind. But feveral of us, aflifted by fome of the Koofah town, refcued them from their juft demerit. Connecting together thefe particulars, we can fcarcely defire a ftronger proof, that they have not been idolaters, fmce they firft came to America, much kfs, that they erected, and worfhipped any fuch lafcivious and obfcene idols, as the hea thens above recited.

The Sidonians and Philiftines worfliipped Aflitaroth, in the figure of the celefiial luminaries, or, according to others, in the form of a Jheep : but the Americans r3ay the former, only, a civil regard, becaufe of the beneficial influence with which the deity hath impreffed them. And they reckon (beep as defpicable and helplefs, and apply the name to peribns in that pre dicament, although a ram was the animal emblem of power, with the an cient eaftern heathens. The Indians fometimes call a nafty fellow,

�� �