Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/451

 the North American Indians. 439

as all nations of red people have lately heard a great deal of their un- peaceable, if not cruel difpofition towards the Britifh Americans, which their covetoufnefs of heart, it is faid, prompted them to, becaufe they could not prevail upon them by their invented fpeeches, to give them the tenth part of the yearly produce of their honeft labour Let us know their true conduct over the broad water, whether they are covetous in demand ing any part of the new harveft i and if the young people do not violate the marriage-law when the crops fail by the want of refrefhing rains ?

As the tafk was difagreeable, I told him, had he been fo particular in his enquiries concerning the two former clafTes, I could have much better informed him, as I had the pleafure of being long acquainted with many of them, who were learned, wife and benevolent, in a very great degree ; and was convinced from my own knowledge, that feveral of them, not only fpoke earneftly for honeft poor people, and others cured them of their linger ing ailments, without pay, but fupplied them with needful utenfils for plant ing provifions for their fmall families, till they could conveniently repay the value, in their own produce : but that as I neither had nor defired the leaft acquaintance with any of our high-placed beloved men, I was very unfit to handle fuch a long firing of queries. He faid, my denying to gratify their curiofity on fo material a point, ferved only to raife it the higher; efpecially as I had given them a very favourable opinion of the gentlemen of the other two clafles ; and he hoped, the religious men were at leaft as virtuous as thofe, their facred office requiring them to give an honeft copy to all others, as the young people imbibed from their teachers exam ple, either good or bad principles, which muft benefit or injure themfelves, and the community. He fo earneftly importuned me to comply with his requeft, that, as an Indian divine, I thus addrefled the attentive red con gregation.

In paft ages, moft part of all nations of people funk into igno rance not only of the old beloved fpeech, (or divine law) but of the very being of the great, fupreme, holy Spirit ; upon which account, the glim mering image impreft on their hearts, directed them to worfliip the fun, moon, and ftars, becaufe of their beneficial and powerful influence,- and the fire, light, and air, the three divine names and emblems. By

degrees,

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