Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/64

 52 On the defcent of the American Indians from the Jews.

friendly intercourfe with thofe who had an open communication with thofc fouthern regions *. Living in moderate high latitudes, would naturally pre vent them from finking into effeminacy, and infpire them with martial tem pers, (as we are told of the Chili Indians) without being originally a bloodier people than any of the fouthern nations. However, we fhould be fparing of credit to what unfkilful writers have carefully copied from each other, and tranfmitted to the learned world.

I fhall hereafter, under another argument, (hew, that the Indians va- riouQy tranfpofe, morten, and lengthen, each fyllable of the great divine name, YO HE WAH, in a very extraordinary manner, when they are fmging and dancing to, and before, the divine eflence : and that they commonly derive fuch words as convey a virtuous idea, from, or compound them with that divine, efiential name.

I fhall now fhew a farther parity, between the Hebrew language, and the Aboriginal American dialects.

Pujhkocjh fignifies an infant, Neetta a bear, Nuffooba a wolf, &c. By- joining the word Oojhe> to the end of the names of animals, it makes a

hibited to the public, by the laborious Mr. Colden, moftly in the manner, as I am told, he- found it in the council- books. As that gentleman is an utter ftranger to the language and cuftoms of the Indians, it was out of his power to do juilice to the original. Their fpeech, in general, abounds with bolder tropes and figures than illiterate interpreters can well compre hend, or explain. In the moll eflential part of his copied work, he committed a very mate rial blunder, by writing in the firft edition, the Indian folemn invocation, YO HA HAN. I was well afl'ured by the intelligent Sir William Johnfon, and the fkilful, benevolent, pious, and reverend Mr. John Ogilvie, that the northern Indians always pronounce it YO HE A x An ;. and fo it is inferted in the fecond edition. In juftice to this valuable luminary of the church, and the worthy laity of the city of New-York, I muft obferve, that, while the reft of his fa- cerdotal brethren were much blamed for negleding their office of teaching, and inflead thereof, were militating for an epifcopate, that gentleman was univerfally beloved by all ranks of people. He fpent his time, like a true fervant of God, in performing the various duties of his facred office ; and had the utmoit pleafure in healing breaches, both, in public fociety, and in private families. Great numbers of the poor negrce flaves, were, inilrucled by him in the principles of chriftianity, while the other clergymen were earnefily employed in diflurbing the quiet of the public, for the fake of their favourite Peter's pence.
 * They who have a defire to fee the genuine oratory of the Indians, may find it partly ex

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