Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/93

 We lr prophets, high-priefls, &c. 8r

��call the noife of thunder, Erowah, fo the Cheerake by inverting it, " He is ;" thereby alluding to the divine efience : and, as thofe term the lightning Eloa, and believe it immediately to proceed from the voice of IJh- tohollo Eloa Aba, it fhews the analogy to the Hebrews, and their fenti- ments to be different from all the early heathen world.

The Indian tradition fays, that their forefathers were pofTefied of an ex traordinary divine fpirit, by which they foretold things future, and con- trouled the common courfe of nature : and this they tranfmitted to their offspring, provided they obeyed the facred laws annexed to it. They be lieve, that by the communication of the fame divine fire working on their Lodche, they can now effect the like. They fay it is out of the reach of Nana, Ookprco, either to comprehend, or perform fuch things, becaufe the beloved fire, or the holy fpirit of fire, will not co-operate with, or actuate Hottuk Ookpro&fe, " the accurfed people." IJhtohoollo is the name of all their prieftly order, and their pontifical office defcends by inheritance to the eldeft : thofe friend-towns, which are firmly confederated in their exercifes and plays, never have more than one Archi-magus at a time. But lamenefs, contrary to the Mofaic law, it muft be confefied, does not now exclude him from officiating in his religious function ; though it is not to be doubted, as they are naturally a modeft people, and highly ridicule thofe who are inca pable of procreating their fpecies, that formerly they excluded the lame and impotent. They, who have the leaft knowledge in Indian affairs, know, that the martial virtue of the favages, obtains them titles of diftinction ; but yet their old men, who 'could fcarcely correct their tranfgrelfing wives, much lefs go to war, and perform thofe difficult exercifes, that are eflen- tially needful in an active warrior, are often promoted to the pontifical dig nity, and have great power over the people, by the pretended fanctity of the office. Notwithflanding the Cheerake are now a neit of apoflate hornets, pay little refpect to grey hairs, and have been degenerating fafl from their primitive religious principles, for above thirty years paft yet, before the laft war, Old Hop, who was helplefs and lame, prefided over the whole nation, as ArcU-magus, and lived in Choate, their only town of refuge. It was entirely owing to the wifdom of thofe who then pre fided in South-Carolina, that his dangerous pontifical, and regal-like power, was impaired, by their fetting up Atta Kulla Kulla, and fup- porting him fo well, as to prevent the then eafy tranfition of an Indian

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