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Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ¥ '*j y '4, **^ [W "'ORSHIP AND TRADITIONS OF tat ABORIGINES OF AMERICA ; OB ^estm^^ to the BeHg^yn of ^he Bible. *i£: ^^' BY ^wy-iw. AtTTHOR'S OOPy. —iiii(rti^4i''if ''' m I i THE WORSHIP AND TRADITIONS OF THE ABORIGINES OF AMERICA OR Their Tedimony to ike RpJiglon of the Bible. BY REV M. EELLS, Missionary of the American Missionary Association amonfj tJie Indians, Skokoinish, Mason County, Washington Territory, U.S.A. BEiyO A PAPER READ BEFORE TEE VICTORIA INSTITUTE, OR PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN. AUTHOR'S COPY. ri •■fc**" ' "v ' THE WORSHIP AND TRADITIONS OF THE ABORIGINES OF AMERICA; or their Testimony to the Religion of the Bible. — By Rev. M. Eblls, Missionary of the American Missionary Association among the Indians, Skokomish, Mason County, Washington Territory, U.S.A. " rilO undertake to trace ethnic relations between vvidely- I separated peoples, by similarity of manners and customs, is an uncertain guide. Man, apart from his improvable reason, has, what we call in the higher animals, instinct ; and, as the beaver everywhere constructs his dam according to a definite plan, so will man perform certain acts instinctively, after a certain manner. Hence among barbarous nations we may expect to find a similarity of manners and customs, without necessarily supposing that they are the result of inheritance ; but, when we come to the higher manifestations of art, the result of improvable reason, there are found certain characters, original and unique, which become infallible guides in tracing national affinities."* Foster'3 Prehistoric Races of America, p. 310. 816 U vf: Pacific N. W. History Dept. PROVINCIAL LIBRARY VICTORIA, B. C. y-m-i In the writer's opinion the highest manifestations of art are found in the departtnent of religion. Some have brought forth, as arguments to prove the unity of the race, the simi- larity of their architecture, pottery and stone implements, their language and various habits, but religious belief and ceremonies are more deeply seated in the human mind thau any other customs. Those who have attempted to civilise the heathen have found them much more willing to adopt the manners and customs of civilised nations which have reference to food, clothing, architecture, ornament, implements of common use and war, and even social, governmental, and educational customs, than those which have reference to their religion. It is but natural, hence, to suppose that among the savages their religious ideas have changed less than the others, and that, if there are any customs which become " infallible guides in tracing national affinities,^' these are the ones. When America was discovered it was peopled by an un- known race. When and how they came here, and from where they came, are questions which are not satisfactorily answered. There are not a few persons, who have become distinguished as scholars, who have maintained that they never came to America, but that they were created or developed (according to the theory which they hold) on this continent, and that the words of the Bible are not true, when it savs that " God hath made of one blood all nations to dwell on the face of the earth." It is me object of the present paper to examine the religions of these natives, to compare them with those of the rest of the world, especially with that of the Bible, and to see if there is not here an argument in favour of the unity of the race, as well as to sustain various parts of the Bible. . True, if a stranger were to go among the Indians, and for the first time hear the noise and see the incantations of their religious ceremonies, he would be likely to say that there is nothing like it in all the world, and that Solomon was slightly mistaken when he said that there is nothing new under the sun ; that rather, if he had come to America, he would have changed his mind. To the writer, at least, it appeared so at first. But a more careful view of the subject has entirely changed his opinions, and has led him to believe that Solomon was right. It is probable that he even saw more of savage incantations than a large share of the human race. Not only does this seem to be true, but the principles of their religion, when stripped of their outside ceremonies, their 8 outside envelope, seem to agree so well with those of the other parts of the world as to give a strong argument, though they may not absolutely prove it, that if they had no direct revela- tion from Heaven since they came here (and no one claims this, I believe), they must have descended from those who had direct intercourse with Heaven. Religion may naturally be divided into four parts : the Beings in the Spirit World more powerful than Man ; Man as a Spiritual Being; the relations between Man and these Beings of the other world ; and Man's future Stace. I. — The Beings of the Spirit World. (a) The Supreme Being. — The Indians are generally sup- posed to have a belief in some such Being, not exactly the God of the white man, but some Great Being, superior to man and all other spirits. In a general way, almost any history of America makes this statement, tuough without perhaps speaking of the different shades of belief among the different tribes, or any apparent or real exceptions to it. Lossing, Wilson, Quackenbos, and others do so. But, beginning with the southern extremity of the conti- nent, the Patagonians pray to a Great Spirit, who is worthy of all veneration, and does not live in the world. The in- habitants of Tierra del Fuego have similar ideas, and the same is true of the Brazilian tribes and those about the Orinoco river.* Says Rev. W. H. Brett, for many years a missionary among the tribes of Guiana : " There is a confused idea dwelling in their minds respecting the existence of one Good Spirit. They regard him as their Creator, and their ideas of his nature are in many points surprisingly correct. As far as we co'ild learn, they regard him as immortal, omnipotent, invisible, and omniscient ; but, notwithstanding this, we have never dis- covered any traces of rehgious worship paid to him. They seem to consider him as a Being too high to notice them, and, not knowing him as a God who hears prayer, they con- cern themselves but little about him. Ages have elapsed since their ancestors gradually forsook God, yet still tradition has handed down a belief in the existence of a Supreme Being, which the observation of nature has confirmed, for lightning and thunder convinced them of his power, and the growth of their cassava and other food of his goodness. '^f * Bradford's American Antiquities. t Brett's Indian Tribcx of Guiana, pp. 67, 283. i Previous to the raco who inhftbited Peru when it was dis- covered, another raco dwelt there. Their creed was greatly disfigured with superstitions, yet it still had a conception of a Supreme Being whose name was Con, who was an invisible and omnipotent spirit, which inhabited the universe. He had a son whose name was Pachacamac, who did much to renovate the world. One of the Incas, however, afterwa.^s introduced the worship of the sun, and declared him to be the Supreme Divinity, and taught the people that Con and Pachacamac were his children. Most of the people accepted this in the course of time, but not all.* The Catios of Columbia had no temples, but worshipped the stars, and believed in one God.f In Yucatan, Nicaragua, and Michcoacan the people believed in a Supreme Being, the First Cause and invisible. The Chihuahuans worshipped a Great God called Captain of the Heaven, while e lesser divinity inspired the priests. In Durango they called the principal power the " Maker of all things,'' and the Mexicans adored him under the name of Tloque Nahuaque, " The Cause of all things," the same Being as the ''Heart of Heaven" of Guatemala. J The Aztecs also had a Supreme Ruler and Lord of the universe. The Zunis, according to Mr. F. C. Cushing, believe there is one Supreme Ruler over all the gods, whose name is Hano- ona-wilona, or holder of the roads of light, and he is repre- sented by the sun itself. He is believed to be able not only to see the visible actions of men, bub also their thoughts. § The Moquis believe in a Great Father, who lives where the sun rises, the father of evil, war, pestilence, and famine, and a mother, whose home is where the sun sets, from whom we have joy, peace, plenty, and health. The Mojaves believe in a material Creator of heaven and earth, who has a son, Mas- tanho, who made the water and planted trees j the Apaches have a Supreme Power in heaven, the Creator and Master; and the natives of Nevada a great, good, kind Spirit. || The Karoks of California have a conception of a Supreme Being, whom they call Kareya, the old man above, who some- times descends to the earth as a venerable man to teach the medicine men, though, like most California tribes, the Coyote * Tschudi's Peruvian Antiquities, chap. vii. + American Antiquarian, July, 1882, p. 177. X Bancroft's Native Races of the Pacific States, vol. iii. chap. vi. § Popular Science Monthly, June, 1882. II Bancroft's Native Races of the Pacific States, vol. iii. is thoir most practical Deity. TIk? Supronic Heing- of tho Yuroks is called Gard, who created all things and gave them their language. The name of the Supreme Being of the Wintuns signifies t'le Great Spirit of the West, and the Maidus and Palligawonaps describe him as the old man, the Creator. But most of the California tribes evidently had but little idea of a Supreme Being, except so far as he dwelt in the Coyote. He it was who created num, animals,, everything, and, according to some, even the world, — not e: .n ly the Coyote, but the great active principle residing 'u the Coyote.* The Clatsops, Cathlamets, Chenooks, and ^ ahkiikums around the mouth of the Columbia River believe m an oini.'.- potent, bene\o\i t Spiri*"., the Creator of all things. I'sually he inhr'Tiits the sun, but occasionally wings his wu_y through the ethereal regions, and sees all that is doing on the earth, and thunders, lightnings, and tempests are ways in which he exhibits his displeasure. f The Twanas or Skokomish Indians of Puget Sound believe in a Great Being, not the Saghalie Tyee, or Wis Sowulus or Chief above, of whom they have learned of the whites, but one whose name is D6-ki-batl, the Changer, because long ago he changed many of the ancient race of beings into deer, beaver, birds, stones, and the like. The Clallams had a similar belief, though they thought that the sun was God, and their children were told to be afraid to do wrong because the sun would see them and be angry. The Makahs,J Nez Perces, and Flatheads likewise believe in a Great Spirit, the Blackfeet that they were created by him, and the Bocky Mountain Indians invoke his aid.§ The Haidahs believe the Great Solar Spirit to be the Creator and Supreme Ruler, but some worship nothing. The Nootkas have a tradition of a Great Supernatural Teacher and Benefactor, who came to them from Puget Sound long ago ; the Ahts believe the sun and moon, aL man and wife, to be Supreme ; the Okanagans have a good Spirit, called Skyappe, to whom they sometimes pray; the Thlinkeets ha-e no Deity, but believe the raven to be the Creator; and the Aleuts recognised a Creator God, who made the world, but do not worship him. II * S. Powers in Contributions to N. A. Ethnology, vol. iii. pp. 24, 35, 64, 16i, 182, 214, 241, 287, 394. + Dunn, On Oregi^n Territory, p. 90. X Swan's Makah Indians of Cape Flattery, p. 61. § Dunn, On Oregon Territory, pp. 212, 213, 219. II Bancroft's Native Races of the Pacijic l:'„ates, vol. iii. p. 141, &c. [mgtimjm^w^'^^^^mmm'mmf^^ 6 The Newettee Indians about Millbank Sound, in British Columbia, believe in a Great Spirit who is good, and made us and the world ; and the Bella ]3ellas thought they could make a steamship, when they first saw one, with the help of the Great Spirit.* Missionaries among the Dakotas or Sioux have been unable to satisfy themselves that those Indians had any idea of the Great Spirit before the coining of the whites, but tliat He was a dream of the poets and sentimentalists ; yet, besides their numerous gods, the great object of their veneration was their Takoo Wakan, the Great Mysterious, which comprehended all mystery, secret powei", and divinity, who dwells everywhere, rather a pantheistic God, yet so much of a being that the Indian exclaims in prayer, " Mystery, Father have mercy on me/'f Dr. W. Mathews agrees with them, and yet says one desig- nated as the Old Man Immortal lias no vague existence in their minds, for he made all things and instructed their fore- fathers in their ceremonies. | From this I understand that these Indians did not believe in the Great Spirit of the Indians as described by some writers, and yet that they had a conception, of a Supreme Being grcdter than all their other gods. Among the Omahas, the Wakonda is believed to be the greatest and best of beings, who has vai'ious attributes of the Supreme Being, and punishes men for their evil deeds. § Captain Carver relates an interesting incident of the worship of the Great Spirit at the Falls of St. Anthony, by a young Winnebago Chief. || The Algonquins, both of Canada and the United States, give him the name of the Great Hare, Michabou ; the Agres- koui of the Hurons, and the Agreskouse of the Iroquois, is the Sovereign Being of these tribes, and the New England tribes conceived of one Almighty Being who dwells in the south-west regions, who was superior to all other divinities.^ McCoy speaks of the same ideas among the Indians of Indiana and the Indian Territory, especially the Pottawotta- mies ;** Bradford certifias to them among the Eskimo, Osa^es, Arikarees, Pawnees, Indians of Virginia, Algonquins, and * Dunn, On Oregon Territory, pp. 173, 184. t Gospel Among the Dakotas, chap. v. X Hidatsa Indians, p. 47. § Lo7ig'8 Exvedition, 1819-20, vol. i. p. 267. II Century of Dishonour, pp. 239, 240. IT Haywiird's Book of All Religions, pp. 210-212, ** History of Indinn Missions, p. 4.' 7. 7 Caribs of the West Indies ;* and Heckvvelder gives the same testimony about the Delawares, Munsees, Tuscaroras, and other tribes of Iroquois lineage, and the Indians of Penn- sylvania and New York.f Thus much on one side. A little may be said on the other Says Bancroft, " It is not till we reach the golden mean in central California that we find whole tribes subsisting on roots, herbs, and insects, having no boats, no clothing, no laws, no God, the lowest of their neighbours save only perhaps the Shoshones or Snake Indians on their east. In the vocabulary of the tribes at San Francisco Bay Father Junipero Serra in 1776, when he established the mission of Dolores, found no word for God, angel, or devil." J The Thlinkeets, too, Bancroft says, are said not to believe in any Supreme Being.§ Powers speaks of the same among the Patwins of California, but says it must be taken cum grano snlis.\\ F. M. Gait received the same statement from the missionaries among the Peruvian Indians, who could find no ideas among them of a Supreme Being, or the souPs im- mortality, except that they seemed to have a vague idea of an Evil Spirit.^ J. Baegert, a German Jesuit missionary among the tribes of the California peninsula during seventeen years of the second half of the last century, dwells at length on the same statement among the Indians there;** and Rev. J. M. Jemison, missionary among the Shoshones in Idaho, in a letter to the writer, says the same is true of those Indians. The Eskimo, and Tinnehs are stated also to have no belief in a Supreme Being, though they have in lesser divinities, ft It may all be true. The writer is not prepared to deny it, yet it may be found that something takes the place of this Supreme Being in the belief of most of these Indians, for, as already stated, tho Thlinkeets believe the raven to be the Creator. J J Col. Bracket says of the Shoshones that they have not much idea of a God, thou'^h they believe in Tamapah or Sun-Father, who is the Father of the Day, the Father of us all, and who lives in the Sun3§§ and the California Deity * American Antiq\dties. t ConhL 'itions to N. A. Ethnology^ vol. iv. p. 49. I Bancroft's Native Bac.CH of the Facijic, vol. i. p. 400. § Ibid, vol. iii. p. 14"). I ConfrihutioiiK to N. A. Ethnology, vol. iii. p. 224. IF Smithsonian Report, 1877, p. 311. ** Ibid., 18G4, p. 390. \\ Bancroft's Native Races of the Pacific, vol. iii. p. 141. :: p. f) of this Paper. §§ S)iiithso)na)} Report, 1879, p. 330. ^|p^j^Wffl^y.,,j4j|j,I.LjM»'l.<|J,IJ^ 8 si dwelt in the Coyote.* This will be more fully discussed in the conclusion. (fo) Good Spirits. — These in the east are called Manitous ; in the north-west, Tamanous. The belief in them is fully as wide-spread as in a Great Spirit, and to the Indian much more practical. The Supreme Being, it is true, made all things long ago, but the good spirit of each individual or household takes care of him now, hears his prayers^ and is his guardian angel. Says Schoolcraft, who is good authority in regard to Indians, " The belief in Manitous is universal, all tribes have such a word.'' From the southern extremity of the continent, the Pata- gonians and inhabitants of Tierra Bel Fuego, to the north- ward among the Brazilian tribes, the Indians on the northern part of South America, the Caribs of the West Indies, the Algonquius and Indians of Virginia and California, and the Eskimo all believe in a multiplicity of spirits, both good and evil.f In Peru, they had innumerable deities, less than the Supreme Being, historical deities, those of the nation, those of different towns called Huacas, and household gods similar to the lares and penates of the Romans, of various material, gold, silver, copper, wood, stone, clay, &c., and of various forms, both human and inhuman. J In the Latimer collection of antiquities from Porto Rico are a number of stone images and amulets. The inhabitants of Hispaniola had small images of their gods, which they bound about their foreheads when they went to battle, and each cacique had a temple where an image of his tutelary deity of wood, stone, clay, or cotton was kept.§ Bancroft || devotes one hundred and ninety octavo pages to a description of the Mexican deities and their worship, and sa^s that the Chihuahuans recognised many lesser deities dwelling in and inspiring their priests. According to Mr. F. C. Cushiug, the Zuni Indians have beneath their supreme deity a long line of lesser deities, very numerous, divided into six classes — the hero-gods, gods of the forces of nature, sacred animal gods, gods of prey, gods of the divinities of places, and demon- gods.^ * P. 5 of this Paper, t Bradford's American Antiquities. X Tachudi's Peruvian Antiquities, chap. vii. § Smithsonian Beport, 1876, p. 378. J Native Races of the Pacific, vol. iii. IT Popular Science Monthly, June, 1882. pages p, and 9 According to the personal knowledge of the writer, the Clallam, Twana, Chemakum, Snohomish, Skagit, Chehalis, Puyallup, Makah, Nisqually, Spokane, and Cayuse Indians make this the practical part of their religion. When a boy has grown to be a young man, he goes off to the woods by himself, and remains there from ten to fourteen days without eating, but often bathing himself, when his guardian spirit reveals itself to him in some animal ; not that the animal is a spirit, but his guardian spirit dwells in the animal. Mr. Swan gives a similar description of this practice among the Makahs.* The Nass Indians around Fort Simpson, British Columbia, carry the images of their gods in a box, which is sacred and hardly ever seen by the common people.f The Innuits of Alaska have a similar belief,! and the Eskimos, while they are said to have no belief in a Supreme Deity, yet do have an indefinite number of supernatural beings of various names, as do also the Tinnehs.§ The Dakotas have their Armour God as the deity of each young man, the Spirit of the Medicine Sack for those who belong to the secret order of the Medicine Dance, and house- hold gods in the form of small images. || In Canada, the Indians hold to an infinite number of Spirits, both good and evil ;% the Knistenaux, around Hudson's Bay, have private feasts, when various articles are brought out in the medicine-bag, the principal of which is a household god, a curiously-carved image about eight inches long;** and Rev. S. p. Peet, the editor of the American Antiquarian, is well satisfied, from the idols discovered, that the Mound Builders had their tutelar divinities.+t Thus we see that this belief is widespread, if not universal. (c) Evil Spirits. — The belief in an Evil Spirit of great power, and also in a large number of imps of less power, is also very common. The natives of Patagonia and Tierra Del Fuego believe in a multiplicity of evil spirits as well as good onesjJJ those of Guiana thought the Great Spirit too high to notice them, and hence had the most abject fear of the evil principle, and sought to propitiate the devil, and evil spirits called the * Makah Indians, p. 61. f Dunn, On Oregon Territory, p. 188. X Ball's Alaska, p, 145. § Bancroft's Native Baces of the Facijic. II Gospel Among the Dakotas, pp. 69, 70. IF Hay ward's Book • ' All Religions. ** Dunn, Oh Oregon x'erritory, p. 72. ft American Antiquarian, vol. iii. p. 101. XX Bradford's American Antiquitus. ' c HUIM I 11-^ i ^mmmmmmmmimm 10 Yau-ya-hau;* and the Peruvians believed in the existence of a powerful Being, opposed to the Supreme Being, full of hatred to the human race, reminding one of the Ahriman of the Persians, or the Satan of the Jews.f Bancroft, in describing a burial on the Mosquito coast in Central America, says that, as it is supposed that the Evil Spirit seeks to take possession of the body, means are taken to prevent it. J Among the Navajos, when a dead body is removed from a house, it is burned down, and the place always abandoned, as the belief is that the devil comes to the place and remains where it is.§ The name of the Evil Spirit of the Mojaves is Newathie,|| and the Pimas of California believe in a Great Evil Spirit and a multitude of witches who cause sickness.1[ The Tatu of California are terribly afraid of snakes, because they believe them to contain the spirits of wicked people, sent back to this world by the dev il ; the Ashochimi worship the owl and the hawk, because they believe them to be the dwelling-place of powerful and wicked spirits whom they must appease ; the Patawat believe in innumerable sprites in the shape of men and women, who do various terrible things j they do not appear to be dead Indians returned to life, but pre-existing demons taking the human form ; the Tatus and others have secret societies, whose object is to keep the women in subjection by "raising the devil *' ; and the Maidus hold a great spirit dance to propitiate the evil demons.** The Klamath and Trinity Indians of Northern California keep a fire and howl around the grave of a deceased person to prevent him from being captured by the devil on his way to the spirit- land. tt The Shoshones believe in the existence of imps or demons, the natives of Nevada in that of an Evil Spirit ; the name of that of the Okinagans is Chacha, and, of the Konigas, Eyak.JJ The Indians around the mouth of the Columbia River had a belief in an Evil Spirit which inhabits the fire, and which. * Brett's Indian Tribes of Guiana , p. 336. t Tschudi's I'eruvian Antiquities, p 152. X Native Races of the Facijic, vol. i. p. 744. § Yarrow's Introduction to the Study of Mortuary (JuHtoutif, p. 13. II Ibid., p. 1 4. H Native Races of the Facijic, vol. iii. ** Contributions to N. A. Ethnology, vol. iii. pp. 98, 142, 144, 19J), 286. +t Yarrow's Introduction, p. 10. Xt Bancroft's Native Races of the. Pacific, vol. iii. 11 in man although less powerful than the Great Spirit, is occasionally employed to do his services. The Evil Spirit of the Nevvettee Indians has hoofs and horns, while the Nez Perces and Flat- heads also believe in a similar being.* In Washington Territory the belief in these spirits is just as plain as that we see a medicme man perform his incanta- tions, for the reason of it is that they believe an evil spirit in the form of some treacherous animal has been sent into the heart of the sick person, and it is the business of the good Indian doctor to remove it. So, too, they generally tear down or leave the houses in which a person has died, for the evil spirit which killed the deceased is still supposed to remain there, ready to attack others, especially children. The sum and substance of the Dakota religion is demon worship. These demons are ever ready to pounce on the unwary ; spirits of darkness, spirits of light, spirits of earth, air, fire, and water surround the Indian on every side, with but one object in view, the misery and destruction of the human race.f According to the Iroquois, there was a Good and a Bad Mind who fought with each other for two days, when the Good Mind conquered, and drove the Evil Mind to the world of despair and darkness. J In New England, the people stood in greater fear of the devil than they did of the Supreme Being, and worshipped him from a principle of fear.§ In the preceding section on Good Spirits, reference is also made to a belief in evil spirits among the Brazilian tribes, the Indians of the northern part of South America, West Vir- ginia, an^ "'anada, the Caribs, Algonquins, and Eskimo. Yet, on the other hand. Long, in 1819-20, says of the Omahas that they have no idea of a devil. || Whether more recent investigations have confirmed or contradicted this, I do not know. Dr. Brinton has, indeed, said that an American Indian has no idea of a devil. If by this he means such - one as Milton describes, it is so ; but they certainly do have one or many, only as much less than ours as an Indian's imagination is less than that of Milton. T[ * Dunn, On Oregon Territory, pp 90, 173, 213. t (iospel Among the Dakotas, pp. S>3, 94. Schoolcraft's Notes on the Iroquois. 212. § Hay ward's Book of All Religions, p. II Long's Expedition, vol. i. T Conlrihiilions (o X. A. Ethnology, vol. iii, p. 414. mmmm rt 12 II. — Man as a Spiritual Being. (a) His Immortality. — When we look at a graveyard on Puget Sound, and see there canoes, muskets, cloth, clothes, dishes, looking-glasses, bows and arrows, and almost every- thing that is valuable to an Indian in this life, silently yet eloquently they say one thing, that those who placed us here believed in the immortality of the soul ; that, as these articles decay, they will be carried by spirits away to the deceased in the next world, there to be put together again and used. And what is thus said here is also said all over America, from the frozen regions of the north to Tierra Del Fuego on the south, and from the Atlantic to the Pacific, with, it is barely possible, a few exceptions, and it is not certain about these. Faith in the immortality of the soul was one of the funda- mental ideas among the Peruvians. Food and valuables were placed in or near the graves, and the servants and wives of great men were there often killed, or killed themselves in order to attend him in the next world.* The Mexicans did much the same, two hundred persons having sometimes been killed, and three or four thousand dollars in gold buried with royal persons. Want of time and space forbids my doing much more than referring to the writers who speak of this and the names of the tribes. Dr. Yarrowt speaks of articles being buried with the Omahas, Sierra Nevadas, Utahs, Achomawi, and Karoks of California, Tolkotins [Tualatins] of Oregon, Indians about the Cascades, the Yakamas, Makahs, and Skagits of Washington Territory, Sioux, iJlackfeet, Navajos, Panama Indians, and Indians of Leech Lake, Minnesota. In a further article in the Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology, 1879-80, the same writer likewise refers to the Mohawks, Sacs, and Foxes, Creeks, Seminolcs, Otoes, Pueblos, Wichitas, Doraches of Central America, Round Valley ludians, and Keltas of California, Congareus of South Carolina, Innuits and Ingaliks of Alaska, Apaches, Gros Ventres, Mandans, Chinooks, Chippewas, Nebraska and Virginia Indians ; while he directly states a belief in the immortality of the soul among the Comanches, Caddoes, Sioux, Pauamas, and Natas, Wascopums, and Yuroks. Bancroft speaks of the same among the Ahts and Nevadas. J ♦ Tschudi's Peruvian Antiqtiities, pp. 151, 126, 200-202. t Introduction to the Study of Mo^-*.iiary Customs. X Native Races of the Pacifc. yard on clothes, ) every- ntly yet us here articles Based in d. And rom the e south, )ossible, 3 funda- ies were svives of elves in persons bouaand 3re than ames of 3mahas, lifornia, iscides, rritory, dians of Annual 3 writer Creeks, Central lifornia, Alaska, ppewas, states a lanches, ns, and vadas.J 13 Jones, in his Antiquities of Tennessee (chapter ii.), speaks of the same facts among the Iroquois, Creeks, Santee Sioux, Mandans, Omahas, Hurons, Choctaws, and Natchez j some- times the human victims at such places strangling themselves with joy. Similar facts have been found to be true of the Indians of Southern Oregon* and Southern California.f The Aleuts have the same belief, J and also the Indians of Southern Alaska, § and the Miamis.|| According to the personal knowledge of the writer, twelve tribes, in Washington Territory, Oregon, and Idaho, believe the same. We know very little of the Mound Builders, and yet much of what wo do know is preserved to us, because that they believed the same, and hence buried so many articles in their tombs, which have been unearthed during the present age. In fact, there are very few, if any, exceptions to it. Schoolcraft says he never heard of any. When Dr. Jemison, a missionary among the Shoshones of Southern Idaho, asked an Indian what became of him when he died, he received the reply, *' That is all of him." This is a tribe which is said not to believe in a Supreme Being. The Miwoks, Yokuts, and Monos of Califorixia seem likewise to have no belief in the future existence of the soul, but believe in its utter annihila- tion. They mourn for their dead as without hope ; their effects are all burned, so that there may be nothing to remind the living of them ; and their names are never mentioned.^ Jacob Baegert says that, after diligent inquiries, he could never find the slightest ideas of a future life among the Indians of the California Peninsula,** and F. M. Gait says the same of some Peruvian Indians. ft Most of these tribes have been referred to in the first section as having no belief in a Supreme Being. On the other hand, all that will be said on tlie subject of future rewards and punishments bears on a belief in immortality. (6) Sinfulness. — I will not dwell long on the subject of man's sinfulness, as nearly all that will be said about sacrifices. * Smithsonian 7~'eport, 1874, pp. 341, 345, 350. t Hadyn's Bulletin U.S. Survey, vol. iii. No. 1, pp. 34, 38. X Dali'a Remains of Later Prehi.^toric Man in Alaska. § American Antiquarian, vol. iv. p, 137. J Ibid., vol. ii. p. 24. IT Contributions to N. A. Ethnology, vol. iii. pp. 349, 383. ** SmithsonioM Report, 1864, p. 390. +t Ibid., IS77, p. 311. I-^P.^' t^ipgJ>ii^?''!WWl»pWi!W " 'mi»'imjm»uaut,.t^. ^t 11 among the various tribes there mentioned, proves a belief in this doctrine, because those sacrifices were offered to atone for sin. According to the Sioux, bad spirits are sometimes sent back to the earth in the shape of animals, to undergo penance for their sins ; * and the Sacs and Foxes, by parting with articles at the graves, believe that they will propitiate the Great Spirit for sins committed during the life of the deceased, t III. — The Eelations between Man and the Superior Beings op the other World. (m) Wliitt these sjyirits have done and are doing for man. (1) Creation. — Says Schoolcraft, the Indians seem to have but few ideas of the past, one is creation, then nothing more until they speak of the Deluge, and then nothing until about the present time. Their traditions about creation, like those about the Supreme Being, are such that the central idea is plain, and yet they are so mixed with curious surroundings as to show that they did not get the idea from the whites. The shortness of space forbids my giving many of these traditions; reference can only be made to some which are specially interesting. According to the first race who inhabited Peru,, their deity. Con, by his word alone, created the world, elevated the moun- tains, excavated the valleys, filled the rivers, lakes, and seas with water, gave life to man and provided him with the things necessary to his happiness. J The Quiches, of Guatemala, say that there was a time when nothing existed; nothing, nothing but silence and darkness, except the Creator, Former, Dominator, Feathered Serpent, and the heavens, below which all was empty, unchanging solitude. Then appeared a vast expanse of water, on which Divine Beings moved in brightness. They said, *' Earth ! " and instantly the earth was created. It came into being like a vapour, mountains rose above the waters like lobsters, and were made. Next, animals were created, and after them four men, after three unsuccessful attempts ; and then four women, while the men were asleep. § Bancroft, in vol. iii. of his Native Races of the Pacific, devotes * American Antiquarian^ vol. iv. p. 138. + Annual Report, Bureau of Ethnology, 1879-80, p. 97. t Tschudi's Peruvian Antiquities, p. 147, tScc. § Baldwin's Aiuicnt America, p. 194. 15 lelief in o atone les sent penance ig with ate the of the ERIOK nail.. to have ig" more :il about i.e those [ idea is dings as i. of these aich are ir deity, e raoun- nd seas e things ae when arkness, serpent, nging n which ^Jarth ! " ing like ers, and em four women, devotes I about eighty pages to the traditions of creation as given by the Quiches, Mexicans, Tezcucans, Moquis, Navajos, Pueblos, Thlinkeets, California Indians, Aztecs, Miztecs, natives of Guatemala, Sinaloas, Cochimis and Pericues of Lower Cali- fornia, Gallimeros, Los Angelos Indians, and others of Southern California. The Pimas say that the Creator took clay and mixed it with the sweat of his body, kneaded the whole into a lump, blew upon the lump till it was filled with life and began to move, and it became man and woman.* Powers gives traditions of creation by several tribes of the California Indians, the Karoks, by Great Kareya, the Mattoals, Senels, Maidus, Miwoks, by the Coyote, and Palligawonaps by the Old Man.f Some of these traditions are silly enough, but contain one central idea, creation by a superior being. The Clallams and Twanas have also some curious traditions. Those around the mouth of the Columbia believed that man was originally made by the Superior Deity, but in an imperfect staia, being rather a statue of flesh than a living being. A second divinity, less powerful, pitied him, opened his eyes, gave him motion and taught him what to do. J According to Bancroft, the Ahts, Chinooks, Cayuses, Nez Perces, and Walla Wallas, believe that man was made from the lower animals, while the Selish, Nisquallies, and Yakamas think that animals were created from man [i.e., an ancient race who were foolish, M.E.]. The Tacullies, of British Columbia, believe that the world was created by the musk rat ; the Thlinkeets, by Yehl, the raven ; the Aleuts say the dog was the originator, but some say it was an old man who came from the mainland ; the Tinnehs have a bird and dog origin ; and the name of the Great Deity of the Konigas is Sliljam Schoa, or Creator. § The Chippewyans of British America believe that the world was first a vast ocean, and that the Great Spirit, in the form of a great bird, came down, whose eyes were fire, whose glances were lightning, and the clapping of whose wings was thunder, who rested on the ocean, and immediately land arose. He then created animals from the earth, and the Chippewyans from a dog.y There are also traditions of the same event by the Okina- * Bancroft's Native Races of the Pacific, vol. iii. p. 75. t Contributions to N. A. Ethnologij, a^oI, iii. pp. 35, 110, 171, 293, 358, 394 :j: i)unn, On Oregon Territory, p. 91. § Bancroft's Native Races of the Pacific, vol. iii. II Dunn, On Oregon Territorg, pp. 75, 76. piPIJ^jiJliiiiiiii^g^^pjiWPliPilllliMBWH 1(> m gftus,* Hidat8a9,t Indiana of New York, Pennsylvania^ and neighbouring States, J New Jersey,§ and Canada. || By referring to what has been already said about the Supreme Being, it will also be seen that his name, Creator, has reference to this work among the tribes of Guiana, Mich- coacan, Durango, Mexico, Yucatan, the Aztecs, Mojaves, Apaches, Kai'oks, Yuroks, Maidus, I^alliguwonaps, Chinooks, Blackfeet, Newetteo Indians, Haidas, Thlinkeets, Aleuts, Omahas, Algonquins, and Indians of New England. (2) Provi(Jenc<\ — I have already spoken of the almost uni- versal belief in Manitous, or Guardian Spirits, and every time there is an incantation by the Indians, it plainly says. We believe that the Supreme Being or his subordinates govern the world. I shall yet speak of the Deluge and worship, and these likewise prove a belief in Providence among the tribes there mentioned; for the Deluge shows that the Supreme Being has interfered among the affairs of men, while every time that a prayer is offered, a sacrifice made, or a religious feast takes place, they plainly say the same. The very name given to the Supreme Being by the Quiches is " Ho by whom we all live and breathe," and by the Mexicans, " He by whom we live." When the small-pox first visited the tribes around the mouth of the Columbia River, and they were unable to cure those sick with it, they became desperate, and believed that the Great Spirit had surrendered them to the Evil Spirit, because of their wickedness.^ (;j) The Delude. — Almost identical with Providence, and yet of so much importance as to be treated as a subject by itself, is the Deluge, the punishment of sin in this world. First the creation, next the Deluge, and then the Indians know of but little more until about the present time. The Peruvians say that, as in the first age of the world Con punished the human race with frightful barrenness, so in the second Pachamac vented his wrath in a deluge ; an ark was constructed, and a small portion of the human family were preserved.** According to the Brazilian tribes, two persons were saved ll: * Council Fire, October, 1879. t Mathew's Hidatsa, p. 47. t Contributions to N. A. Ethnology, vol. iv. p. 49 f Hayward's Book of All Religions, p. 212. || Ibid., p. 211. 1 The ground cursed for Adam's sin (?). ** Tschudi's Peruvian Antiquities, p. 152. Another tradition is given in the Journal of the Victoria Institute for 1869, p. 297. 17 nia^ and >out the Crrator, a, Mich- Mojaves, hinooks, Aleuts, lost uni- ery time ays, We 1 govern hip, and le tribes Supreme ile every religious !ry name )y whom 3y whom und the to cure ved that Spirit, lee, and bject by 3 world. Indians Drld Con so in the ark was lily were re saved by climbing to the tops of the loftiest mountains, but some say four were saved.* The original inhabitants of Cuba are said to have had a tradition, which speaks of a Noah, an ark, the animals intro- duced into it, and the sending out of a bird (in this instance a crow) to look for dry land, and its return to the ark.f Bancroft devotes five octavo pages to the Mexican account of the Deluge, and also tells of that of Guateraala.J The Cutios of Colombia likewise have their tradition of the same.§ The Fimas of California say that the Flood was known to the eagles, who told it to a prophet, but ho paid no attention to it. After a time, he warned him a second time, and then a third time. A cunning wolf told it to another prophet, who, knowing the wolf to be a sagacious animal, prepared a boat for himself, and made provision to take with him all kinds of animals then known. Suddenly the winds arose and the rains descended in torrents ; thunder and lightning were terrific, and darkness covered the world. Everything on the earth was destroyed, and all the Pimas except one good chief, Soho, who was saved by a special interposition of Providence, from whom the Pimas .^re descended. The Papagos claim to bo descended from the prophet, who rode safely through the storm, and landed safely on Santa Rosa, and they yearly visit this mountain in Arizona in commemoration of this event, and it is said they will not kill a wolf.]] According to the Shastikas, long, long ago there was a good young Indian on earth, and when he died all the Indians wept so much that a flood came on the earth, rose up to heaven, and drowned all people except one couple. The Tolowas lay it to a rain, which drowned all except a man and wife, who reached the high land, and subsisted on fish, which they cooked under their arms, as everything was so water-soaked that no fire could be prr ""-oed. From them all the Indians of the present day are descended, and also the game, insects, &c. ; for, as the Indians died, their spirits took the form of deer, elk, bear, spiders, insects, snakes, and the like. The flood of the Karoks occurred at Klamath, and Taylor's Peak is the Ararat of the Mattoals. The Ashochimi say all were drowned except the Coyote, who planted birds' . 47. . 211. Is given in * Edinburgh Review : Art. Deluge. t Appleton's Cyclopcedia : Art. Deluge. See also Journal of the Victoria Institute, 1869, p. 298, for another tradition. X Native Races of the Pacific, vol. iii. See also Jouriial of the Victoria Institute, 1869, p. 298. § American Antiquarian, vol. iv. p. 177. II Smithsonian Report, IQll. ^^ 18 ;;: ! feathers, which sprouted, and turned to men and women ; and the Maidus attribute it to a mighty rushing of the waters which came down the Saoramento Valley.* The Twanas on Puget's Sound speak of it, and that only good Indians were saved, though there wore quite a number of them. It occurred because of a great rain, and all the country was overflowed. The Indians went in their canoes to the highest mountains near them, which is in the Olympic range; and, as the waters rose above the top of it, they tied their canoes to the tops of the trees on it, so that they should not float away. Their ropes were made of the limbs of the cedar-trees, just as they sometimes make thetn at the present time. The waters continued to rise, however, above the tops of the trees, until the whole length of their ropes was reached, and they supposed that they would be obliged to cut their ropes and drift away to some unknown place, when the waters began to recede. Some canoes, however, broke from their fastenings, and drifted away to the west, where they say their descendants now live, a tribe who speak a language similar to that of the Twanas. This they also say accounts for the present small number of the tribe. In their language, this mountain is called by a name which means " Fastener," from the fact that they fastened their canoes to it at that time. They also speak of a pigeon which went out to view the dead. I have been told by one Indian that, while this highest moun- tain was submerged, another one, which was not far distant from it, and which was lower, was not wholly covered. The Clallams, whose country adjoins that of the Twanas, also have a tradition of a flood;, but some ol' them believe that it is not very long ago, perhaps not more than three or four generations since. One old man says that his grandfather saw the man who was saved from the flood, and that he was a Clallam. Their Ararat, too, is a different mountain from that of the Twanas. The Lummi Indians, who live very near the northern line of Washington Territory, also speak of a flood, and Mount Baker is their Ararat. The Puyallup Indians, near Tacoma, say that the flood overflowed all the country except one high mound near Steila- coom, and this mound is called by the Indians "The Old Land," because it was not overflowed. "Do you see that high mountain over there?" said an old * Covfrihulions k. N. A. Elhnnloffii, vol. iii. pp. 19, 70, 111, 200. 251, 290. mon ; mid lio waters that only a number 1(1 all tlio ?ir canooa 3 Olympic tliey tied icy should il)H of the 10 proscnt 3 the tops s reiiched, out their :he waters rem their 1 say their we similar ts for the uafj-o, this ler," from that time, the dead, est moun- ar distant 3d. 3 Twanas, ni believe ;hau three 1 that his flood, and , different thern line nd Mount the flood aar Steila- 'The Old aid an old 11, 200, 251, 19 Indian to a mountaineer, as they were riding across the Cascade Mountains, about seventeen years ago. "I do," was the reply. " Do you see that grove to the right?" the Indian then said. " Yes," said the white man. ** Well," said the Indian, *^a long time ago there was a flood, and all the country was overflowed. There was an old man and his fatnil}' on a boat or raft, and ho floated about, and the wind blew him to that mountain, where he touched bottom. He stayed there some time, and then sent a crow to hunt for land, but it came back without finding any. After some time ho sent the crow again, and this time it brought a leaf from that grove, and the old man was glad, for he knew that the water was going away." The Yakima Indians also have their traditions, but, at this time, writes Rev. J. H. Wilbur, their agent and missionary, it is impossible to tell what was their original tradition, and what has been mixed with it from the early teachings of mis- sionaries who w re with them thirty or forty years ago. When the earliest missionaries came among the Spo- kanes, Nez Per* es, and Cayuses, who, with the Yakimas, live in the eastern part of the Territory, they found that those Indians had their tradition of a flood, and that one man and wife were saved on a raft. Each of those three tribes also, together with the Flathead ti'ibes, has their separate Ararat in connection with this event. Tho Makah Indians, who live at Neah Bay, the north-west corner of the Territory, next to the Pacific Ocean, also the Chemakums and Kwilleyutes, whose original residence was near the same region, speak of a very high tide. According to their tradition : " A long time ago, but not at a very remote period, the waters of the Pacific flowed through what is now the swamp and prairie between Waatch village and Neah Bay, making an island of Cape Flattery. The water suddenly receded, leaving Neah Bay perfectly dry. It was four days reaching its lowest ebb, and then rose again, without any waves or breakers, till it had submerged the Cape, and in fact the whole country except the tops of the mountains at Clyo- quot. The water on its' rise became very warm, and as it came up to the houses those who had canoes put their eff'ects in them, and floated off with the current, which set very strongly to the north. Some drifted one way, some another, and when the waters assumed their accustomed level a portion of the tribe found themselves beyond Nootka, where their descendants now reside, and are known by the same name as the Makahs in Classet, or Kwenaitchechat. Many canoes came down in the trees and were destroyed, and 20 numerous lives were lost. The water was four days in gaining its accustomed level." It is the opinion of Hon. J. G. Swan that this was simply a rising of the tides, und has no reference to the Deluge of Noah. I suggest, however, that if they had preserved any tradition of the flood in their migrations, when they settled at Neah Bay, where nearly all of their floods, though smaller, were caused by the rising of the tide, that they would naturally, in a few generations, refer it to the same cause. The natives of the Sandwich Islands, where floods are caused in the same way, have a tradition of a great flood, but refer it to the rising of the tide. The Indians of the Warm Spring Reservation in Oregon, and of the Fort Hall Reservation in Idaho, as far as I can learn, have no such tradition. It is possible, however, that they may have concealed it from their questioners, if they have one, as Indians do many of their traditions.* The Creeks place the event before the Creation of Man. Two pigeons were sent forth in search of land, while the earth was still covered with water. At first they were unsuccessful, but a second time they returned with a blade of grass, and soon after the waters subsided. The Cherokees do not place the event until after the Creation, and say that it was revealed by a dog.f The Iroquois,t Mandans,§ and the Hidatsas || and the Thlinkeets^ also have traditions of the Flood, but want of space prevents my giving them here. Some have objected to these traditions, that perhaps they were not handed down from former ancestors, but were received from early traders and teachers ; but for four reasons I cannot accept the objection : (1) Because the first travellers have often learned this tradition j (2) they will even now often distinguish between the traditions of their ancestors and the teachings of the first whites who came here ; (3) they have names of their Ararat, the great monument of the Flood, as " Fastener " and " Old Land ; " (4) the Mexicans, when discovered, although they had no system of writing, yet had a way of representing events by pictures, and this event was recorded among others. • v., The writer, in the American Antiquarian, vol. i. p. 70. Schoolcraft's Notes on the Iroquois. Edinburgh Remew ; Art, Deluge. Transactions of the Victoria Institute, lyoy, p. 298. Mathew's Hidatsa, Indians, p. !). Bauci'ott'a Native Races of the Vacijic. I I' days in gaining this was simply ) the Deluge of I preserved any 1 they settled at though smaller, lat they would he same cause, oods are caused 3od, but refer it bion in Oregon, as far as I can !, however, that lers, if they have reation of Man. , while the earth jre unsuccessful, ie of grass, and ees do not place ) it was revealed itsas II and the od, but want of lat perhaps they iters, but were for four reasons le first travellers will even now their ancestors e here ; (3) they ent of the Flood, Mexicans, when writing, yet had 1 this event was rol. i. p. 70. , p. 298. Hence we must either conclude that all the traditions had little or no foundation, which would be absurd, or that there \.\.re a large number of floods, which would he almost as absurd ; for in that event the tradition of one ilood in each tribe could not have been preserved so distinctly, especially when a bird of some kind, and a branch of some tree, is often mentioned in connection with it, or else that there was one great i^ood, so great that most of the dc 'cendants of those saved have preserved a tradition of it, and if so all must have descended from the few who were saved.* (4) Divine Teaching and Incarnation. — I'uere are many Indianc who speak of having received instructions from a Great Being, and some of these traditions remind us of an incarnation, while some remind us more of the descent of one from the spirit world, as when the Lord told Abraham of the destruction of Sodom, than of the coming of Christ. After the Fall of man, according to the Peruvians, it was the Son of Con, the Supreme Deity, who took pity on man, punished as he was, re-created him, and took special charge of him ; but, after the introduction of the worship of the Sun, the Inca declared himself to be the Son of the Sun, and that his father had permitted him to become incarnate iu order to teach the people the arts and sciences, and the will of the Supreme Being.f Montezuma (after whom the Aztec king was named) was the God of the Pueblo Indians, who was once among them in bodily human form, and who left them with a promise that he would return again at a future day. In this may be re- cognised the Hiawatha of Longfellow, and the Ha-yo-weu't-ha of the Iroquois. It is in each case a ramification of a wide- spread legend among the tribes of America, of a personal human being wifli supernatural powers, an instructor in the arts of life, an example of the highest virtues, beneficent, wise, immortal. J The Zufiis believe that immediately beneath the Supreme Holder of the Roads are the twin children of the Sun, mortal yet divine, who fell for the salvation of mankind. They are the ancestors of the priests of the order of the bow.§ The Karoks of California have a conception of a Supreme Being called Kareya, who sometimes descends to the earth to instruct the medicine men, when he appears as a venerable * Americayi Antiquarian, vol. i. p. 72. Article by the writer. + Tscbudi's Peruvian Antiquities, pp. 147, 149. X ('ontrlhutionn to N. A. M>inology, vol. iv. p. 153. § Popular Science Monthly, June, 1882. mmm Si i 90 \l m ■ii '' ii . ;!'i 111! man, in close-fitting tunic and long white liair, having a medicine-bag. The Turoks have a legend of a person named Gard, who was almost perfect in life and teaching, but one day disappeared. They searched for him for a long time, when he again came from the land of spirits, re-affirmed his former teachings, and established the dauv^e of peace, which is still known. The Poraos have an idea of a Great Man above, but he is a negative being, for the active principle, the creator has always resided in the Coyote, — their idea of in- carnation. The Maidus have a tradition of a child who grew up in four or five days, was more powerful than anybody, did many wonderful works, conquered a she- devil, redeemed his tribe from servitude, taught them many things, went to heaven, and once reappeared in the form of the rainbow.* The name of the Son of the Creator, according to the Pimas, was Szeukha, who lived in the Gila Valley.t The Twanas and Clallams of Washington Territory are as full of the tradition of the coming of Dokibatl, the Changer, as they are of the practice of incantations. He changed worthless men into animals, stones, and mountains, taught them many things, did other wonderful works, and his foot- tracks still remain, as they believe, in a rock. I have never satisfied myself that it was a tradition of the Son of God, but when they had learned of Him they said that Dokibatl was the Son of God, and occasionally called him Jesus. The Iroquois have a beautiful tradition of one who came from heaven, set a good example, sacrificed his daughter to thoi Supreme Being, at which time he was much dejected, said they must submit to the divine will, and again ascended to heaven amid beautiful strains of n: isic.J (h) What man oives to the Supreme Being and other deities. (1) Thanhsgiviitfj. — As a favoured being, man should thank these spirits. In Peru, when a poor labourer ascended a hill, he unbur- dened himself and said three times, " I adore him who enables me to endure, I give thanks to him who has given me strength to endure thus far ; " and then a slight offering was ma^de, it might be a hair of the eye-lash, a twig, straw, handful of earth, or small stone. These small heaps of earth and stone exist to the present day. Of their four great feasts, the first was in the summer, and was a national feast of gratitude. It is fully described by Tschudi.§ * Contributions to N. A. Ethnology, pp. 24, 80, 161, 208-305. t Bancroft's Native lidces of the Pacific, vol. iii. p. 78. + Schoolcraft's Notes on the Iroquois. § Tschudi's Ftruvian Antiquities, p. 153. J 23 liaviug a )n named but one me, when is former ^h is still ,n above, iple, the iea of in- vho grew body, did emed his J heaven, 'he name nas, was ry are as Changer, changed D, taught his foot- ,ve never God, but ibatl was rho came ighter to dejected, ascended deities. lid thank le unbur- enables strength 1 ma^de, it andful of lud stone , the first tude. It 3-305. The Viards of California have an annual thanksgiving danco in the autumn, which is followed by an oration from an old man, who recounts the mercies of the year. The Wailiki have their black bear dance when they have killed one of these animals, and the clover dance when it gets juicy to eat ; the Yukis, the green corn dance; the Kato Pomos, the acorn dance; the Wintuns, the pine-nut and clover dances; and other tribes the manzanita, first grass, second grass, and fish dances, because of the gifts of these kinds of food.* The tribes around the mouth of the Columbia River had a festival at the opening of the salmon season, and offered the first salmon to the Great Spix-it as a thank-offering; and the Knistenaux have private feasts in acknowledgment of mercies.f The Omahas when the bison are discovered go through a ceremony, saying, " Thanks, Master of Life"; f and among the Dakotas the feast o^ first fruits is the most common, in gratitude for the increase of the earth and the fruits of the hunt. On many occasions, even the most trivial, the gods are thanked, and a small thank-offering made.§ The Pottawottaraies likewise had a day of thanksgiving, when they heard a speech from an old man, worshipped the Great Spirit and thanked him for his care.|| (2) Prayer. — Man, as a weak being, should ask assistance from the more powerful. The Patagonians of southern, and the Araucanians of northern. South America prayed. The Peruvians implored the protection of their deity on a new-born child, and implored assistance at their second national feast in the autumn and at the third in winter for protection and aid.^ Habel gives eight figures of sculptures on which are the Deity in the upper part, and in the lower part a person with upturned face, in adoration, while curved lines proceeding from the mouth of each supplicant show that they were praying.** Bancroft gives more than twenty-six octavo pages of Mexican prayers on various occasions, and also says that the * Contributions to N. A. Ethnolorfi/, pp. 105, 118, 133, 155, 237, 324, 354, 208. + Dunn, On. (hr.fjon Territory, pp. 73, 87. X Long's Expedition, 1819-20, vol. i. p. 207. § Gospel Amonif Dahotas, pp. 77, 85. II Mcdoy's Indivn Missions, *T TsduuU's Penirian Autiqiiities, pp. 153, 101. 192. ** iraljcl's Gnatenmin, p)). Gl 80. 24 ¥ 1 i:i(;i Aztecs offered prayers several times a clay in the temple of the Sun.* The Pueblos of New Mexico had periodical assemblages of the authorities and people for offering prayers in order to supplicate favours ; and sometimes one or more persons will separate themselves absolutely from all intercourse with the world for eighteen rnonths, and devote themselves to prayer for the people.f The Maidu Indians observe the acorn dance in order to insure a bountiful crop of acorns, when two venerable silver- haired priests offer a solemn supplication to the spirits for the favour desired ; and an instance is given of a Karok Indian praying while hunting. J The writer has learned of forms of prayer formerly used by the Twanas and Clallams of Washington Territory. Swan speaks of the same practice among the Makalis,§, Dunn among the Knistenaux, and Rocky Mountain Indians ;|j Pond among the Dakotas ;^ and McCoy among the Potta- wottamies.** One image has been found in Tennessee, which evidently belonged to the Mound Builders, in which the tignre is kneel- ing, and the hands are clasped across the breast in the attitude of prayer.ff Other reference has been made to this subject in the part of this paper which speaks of the Supreme Being, in regard to the Indians of Guiana, the Zunis, Okinagans and Winne- bagoes. Much too of their incantations, spoken of in the part which relates to the Good Spirits, so very common among all tribes, is really prayer to their guardian spirits. (3) Sacrifices. — Man as a sinful being needs atonement. In connection with theso sacrifices are priests, temples, and altars. In Peru the earliest ideas of the race were that mankind became very wicked for which they were terribly punished, but they were restored by the Son of the Deity, whereupon they offered sacrifices in the temple in a most abject manner. When the worship of the Sun was introduced, sacrifices became very numerous, and included their most valuable * Bancroft's Native Races of the Pacific, vol. ii. chap. ix. and vol. t Contributions to N. A. Ethnology, vol. iv. pp. 151, 153. X Ibid., vol. iii. p. 285. § Swan's Makah Indians, pp. 61, 62. II Dunn, On Oregon Territory, pp 73, 219. 11 Gospel Among the Dakotas, p. 57. ** Mc( Joy's Indian Missions. t+ Aboriginal Jiemains in Tennessee, p. 44. ui. 2-^ uple of ages of rder to )ns will ith the prayer rder to 5 silver- f'or the Indian used by Swan f, Dunn idiana;|| ) Potta- vidently s kneel- in tlie the part I regard Winne- the part nong all nement. les, and Tiankiud unished, lereupon manner, acrifices valuable vol. iii. possessions, 200,000 llamas having been offered at one time ; and sometimes even their children were offered. Their temples were numerous, large, and costly, whose ruins still exist, anc their priests also numerous, held in great esteem, carefully educated, and under a High Priest who claimed to be a descendant of the Sun.* Habel in his Sculptures of Guatemalaf gives several figures, which have been referred to in the section on prayer, and in connection with them are men in the act of offering sacrifices, fierce beasts, and human victims, with the altar and sacrificial knife. The priests, sacrifices, and temples of Mexico, Zapotepec, and the Magas and Toltecs have become somewhat famous. When discovered their temples and high places reminded one of Babylon, there having been two thousand in the city of Mexico, and forty thousand (as estimated) in the whole country, with an ecclesiastical body estimated at nearly a million ! Their sacrifices included human beings, twenty thousand of whom were offered annually in the city of Mexico, and eighty thousand at the dedication of one temple. J The first of September is a red-letter day among the Karoks of California, when the great dance of propitiation is held, at which all the tribe are present, and also deputations from other tribes, and in the valley of the Geysers stands an image of stone, which tradition says was made there by an old prophet of the Ashochimi, as a propitiation for sin on account of earthquakes and sickness. § Gushing speaks plainly of this belief in sacrifices, of the priests and temples among the Zuiiis, |i Dunn testifies to the idea of sacrifices among the tribes around the mouth of the Columbia River, the Knistenaux. »"d the Rocky Mountain Indians,^ and the writer has found the same among the Skokomish and Clallam Indians of Washington Territory. Among the Dakotas tho most primitive and ancient form of worship is sacriTce. It is the foundation of all their ancient ceren.jnies, and shows itself in every-day life. It may be something small, as paint, or the down of the female swj u, or it may be dog-meat, one of the greatest luxuries a Tschudi's Peruvian Antiqtiities, pp. 147, 157, 197, 241, 288. Appleton's American Gyclop(r,dia : Art. Am. Antiq)iities. Bancroft's Native Races of the Pacific. Contributions to N. A. Ethnology, pp. 28, 200. II Popular Science Monthly, June, 1882. ^ Dunn, On Orajoit Territonj, pp. 71, 90, 219. I ill lii! m~ .iir'i from various authors. I have seen a good deal of Imlians in Canada, and heard much about them in the west and north- west of America; and, although I may not have known from personal 33 1 these »cl hath of the iviiig." el sure I greatest ited aa a at every who has ispeciftlly , he well rd to the to those the time roughout Iso those or Africa lighlands d in tbiS QB of the le Huper- I was a special lopo they eived an lin regret UH of the een moat 80 good in that I e member, us that I igs stated , because with all his paper \merica ; .eas, that !t inform- d deal of id north- personal (ihHcrviition many of tlie things statod in this pnper, yi't, iit llie aarao time, I have hoard and we«Mi similar things, and had tlu'in rdntcd to mo by the Indians tiieraselves. Wo could ik t help ft'i;Iing, I think, us wh li.-ituned to tliis paper, that it is amongst llio iMaiuns, as it was anion;:st the Urneks and Jiiinians and others in old times, that " they had gods nmny, aid lords many." lioth the Old nnd the New World are alike in that ; and that helps to prove the identity of the race. There is among the Indians, so far as I have seen, no little confusion about their gods ; and it is not surprising, for they have no written books, nnd what comes down by truditiiMi may become confused. I was much interested in what is stated in the paper about the Manitous. Every tribe of Indians I know have a Manitou. Hut many of tliem make no distinction between their (hvat Spirit and Manitou. They are both one. Tiie Ojibway tribe, which is, perhaps, the most intelligent in Ihitish ^''orth Amerifn, and the most widely spread, all look up to Manitou as the Great Spirit, and the Great Spirit is their Manitou. I was greatly struck with one statement in the paper, but I caimot find fault with it, because the beliefs of the Indians vary so mucii. I Jut the idea seemed to bo thrown out that they do not offer sacrifices to Manitou. Well, some may ni>t, but others do. For instance, some of the Ojibways do. They try to propitiate, by offering prayers and sacrifices to Manitou. An Indian informed me that his father used to travel a long way and make sacrifices wl. he bad done anything wrong, to propitiate Manitou. They will go up a very high hill, to an almost inaccessible plaee, and there deposit something precious to them. Perhaps what was most precious to them was a plug of tobacco. To piirt with that something, and take it up a high hill, and deposit it in the cleft of a rock, is their .sacrifice. I have known an Indian travel many miles to the Falls of Niagara, and there take out a plug of tobacco and throw it into the Falls, and comfort himself saying, "There now, Manitou will have a good smoke to-night ! " (Laughter.) That could be nothing but propiviation. With regard to the traditions about the Flood, I agree with the writer that we must take them cum p'ano salis. They have, no doubt, real traditions of the Flood, as they have of the Creation and of the Fall of man, which, I think, is not mentioned in the paper ; but they have occasional fioods in the north-west of America, and they are very terrible. Sometimes they carry houses with them, boats drift away, the crews are quite lost, and find themselves in places they bad never been in before ; and a good many of these traditions about the waters coming down this, that, and the other valley arise from occurrences such as I have described. I re-nember Bishop Anderson, who still lives at Clifton, giving me a descrip- tion of a flood in the north-west while he was there, and he has written an account of it. There is a thrilling novel, written, I think, by Ilallantyne, called "The Red Man's Revenge," and published in Tfie Boy's Own Paper by the Religious Tract Society, which gives about as good a picture as can be of a similar flood in the north-west of America. IJut drop all 34 tliis, rtiid yfet thert^ remains an airtrri'ijfiition i)f evidHiiocs of ii. tiadilinn of what could be nothiiii^ else but Noali'a flood, some piece of copper. Now copper was in former times among the Indians very valuable, and the chiefs especially had a rigiit to p issess ir, and the giviiter thi, cliief the greater his piece of i'0|t|)i-r. Bui I am not aware that they worship copper in any other way tliaii uiany a whit." man worsliips gold. Tliey call these things " nllhodukshii," I'lal i,-, anything valuable or .^aered to the person who 36 keeps it. They are handed down from oiu' cliief to liio successor. They are a kind of heirloom, but not images or gods whicii they worship. They beli^'ve in evil spirits certainly, and I was struck by the description the writer f^ives of a spirit in the shape of a hird. Now, the Niskah Indians believe in a spirit-bird, and they say thunder is caused by the flapping of his wings, and ligiitning by the ilashing of its eyes. Thunder out there is so rare, that for twenty-five years it may nit be heard mi)re tluin three or four times. Wlien the Indians do hear it thi^y nvf. exceedingly frightened, and think the spirit-bird is angry witli lliem and has come to terrify them. Tliere is nothing in the shape of sacrifice among them. The Indians belit-ve in a future life, but the belief is very vague indeed ; I have never been able to find that they had any idea of hell as a place of |Miiiishment, but they believe in the heaven whicli is above. It is only the chiefs wlio can be happy ; the others go to the same place, but they go to attend on the chief as his (slaves. On tlie death of a chief it was the custom of the Tongas Indians, sontli of Alaska, to kill one or two slaves of the chief in order that the sLives might accompany the cliief. I knew one man who escaped from Alaska and came to British tenivory to avoid hein;,' killed. I tliitik these are all the remarks I need make ; the others which I have in my mind are similar to what Canon Iliirst has already told you, (Cheers.) Kev. F. A. Ai.LEN, M.A. — As a ineinbt^r nf ihei " Americanist" Society, ■which is very much intere&ted in this (question, I ha\ ? for years tried to draw the attention of the British public to American archaeology but I could get few to jiiin us except Sir .John Lubbock and one or two specialises. We had a ci>ngress at Ih'ussels, and t)ie next is to be at Tnrin, I tl)ink next y^ar ; and 1 hope the Knglish will show a little more interest in the subject tha!i they have hitheito done. It may occur to some to say — Why should American archaeologv throw light on l-'astern archtoology ? I think the reason is — as Sir J. W. Dawson Siiid in a series of articles to T/ie Leisure Hour — that America is a sort of microcosm of the wholn history of man. At the present day it is the only contint'nt where we see in miniature all that we know of the past. The stone period, the bronze period, the iron period are still going on there, and I think we can imrdly see that anywhere else. Then , tlie Ameri-an race, so long secluded, has developed more homogeneity, more individiiali-in, and thus we are able to trace tlu'ir legends to the fountain- head. Tiiat is wiiy it is so important to study American arch;eology. Sir .1. W. Dawson said it was the key to the proper understanding of the early history of the human race.* * Mr. Allen wishes to add, with regard to the remark on p. P — as to the Nass Indians around Fort Simjison "carrying the iuinges of tlieir gods in a box," — that he i.-* glnd »o see the author is careful to j.lliide to thi.i statement as given, not on his own authority, hut simply as re}>o:iuite lately I had oca.siuii to cro.-s the Bav of l^'ngal from till r r'iiitii! cojist to JJiiimah. We experi'-nced by no meiiiis favour- able weath 11., a.i wf appi'oai'ht'd the mi>uthnf tlie Friawaddy, I was sni- ))rised to liiiu a native craft .signalling n.s by loading her ma.-ts with liags. Wo knew she wi-hed to spealc, a boat was lnwered and the ship com- mnnV'ated \ ;th. Shortly afterwards a native Burmaii and Iiis canoe were * This subjtct is also referred to in .Mr. Whitnue's paper, vol. iv. 38 hoisted down to the steamer's boat and brought on board. Tlie story was this : — The man had been out Hahing on the Irrawaddy, a tlood came and swept him out to sea, and he was buflFeting- about in the Bay of iJengal for days until he was fortunately picked up by this native craft. The idea tliat struck me wab that this was an illustration of the way in which the popu- lations of continents may be transmitted to islands and other continents. Within a parenthesis I may say that the reason they covered all their masts with bunting was that they knew they had the proper signals on board, but, not knowing exactly which they were, they thought the best way was to put up all they had. (Laughter.) There was allusion made to dancing in connexion with the cure of diseases. ' 'i • -o who have been in India must know very well of the ceremonies per i to Sitala, the goddess of small-pox, to ward off the small-pox. I i ntly had an opportunity of seeing dances pHrft)rmed to the goddess of cholera, whose r.nme is remarkable— Maree Ama, " Maree " being the Hindustani for "great sickness." The meeting was then adjourned. REMAKK8 ON THE FOREGOING PAPER. P.y the Iioverend E. Collins, M.A., late Princi[):il of Cottayani CoIIogr. Orthodox Christians are not unfreqiiently accused of coming to the study of such fubjoctsas this with preconceived notions, towards which they make idl evidence to bend. It may, perhaps, have been so in sonic iiistiUices ; and the disease may sometimes have all'ected even those who do not belong to that class of persons. But this is, therefore, all the more reason for approaching the religious history of man with the strictest guard over any tenilency to prejudice. — Do such facts as those, so interestingly brought together in ]Mr. Eells' ptiper, candidly and honestly considered, make for the truth of tlie theories either of Mr. Herbert Spencer or Mr. Frederic Harrison t One subject touched upon in this paper is instinct or intuition. Is there not a good deal of confusion of mind amongst writers on the siil)ject of religion as to these instincts / Man has no instinct, surely, towards the objective, towards definite and complex ideas of the mind and the resulting acts. "Whatever be the analogy, or want of analogy, between what has been called instinct in animals — that which leads a bird to the complex act of building a certain kind of nest, or a bee to construct a detinite form of cell — and that which leads a man to construct tlie definite form, arising from a complex idea, of a chair or a steam-engine, it is certain that such ideas of man are not imiate in any true scii^e, l)Ut are the lesult of powers of reason and memory, wliich alone arc tlic innate. .\n oo tr ^ 1-^ < O H 1^ 50 O o O) Ph "♦.a ^ S^ -c; O •lo sc ?* ■» o i>a *^-^ 53 ^ « o O 1—1 CO H c*s < ^ t— 1 ^ Pi < b o s Qi o b o m v CO .o 5 ^5 ?2 < W M O O H o o S <1 m o w O l-H »» O H CO IK 03 o o m s Oh ^ ^ ">« ^ .Si 8 •^ ■l) 2 i ?J to p5 ■Si .CO O o S e JO •■♦•a c s V. o ^5 «0 H H D a . ^^ :2 fl OS o O TJ ew is t-i - 1 2 '-I kl o !_; ^ &. o na o THE TRANSACTIONS. VOL. XIV.(fori880). 53. "The Topography of the Sinaitic Peninsula " (giving results of last survey). By the lat» Kev. F. \V. Holland, M.A. (Palestine Exploration Fund); with a new map. "The Ethnology of the Pacific." By the Rev. S. J. Whitmee, F.L.S. ; with a large new map, showing the distribution of Races and all the results of the latest discoveries. The Annual Meeting. 54. On Physiological Metaphysics. By Professor Noah Porter (President, Yale Univ., U.S.). On the Dniids and their Religion. By the late J. E. Howard, Esq., F.R.S. On the Organ of Mind. By Rev. J. FiSHEK, D.D. On the Data of Ethics. By Principal Wack. D.D. 65. On the Bearings of the Study of Natural Science, and of the Contemplation of the Dis- coveries to which that Study leads, on our Religious Ideas. By Professor Stokes, F.R.S. (Lucasinn Professor of Mathematics, Cambridge, and Sec. to Royal Society ). Late Assyrian and Babylonian Research. By HORMUZD Rassam, Esq. On the Evidence of the Later Movements of Elevation and Depression in tiie British Isles. By Professor Hughes, M.A. (Wood wardian Professor of Geology at Cambridge). On the Natiu-e of Life. By Professor H. A. Nicholson, M.D., F.R.S.E., Aberdeen. 66. On the Religion and Mythology of the Aryans of Northern Europe. By R. Brown, F.S. A. VOL. XV. (for 1881). 57. The Life of Joseph. Illustrated from Sources External to Holy Scripture. By Rev. H. G. Tom KINS, M.A. On the Relation between Science and Religion, through the Principles of Unity, Order, and Ciiusation. Annual Address by the Right Rev. Bishop Cotterill, D.D. Some Considerations on the Action of Will in the Formation and Regulation of the Universe ' — being an Examination and Refutation of certain Arguments against the existence of a personal conscious Deity. By the late Lord O'Neill. THl VICTOaiA INSTITUTE. 68. 69. «0. «2. •«3. 64. «6. 67. «8. 69. 70. Cz Ibe Modern Science of Religion, with Special Reference to those parts of Prof. Max MUller'B " CI ip8 from a German Workshop," which treat thereon. Rev. O. Blencowb. On the Early Deat.nies of Man. By the late J. I*]. Howahd, F j., F.R.S. Pliocene Man in America, By Dr. Southau. (United States) ; a second pai^'er on the same, by Principal and Vice-chancellor J. W. Dawson, r!.M.G.,LL.D., F. U.S., of M'Oill College, Montreal; and communications from the Duke of Akoyix, K.G. ; i^rofessor W. Boyd-Dawkin8, F.R.S. ; Professor T. MoK. HuauEB (Woodwardian Professor of Geology at Cambridge), and others. Scientific Facts and the Caves of South Devon. By the late J. E. Howard, blsq., F.R.S. Implements of the Stone Age as a primitive Dei. arcation betwoen Man and other Animals. By the late J. P. Thompson, D.D., LL.D. Meteorology : Rainfall. By J. F. Batkman, Esq., F.R.S.. F.R.S.E. On the Rainfall and Climate of India. By Sir Joseph FAYi.vR, M.D.. F.R.S., K.C.S.I. with a new Map, showing the Physical Geography and Iil^teorology of India, by Trelawnev W. Saunders, Esq. Language and the Theories of its Origin. By R. Brown, Esq., F.S.A. VOL. XVI. (for 188i;,. TheCredlbilityof the Supernatural. (Ann. Address.) By tii;> late Lord O'Neill. Supposed PaliBolithic Tools of the Valley of ine Axe, Devonshire. By N. Whitley, Hsq. With engravings. An Examination of the Philosophy of J.lr. Herbert Spencer. By ihe Rev. W. D. GROUND. On Herbert Spencer's Theory of the Will. By liev. W. D. Ground ; with Communications. Biblical Proper Names, personal andlocal, ilkitrated from sources external to Holy Scripture. By Rev. H. G. Tomkins. Comments by Professor Maspero, Mr. Rassam, and others. Breaks in the Continuity of Mammalian Life at oortiiia Geological Periods fatal to the Darwinian Theory of Evolution. By T. K. Callard, Esq., F.G.S., with Comments by several Geologists. The New Materialism Unscientific ; or. Dictatorial Scientific Utterances and the Decline of Thought. By Profossor Lionel S. Beale, M.D., F.R.S. On the Living and the Non-Living. By the st-ne. On the New Materialism. By the same. The Theory of Evolution taught by Hieckel, and held by his followers. J. Hassell. The Supernatural in Nature. By the late J. E. Howard, Esq., F.R.S. Materialism. By Judge C. W. Richmond. VOL. XVIL (for 1883). 'The Recent Survey of Western Palestine, and its Bearing upon the Bible. By Trelawney Saunders, Esq. Remarks on Climate in rotation to Organic Nature. By Surgeon-General C. A. Gordon, M.D., C.B. SpcooLos :>y Sir J. RisDON Bennett. V.P.R.S.; Sir Joseph Faykkr, K. C. S. I. , M. D. , F. R S. ; , .nd others. On the Argument from Desig i in Nature, with some illustrations from Plants. By W. P. James, Esq., M. A. Considerations on the Unknown and Unknowable of Modem Thought ; or. Is it possible to know God? By the Rev. Professor J. J. Lias, M.A., Hulsean Lecturer. Comments by Lord O'Neill and others. On certain Theories of Life. By Surg.-Gen. C. A. Gordon, M.D., C.B., Hon. Phys. to the Queen. On Cert\in Definitions of Matter. By the late J. E. Howard, Esq., F.R.S. On the ^.b8enoe of Real Oppositiou between Science and Revelation. By Prof. G. G. Stok.'8, F.R.S. Comments by several leading scientific men. Babylonian Cities. By Hormuzd Rassam ; with Remarks by Professor Delitzsch, Mr. St. Chad Boscawen, and others. The Origin of Man. By Archdeacon Bardslky. 71. 72. 'Did the Worid Evolve Itself ? By Si. E. BECKaTT, Bart. LL.D., Q.C. VOL. XVIIL (for 1884). On Misrepresentations of Christianity. By Lord O'Neill (the late). Science not Opposed to Revelation. By J. L. Porter, D.D., LL.D., President of Queen's College, Belfast. Recent Egyptoloj-