^^^m i^F*^ ml^wW9W^ ^^^"^-C^-A f*^^ r^c:^- c^di0^^t^ \ i /fii^lf ec-tJf g^£c^i ^^<^1 :^'''^ -i-V'n V w *^ * '^'^^^^^ • '^ s _ 0"--^^X' k\ '^< \''' ^<' STAR IN THE WEST A HUMBLE ATTEMPT TO DISCOVER THE LONG LOST TEN TRIBES OF ISRAEL, PRRPARATOBY TO THEIR RETURN TO THEIR BBIOVED CITY, BY EUAS BOUDINOT, L L. D. Who is wise, and he shall undesrstand these things ? Prudent, and he shall know them ? For all the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them ; but the transgressors shall fall therein. — Hosea. And the Lord answered me and said, write the vision, -and make it plain, upon a (writing) table, that he may run who readeth it: for the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie ; though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come. It will not tarry. — Habbak. TRENTON, N. J. PUBLISHED BY D. PENTON, S. HUTCHINSON, AND J. DUNHAM. George Sherman, Printer. 1816. District of Mw-Jersey, ss, BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the thirteenth day of January, in the fortieth year of the Independence of the United States of America, Daniel Fenton, Sylvester Hutchinson, and Johnson Dunham, of the said District, have deposited in this Office the Title of a Book, the right whereof they claim as proprietors, in the words following", to wit : "A Star in the West: nr, a humble, attempt to discover the long lost Ten Tribes of Israel, preparatory to their return to their belov- ed city, J erusalem. By Ehas Boudinot, L L. D." In conformity to the act of the Congress of the United States, enti- tled " An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts and books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned." And also, to the act entitled *' An act supplementary to the act entitled An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of maps, charts and books, to the au- thors and proprietors of such copies, (Juring the times thereip mention- ed, and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, engrav- ing and etching historical and other prints." ROBERT BOGGS, Cl^rk of the District of New-Jersey. dcmrL CONTENTS. Page, Prepace, ... - - 1 Introduction, - - - - 23 CHAPTER I. Of the state of the Jews, - - - 33 CHAPTER IL An enquiry into the qupstion, on what part of the globe is it most likely, that these descendants of Israel may be now found, arising from late discov- eries and facts, that have not come to the knowl- edge of the civilized world, till of late years, 81 CHAPTER III. An enquiry into the language of the American In- dians, S9 CHAPTER IV. The Indian traditions as received by their nations, 109 CHAPTER V. Their general character and established customs and habits, 125 CHAPTER VI. The known religious rites and ceremonies of the Indians, 187 1^, CONTENTS, CHAPTER VII. Their public worship and religious opinions, 205 CHAPTER VIIL Or miscellaneous facts omitted, 229 CHAPTER IX. The testimony of those who had an opportunity of judging, from the appearance and conduct of the Indians at the first discovery of America, as well as of some who have seen them since, in a state of nature, 245 CHAPTER X. The Indians have a system of morality among them that is very striking. — They have teachers to in- struct them in it — of which they have thought very highly, till of late years, they begin to doubt its efficacy, 259 CHAPTER XI. Separation of the Indian women, 277 CHAPTER XII. The conclusion, 279 Appendix, ----- 303 THE PREFACE. i\. VERY bright and portentous Star liaving arisen in the East, making glad the hearts of God's people and urging the friends of Zion to unusual and almost miraculous exertions iu spreading the glad tidings of salvation among the distant na- tions of the earth ; the compiler of tlie following sheets, ani- mated by this blessed eastern prospect, can no longer with- hold the small discovery that has been made of a rising Star in the West, from the knowledge of those who are zealous and anxious to behold the returning Messiah coming " in Ids own glory and the glory of the Father," attended by all the saints ; which star may in the issue, turn out to be the star of Jacob, and become a guide to the long suffering and despised descendants of that eminent patriarch, to find the once hum- ble babe of Bethlehem ; as the w ise men of the east were of old directed in their distant course, to discover in the stable and the manger, the great object of their adoration, joy and hope, even him who ^^was horn king of the Jews.^* For more than two centuries, have the aborigines of Ameri- ca engaged the avarice and contempt of those who are com- monly called the enlightened nations of the old world. These natives of tliis wilderness have been always considered by them as savages and barbarians, and therefore have given them little concern, further than to defraud them of their lands, drive them from the fertile countries on the sea shores, engage them in their wars, and indeed destroy them hy thou- sands with ardent spirits and fatal disorders unknown to them before. But these enlightened nations have seldom troubled themselves to enquire into their origin, their real circum- stances or their future hopes. Great pains have been taken by traders and others to promote among them every Europe- an vice, which has been enforced both by precept and ex- ample. Some exertions indeed, have been made of late years by private societies and individuals, to counteract these unchris- tian practices, by endeavouring to teach them the things that belong to their everlasting peace ; but this was not attempted till they were disgusted and soured with the general charac^ ter and conduct of white men, by whicli they concluded, that no one bearing their name or appearance, could be actuated by any other principles, than those of misleading, deceiving and betraying them, for the sake of their lands and peltry. Wherever honest and upright intentions have prevailed to convince their judgments and engage tlieir confidence, though these Iiave, comparatively, been few and feeble, they have generally succeeded, notwithstanding the opjwsition they often met with from those, wlio from tlie worst motives, have thought themselves greatly benefited by their ignorance, humiliation and misery, and who feared that by their reformation, these opposers might be despoiled of their unjust gain. Blessed be God, that there is yet liopc that the day of tlieir visitation is near— that the day-star from on liigh, begins to ?ippear; giving joyful hopes that the sun of righteousness wilt niET^ACE. Ill soon arise upon them, with healing under his wings. — Tliere is a possihility, that these unhappy children of misfortune, may yet he proved to he the descendants of Jacoh and the long' lost tribes of Israel. And if so, that though cast off for their heinous transgressions, they have not been altogether forsaken ; and will hereafter appear to have be^n, in all their dispersions and wanderings, the subjects of God's divine pro- tection and gracious care. The following pages are an humble attempt to investigate t^is important subject, which has been the object of the wri- ter's attention for a long time. If he has cast but a mite into the common treasury, he hopes it will not be despised. If it shall lead abler hands and wiser heads to engage as labourers in the master's vineyard, though it should be at the eleventh hour, he will rejoice, so that God alone may at last receive all the glory,— ^He claims no merit in this labour, but that of integrity, attention and industry, in searching after the truth, and preserving the facts which have come to his knowledge, that others may have all the aid he can afford them in tlie further pursuit of this interesting investigation. Yet though he is not entitled to any credit, but as a regis- ter of facts, yet he has been mucli gratified since the comple- tion of this work, to find that he is not alone in his sentiments on this unpopular subject. The following publication taken out of the Analectic Maga- zine for February last, is written so much in the style and on the same principles of the following compilation, that the writer of it could not withstand the advantage tliat might be derived from inserting a copy of the publication in this littte iV PllE^ACE. tract.* — He was rejoiced to know tliat such despised sufferers, however degraded, had found compassion in other hreasts be- sides his own. Had these unfortunate out-casts from society, been favoured fro«n the first discovery of their country by Europeans, witli inquisitive, learned and disinterested his- torians, who would have represented them and their cause fully and fairly to posterity, they would have been considered in a very different point of light, from that in which they now appear. That some of theii* established customs and especial- ly their manner of carrying on war, must appear exceedingly barbarous, and even brutal at the present day, to civilized people, the writer cannot doubt, yet if compared with the conduct of the civilized nations of Europe, Asia and Africa, in t^n thousand instances, the balance would be greatly in tlieir favour.f Indeed it is an extraordinary fact, that in all tlie wars in this country between the English and French — Spaniards and Americans, every one in their turn, have uni- formly exerted every nerve to engage the Indians to take part with them, and to light in their own way, on their side. And those who make the greatest cry against their barbari- * This is done by express permission of the editor of that work, who very po- litely consented thereto. + Plutarch in his Morals, 1 vol. 96, says that the Lacedemonians murdered their cliildren who were deformed or had a bad constitution. The Romans were allowed by Romulus to destroy all their female children, ex- cept the eldest. Human sacrifices were oftered up in almost all the eastern coun- tries. Children were burnt alive by their own parents, and offered to Baal, Moloch, and other pretended deities. Mr. Hume says in his Essay on Political Science; ** the most ilhistrious period of the Roman history considered, in a political view, is that between the beginning of the firstand the end of the lastpunic war; yet at this very time, the horrid practice of poisoning was so common, tliat during part of n season, a prsetor punished capitally, for this crime, above three thousand persons in a piiri of (enlighteaed) Italy, and found informations of this nature still multiplying. PREFACE. V iy and inhumanity in carrying on war, are the most forward to furnish them with tomahawks, scalping knives, muskets, powder and ball, to increase their detestable mode of warfare. Nay, they have employed every mean in their power, by rum, feasts, harangues, and every provocative, to rouse their un- bridled passions, increase their thii^t for blood, and forc&- tliem on to the destruction of their fellow men. They have forgotten the conclusive adage, " qui fadt per aliuin facit per se."^ Must not such people be answerable to the great judge of all the earth for this conducti I shall not further detain the reader, but give him tlie pub- lication in the writer's own words. TRAITS OF INDIAN CHARACTER. <* In the present times, when popular feeling is gi^adually be- coming hardened by war, and selfisli by the frequent jeopar- dy of life or property, it is certainly an inauspicious moment to speak in behalf of a race of beings, whose very existence has been pronounced detrimental to public security. But it is good at all times to raise the voice of truth, however feeble;: to endeavor if possible to mitigate the fury of passion and prejudice, and to turn aside the bloody luind of violence. Lit- tle interest, however, can probably be awakened at present, in favor of the misguided tribes of Indians that have been drawn into the present war. The rights of the savage have seldom been deeply appreciated by the wliite man — in peace he is the dupe of mercenary rapacity ; in war he is regarded as a ferocious animal, whose death is a question of mere pre- caution and convenience. Man is cruelly wasteful of life when ♦ He wlvo daes a thing by another, does it by himself. his own safety is endangered and he is slieltered by impunity — and little mercy is to be expected from him who feels the sting of the reptile, and is conscious of the power to desti'oy. *^ It has been the lot of the unfortunate aborigines of this country, to be doubly wronged by the white men — first, driven from their native soil by the sword of the invader, and then darkly slandered by the pen of the historian. The former has treated them like beasts of the forest; the latter has written volumes to justify him in his outrages. The former found it easier to exterminate than to civilize; the latter to abuse than to discriminate. The hideous appellations of savage and pagan, were sufficient to sanction the deadly hostilities of both ; and the poor wanderers of the forest were persecuted and dishonored, not because they were guilty, but because they were ignorant. <' The same prejudices seem to exist, in common circula- tion, at the present day. We form our opinions of the Indian character from tlie miserable hordes that infest our fi-ontiers. These, however, are degenerate beings, enfeebled by the vices of society, without being benefited by its arts of living. The independence of thought and action, that formed tlie main pil- lar of their character, has been completely prostrated, and the whole moral fabric lies in ruins. Their spirits are debased by conscious inferiority, and their native courage completely daunted by the superior knowledge and power of their en- lightened neighbours. Society has advanced upon them like a many-headed monster, breathing every variety of misery. Before it, v.ent forth pestilence, famine and the sword; and in its train came tlie slow, but exterminating curse of trade. AN'hat the former did not sweep away, tlie latter has gradually blighted. It Las increased their wants, without increasing the means of gratification. It lias enervated their strength, multiplied their diseases, blasted the powers of their minds, and superinduced on their original barbarity the low vices of civilization. Poverty, repining and hopeless poverty — a cank- er of the mind unknown to sylvan life — corrodes their very hearts. — They loiter like vagrants through the settlements, among spacious habitations replete with artificial comforts, which only render them sensible of the comparative wretch- edness of their own condition. Luxury spreads its ample board before their eyes, but they are expelled from tlie ban- quet. The forest which once furnished tliem with ample means of subsistence has been levelled' to the ground — ^waving fields of gmin have sprung up in its place ; but they have no participation in the harvest; plenty revels around them, but they are starving amidst its stores; the whole wilderness blossoms like a garden, but they feel like the reptiles that in- fest it. *« How different was their case while yet the undisputed lords of the soil. Their wants were few, and the means of gratifying them within their reach. They saw every one around them sharing the same lot, enduring the same hard- ships, living in the same cabins, feeding on the same aliments, arrayed in the same rude garments. No roof then rose, but what was open to the houseless stranger; no smoke curled among the trees, but he was welcome to sit down by its fire, and join the hunter in his repast. " For," says an old his- torian of New-England, " their life is so void of care, and they are so loving also, that they make use of those things they enjoy as common goods, and are therein so compassionate that villi PREFACE. rather than one should starve through want, tlicy would starve all : thus do they pass their time merrily, not regarding our pomp, but are better content with their own, wliich some men esteem so meanly of." Such were the Indians while in the pride and energy of primitive simplicity : they resemble tiiose wild plants that thrive best in the shades of the forest, but whidi shrink from the hand of cultivation, and perish beneath the influence of the sun. <* In the general mode of estimating the savage character, we may perceive a vast degree of vulgar prejudice, and pas- sionate exaggeration, without any of the temperate discussion of true philosophy. No allowance is made for the difference of circumstances, and the operations of principles under which they have been educated. Virtue and vice, though radically the same, yet differ widely in their influence on human con- duct, according to the habits and maxims of the society in wlticli the individual is reared. No being acts more rigidly from rule than the Indian. His whole conduct is regulated according to some general maxims early implanted in his mind. The moral laws that govern him, to be sure, are but few, but then he conforms to them all. The white man abounds in laws of religion, morals, and manners; but how many does he violate ? <^ A common cause of accusation against the Indians is, the faithlessness of their friendsliips, and their sudden provoca- tions to hostility. But we do not make allowance for their peculiar modes of thinking and feeling, and the principles by which they are governed. Besides, the friendship of the whites towards the poor Indians, was ever cold, distrustful, oppressive, and insulting. In the intercourse with our fron- tiers they are seldom treated ^vitIl confidence, and are fre- quently subject to injury and encroachment. Tlic solitary savage feels silently but acutely; his sensibilities are not dif- fused over so wide a surface as those of the white man, but they rim in steadier and deeper channels. His pride, his af- fections, his superstitions, ai*e all directed towards fewer ob- jects, but the wounds inflicted on them are proportionably se- vere, and fmnish motives of hostility wliicli we cannot suf- ficiently appreciate. Where a community is also limited in number, and forms, as in an Indian tribe, one great patri- archal family, the injury of the individual is tlse injury of the whole; and as their body politic is small, the sentiment of vengeance is almost instantaneously diffused. One council fire is sufficient to decide the measure. Eloquence and su- perstition combine to inflame their minds. The orator awak- ens all tlicir martial ardour, and they are wrouglit up to a kind of religious desperation, by the visions of the prophet and the dreamer. " An instance of one of these sudden exasperations, arising from a motive peculiar to the Indian cliaractcr, is extant in an old record of the early settlement of Massachusetts. Tlie planters of Plymouth had defaced the monuments of the dead at Passonagcssit, and had plundered the gi*ave of the sachem's mother of some skins with which it had been piously decorated. Every one knows tlie hallowed reverence wiiicli the Indians entertain for the sepulchres of their kindred. Even now, tribes that have passed generations, exiled from the abodes of their ancestors, when by chance tliey have been travelling, on some mission, to our seat of government, have been known to turn aside fix)m tlie highway for manv miles distance, and C guided by wonderful accurate tradition, have souglit some tumulus, buried perhaps in woods, where the bones of their tnbe wei'B anciently deposited; and there liave passed some time in silent lamentation over the ashes of their forefathers. Influenced by this sublime and holy feeling, the sachem, whose mother's tomb had been violated, in the moment of indignation, gathered his men togetlier, and addressed them in the follow- ing beautifully simple and pathetic harangue — an harangue wliich has remained unquoted for nearly two hundred years — a pui'e specimen of Indian eloquence, and an affecting moim^ mcnt of filial piety in a savage. '' When last the glorious light of all the sky was nnderneath this globe, and birds grew^ silent, I began to settle, as my custom is, to take repose. Before mine eyes were fast closed^ niethought I saw a vision, at which my spirit was much troubled, and, trembling at that doleful sight, a spirit cried aloud — ^behold my son, whom I have clierished ; see the breasts that gave thee suck, the hands that lapped thee warm and fed thee oft ! canst thou forget to take revenge of those wild peo- ple, who have defaced my monument in a despiteful manner, disdaining our antiquities and honorable customs. See now, the sachem's grave lies like the common people, defaced by an ignoble race. Thy motlier doth complain, and implores thy aid against this thievish people, who have newly intruded in OBF land. If this be suffered I shall not rest quiet in my everlasting habitation. — This said, the spirit vanished, and l^ all in a sweat, not able scarce to speak, began to get some strength and recollect my spirits that were fled, and deter- mined to demand your counsel, and solicit vour assistance/^ ••Another cause of violent outcry against the Indians, is their inhumanity to the vanquished. This originally arose partly from political and partly from superstitious motives. W here hostile tribes are scanty in their numbers, the death of several warriors completely paralyzes their power ; and many an in- stance occurs in Indian history, where a hostile tribe, that had long been formidable to its neighbour, has heen broken up and driven away, by the capture and massacre of its principal fighting men. This is a strong temptation to the victor to be merciless, not so much to gratify any cruelty of revenge, as to provide for future security. But they had other motives, originating in a superstitious idea, common to barbarous na- tions, and even prevvilent among the Greeks and Romans — that the manes of their deceased friends, slain in battle, were soothed by the blood of the captives. But those that are not thus sacrificed are adopted into their families, and treated with the confidence and affection of relatives and friends ; nay, so hospitable and tender is their entertainment, that they will often prefer to remain witli their adopted brethren, rather than return to the home and the fiiends of their youth. << The inhumanity of tlie Indians towards their prisoners has been heiglitcned since the intrusion of tlie whites. We have exasperated what was formeily a compliance with policy and superstition into a gratification of vengeance. Tliey cannot but be sensible that we are the usurpers of their ancient do- minion, the cause of their degradation, and the gradual de- stroyers of their race. They go forth to battle, smarting with injuries and indignities which tliey have individually suffered from the injustice and the arrogance of white men, and they are driven to madness and despair, by the wide-spreading desolation and the o\'erwliclming' ruin of our warfare. We set them an example of violence, by burning their villages and laying waste their slender means of subsistence; and then wonder that savages will not show moderation and magna- nimity towards men, w ho have leit them notliing but mere ex- istence and wretchedness. <*It is a common thing to exclaim against new forms of cruelty, while, reconciled by custom, we wink at long estab- lished atrocities. What right does the generosity of our con- duct give us to rail exclusively at Indian warfare. With all the doctrines of Christianity, and the advantages of cultivated morals, to govern and direct us, what horrid crimes disgrace the victories of christian armies. Towns laid in ashes 5 cities given up to the sword ; enormities perpetrated, at which man- hood blushes, and history drops the pen. Well may we ex- claim at the outrages of the scalping knife ; but where, in the records of Indian barbarity, can we point to a violated female ? " We stigmatize the Indians also as cowardly and treach- erous, because they use stratagem in warfare, in preference to open force ; but in this tiscy are fully authorized by their rude code of honor. They are early taught that stratagem is praiseworthy; the bravest warrior thiidvs it no disgrace to lurk in silence and take every advantage of his foe. He tri- umphs in the superior craft and sagacity by which he has been enabled to surprise and massacre an enemy. Indeed, man is naturally more prone to siibtlet}' tlian open valor, owing to his physical weakness in comparison with other animals. They are endowed with natural weapons of defence; with horns, with tusks, with hoofs and talons; but man has to depend on bis superior sagacity. In all his encounters, therefore, with PREFACE. Xm tlicse, his proper enemies, lie has to resort to stratagem ; and when he perversely turns his hostility against liis fellow man, he continues the same subtle mode of warfare. '< The natural principle of war is to do the most harm to our enemy, with the least harm to ourselves^ and this of course is to be effected by cunning. That chivalric kind of courage which teaches us to despise the suggestions of pru- dence, and to rush in the face of certain danger, is the off- spring of society, and produced by education. It is honorable, because in fact it is the triumph of lofty sentiment over an in- stinctive repugnance to pain, and over those selfish yearn- ings after personal ease and security which society has con- demned as ignoble. It is an emotion kept up by pride, and the fear of shame; and thus the dread of real evils is over- come by the superior dread of an evil that exists but in the mind. This may be instanced in the case of a young British oflicer of great pride, but delicate nerves, who was going for the first time into battle. Being agitated by the novelty and awful peril of the scene, he was accosted by another officer of a rough and boisterous cliaracter — " What, sir," cried he, " do you tremble ?" " Yes sir,*' replied the other, " and if you were half as much afraid as I am you would run away." This young officer signalized himself on many occasions by his gallantry, tliough, had he been brought up in savage life, or even in a humbler and less responsible situation, it is more than probable he could never have ventured into open action. <« Besides we must consider how much the quality of open and desperate courage is cherished and stimulated by society. It has been the tlieme of many a spirit-stirring song, and chival- ric story. The minstrel has sung of it to the loftiest strain X4\* PREFACE, of his lyre — the poet has delighted to shed around it all the splendours of fiction-— and even the historian has forgotten the sober gravity of narration, and burst forth into enthusiasm and rllapsody in its praise. Triumphs and gorgeous pageants have been its reward — monuments, where art has exhausted its skill, and opulence its treasures, have been erected to per- petuate a nation's gratitude and admiration. Thus artificial- ly excited, courage has arisen to an extraordinary and facti- tious degree of heroism ; and, arrayed in all the glorious *^ pomp and circumstance" of war, this turbulent quality has even been able to eclipse many of those quiet, but invaluable virtues, which silently ennoble the human character, and swell the tide of human happiness. <« But if courage intrinsically consist in the defiance of dan- ger and pain, the life of the Indian is a continual exhibition of it. He lives in a perpetual state of hostility and risk.— Peril and adventure are congenial to his nature, or, rather, seem necessary to arouse his.faculties and give an interest to existence. Surrounded by hostile tribes, he is always equip- ped for fight, with his weapons in his hands- He traverses vast wildernesses, exposed to the hazards of lonely sickness, of lurking enemies, or pining famine. Stormy lakes present no obstacle to his wanderings ; in his light canoe of bark, he sports like a feather on their waves, and darts w ith the swift- ness of an arrow down tlic roaring rapids of the rivers. — Trackless wastes of snow, rugged mountains, the glooms of swamps and morasses, where poisonous reptiles curl among the rank vegetation, are fearlessly encountered by this wan- derer of the wilderness. He gains his food by the hardships and dangers of the chase ; he wraps himself in the spoils of PREFACE. XV the bear, the panther, and the buffalo, and sleeps among the thunders of the cataract. *< No hero of ancient or modern days can surpass the In- dian in his lofty contempt of deatli, and the fortitude with which lie sustains all the varied torments with which it is fre- quently inflicted. Indeed we here behold him rising superior to the white man, merely in consequence of his peculiar edu- cation. The latter rushes to glorious death at the cannon's mouth ; the former coolly contemplates its approach, and tri- umphantly endures it, aniid the torments of the knife and the protracted agonies of lire. He even takes a savage delight in taunting liis persecutors, and provoking their ingenuity of tor- ture ; and as the devouring flames prey on his very vitals, and the flesh shrinks from the sinews, he raises his last song of triumph, brcatliing the defiance of an unconquered heart, and invoking the spirits of his fathers to w itness that he dies without a groan. ^' Notwithstanding all the obloquy with wliich the early liis- torians of the colonies have overshadow ed the characters of the wnfortimate natives, some bright gleams will occasionally break through, that throw a degree of melancholy lustre on their memories. Facts are occasionally to be met with, in their rude annals, which, though recorded with all the colouring of prejudice and bigotry, yet speak for themselves ; and will be dwelt on with applause and sympathy, when prejudice siiall have passed away. << In one of the homely narratives of the Indian w ars in New-England, there is a touching account of the desolation carried into the tribe of the Pequod Indians. Humanity shud- ders at the cold-blooded accounts given, of indiscriminate butchery on the part of the settlers. In one place we read of the surprisal of an Indian foii; in the night, when the wigwams were wrapped in flames, and the miserable inhabitants shot down and slain, in attempting to escape, " all being despatcli- cd and ended in the course of an hour." After a scries of similar transactions, ^< Our soldiers," as the historian piously observes, " being resolved by God's assistance to make a final destruction of them," the unhappy savages being hunted from their homes and fortresses, and pursued with fire and sword, a scanty but gallant band, the sad remnant of the Pequod warriors, with their wives and children, took refuge in a swamp. "Burning with indignation, and rendered sullen by des- pair — with hearts bursting w ith grief at the destruction of their tribe, and spirits galled and sore at the fancied ignominy of their defeat, they refused to ask their lives at the hands of an insulting foe, and preferred death to submission. " As the night drew on they were surrounded in tlieir dis- mal retreat, in such manner as to render escape impracticable. Thus situated, their enemy " plied them with shot all the time, by which means many were killed and buried in the mire." In the darkness and fog that precedes the dawn of day, some few broke through the besiegers and escaped into the woods : " tljc rest were left to the conquerors, of which many wei*e killed in the swamp, like sullen dogs who would rather, ia their self-willedncss and madness, sit still and be shot through, or cut to pieces," tlian implore for mercy. When the day broke upon this handful of forlorn, but dauntless spirits, the soldiers, we arc told, entering the swamp, " saw several heaps of them sitting close together, uptm whom they discharged PREFACE* XVII their pieces, laden witli ten or twelve pistol bullets at a time j putting the muzzles of their pieces under the boughs, within a few yards of them 3 so as, besides tliose that were found dead, many more were killed and sunk into the mire, and never were minded more by friend or foe." *•' Can any one read this plain unvarnished tale, without ad- miring the stern resolution, the unbending pride, and loftiness of spirit, tliat seemed to nerve tlie hearts of these self-taught heroes, and to raise them above the instinctive feelings of hu- man nature ? When the Gauls laid v* aste the city of Rome, they found tiie nobles clothed in their robes, and seated with stern tranquility in their curule chairs ^ in this manner they suffered death without an attempt at supplication or resistance. Such conduct in them was applauded as noble and magnani- mous ', in the hapless Indians it was reviled as obstinate and sullen* How mucli are we the dupes of show and circum- stance ! How different is virtue, arrayed in purple and en- throned in state, from virtue, destitute and naked, reduced to the last stage of wretchedness, and perishing obscurely in a wilderness. " Do these records of ancient excesses fill us with disgust and aversion ? Let us take heed that we do not suffer ourselves to be hurried into the same iniquities. Posterity lifts up its hands with horror at past misdeeds, because the passions that urged to them are not felt, and tlie arguments that persuaded to them are forgotten ; but we are i^econciled to the present perpetration of injustice by all the selfish motives with which interest chills the heart and silences the conscience. Even at the present advanced day, when we should suppose that en- lightened philosophv had expanded orir minds, and true reli- D XVin PKEFACK. gion had warmed our hearts into philanthropy — when we have been admonished by a sense of past transgressions, and in- structed by the indignant censures of candid history — even now, we perceive a disposition breaking out to renew the per- secutions of tliese hapless beings^ Sober-thoughted men, far from the scenes of danger, in the security of cities and popu- lous regions, can coolly talk of " exterminating measures," and discuss the policy of extirpating thousands. If such is the talk in the cities, what is the temper displayed on the borders ? The sentence of desolation has gone forth*—" the roar is up amidst the woods ;*' implacable wrath, goaded on by interest and prejudice, is ready to confound all rights, to trample on all claims of justice and humanity, and to act over those scenes of sanguinary vengeance which have too often stained the pages of colonial history^ *< These are not the idle suggestions of fancy ; they are WTung ff>rth by recent facts, which still haunt the public mind. We need but turn to the ravaged country of the Creeks to be- hold a picture of exterminating warfare. «^ These deluded savages, either excited by private injury or private intrigue, or by both, have lately taken up the hatch- et and made deadly inroads into our frontier settlements. — Their punishment has been pitiless and terrible. Vengeance has gone like a devouring fire through their country — the smoke of their villages yet rises to heaven, and the blood of the slaughtered Indians ^yet reeks upon the earth. Of this merciless ravage, an idea may be fonned by a single exploit, boastfully set forth in an official letter that has darkened our pjiblic journals.^ A detachment of soldiery had been sent un- * Lcl.tci- of §en. Coffee, dated Ifov. i, 1813, PREFACE. XiX der the command of owe general Coffee to destroy the Tallus- hatches towns, where the hostile Creeks had assembled. The enterprise w^as executed, as the commander in chief* express- es it, in style — .but, in the name of mercy, in what style ! The towns were surrounded before tlie break of day. The inliabi- tants, starting from their sleep, flew to arms, w itli beat of drums and hideous yellings. The soldiery pressed upon them on every side, and met with a desperate resistance — but what was savage valour against the array and discipline of scientific warfare ? The Creeks made gallant charges, but were beat- en back by overwhelming numbers. Hemmed in like savage beasts surrounded by the hunters, wherever they tiu-ned they met a foe, and in every foe they found a butcher. " The ene- my retreated firing,'^ says Coffee in his letter, ^< until they got around and in their buildings, where they made all the resistance that an overpowered soldier could do ; they fouglit as long as one existed, but their destruction was very soon completed ; our men rushed up to the doors of the houses, and in a few minutes killed the last warrior of them ; tlie enemy fought with savage fury, and met death with all its horrors, without shrinking or complaining ; not one asked to be spar- ed, but fought so long as they could stand or sit. In conse- quence of their flying to their houses, and mixing with the families, our men in killing the n^ales, without intention, kill' ed and wounded a few of the sqiia\vs and children J' <^ So unsparing was the carnage of the sword, that not one of the warriors escaped to carry the heart-breaking tidings to the remainder of the tribe. Such is what is termed execut- ing hostilities in style /—Let those who exclaim with abhor- * Gen. Andrew Jackson, XX PREFACE. rencc at Indian inroads — those who are so eloquent about the bitterness of Indian recrimination — let them turn to the hor- rible \ictory of general Coffee, and be silent. "As yet our government has in some measure restrained the tide of vengeance, and inculcated lenity towards the hap- less Indians who have been duped into the present war. Sueh temper is worthy of an enlightened government — let it still be observed — ^let sharp rebuke and signal punishment be inflict- ed on those who abuse their delegated power, and disgrace tlieir victories with massacre and conflagration. The enormi- ties of the Indians form no excuse for the enormities of white men. It has pleased heaven to give them but limited powers of mind, and feeble lights to guide their judgments; it be- comes us who are blessed with higher intellects to think for them, and to set them an example cf humanity. It is the na- ture of vengeance, if unrestrained, to be headlong in its ac- tions, and to lay up, in a moment of passion, ample cause for an age's repentance. We may roll over tliese miserable be- ings with our chariot wheels, and crush them to tlie earth ; but when war has done its worst — -when passion has subsided, and it is too late to pity or to save — we shall look back witli unavailing compunction at the mangled corses of those whose cries wxre unheeded in the fury of our career. « Let the fate of w^ar go as it may, the fate of those igno- rant tribes tliat have been inveigled from their forests to min- gle in the strife of white men, will be inevitably the same. In the collision of two powerful nations, these intervening parti- cles of population will be crumbled to dust, and scattered to the winds of he-aven. In a little while, and they will go the way that so many tribes have gone before. The few hordes that stUl linger about the shores of Huron and Superiour, and the tributary streams of the Mississippi, will share the fate of those tribes that once lorded it along the proud banks of the Hudson ; of that gigantic race that are said to have existed on the borders of the Susquehanna, and of those various nations that flourished about the Potowmac and the Rappahanoc, and that peopled tlie forests of the vast valley Shenandoah. Tliey will vanish like a vapour from the face of the earth — their very history will be lost in forgetful ness — and «< the places tliatnow know them, will know them no more forever." " Or if perchance some dubious memorial of them should survive the lapse of time, it may be in the romantic dreams of the poet, to populate in imagination his glades and groves, like the fauns, and satyrs, and sylvan deities of antiquity. But should he venture upon the daik story of their wrongs and wretehedess — should he tell how they were invaded, corrupt- ed, despoiled— driven from their native abodes and the sepul- chres of their fathers — hunted like wild beasts about the earth, and sent down in violence and butchery to the grave — poster- ity will either turn w ith horror and incredulity from the talc, or blush with indignation at the inhumanity of their forefath- ers. — " We are driven back," said an old warrioi*, " until we can retreat no further — our hatcliets are broken — our bo^^s are snapped — our fires are nearly extinguished — a little lon- ger and the white men will cease to persecute us-— for we will cease to exist I" INTRODUCTION. JdoWEVER despised the nation of the Hehrews were among the Greeks, Romans and others of their neighbours, during the existence of their civil government, and by all the nations of the earth ever since, there can be no doubt now, that they have been and still are the most remarkable people that have existed shice the first century after the flood. It does appear from their history, and from the holy scrip- tures, that the great Governor of the Universe, in his infinite wisdom and mercy to our fallen race, did select this nation^ from all the nations of the earth, as liis peculiar people, not only to hand down to mankuid at large, the great doctrine of the unity of his divine nature, with the principles of the wor- ship due to him by intelligent creatures — the imiversal de- pravity of man by the fall of Adam, with the blessed means of his restoration to the favour of God, by the shedding of blood, without which there could be no forgiveness of sin. But also tliat through them the means and manner of the atone- ment for sin by the promised Messiah, who was to be sent in- to our world in the fulness of time, for this invaluable purpose, and who was to be a divine person and literally become the desire of all nations, should be propagated and made known to all mankind, preparatory to his coming in the flesh. And that afterwards, this people should be supported and proved in all ages of the world;^by means of their miraculous preser- 2* INTRODUCTION. vation against all the experience of other nations. For wliile dispersed throiigli the world without a spot of land they could properly call their own, and despised and persecuted in every part of it, yet they have continued a separate people, known by their countenances, while their enemies and conquerors have wasted away and are, as it were, lost from the earth, in ful- fdment of the declarations of their prophets, inspired by God, to the astonishment of all nations. This people was also a living example to the world of the dealings of Divine Providence towards the workmanship of his hands, by rewarding their obedience in a very extraordinary manner, and punishing their wilful transgressions by the most exemplary sufferings. Tliough he often declared them his peculiar — his chosen — his eJed people — nay that he esteemed them as the apple of his f i/e, for the sake of his servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, their pro- genitors, yet he has fully shewn to tlie world, tliat however dear a people might be to him as their governor and king, or by adoption, that no external situation or special circumstan- ces would ever lead him to countenance sin, or leave it unpun- ished, without a suitable atonement and deep repentance. They also answered, but in a stronger manner, the use of hieroglyphics and figures, as a universal language, to in- struct all mankind in the mind and will of God, before letters were in general use, and had this knowledge been properly improved, would have been more eifectual, than instruction by word of mouth or personal address. God has acknowledged them by express revelation — by prophecies, forewarning them of what should befall them in the world, accordingly as they kept his commandments, or INTRODUCTION. 2^ were disobedient to them, until their final restoration to the promised land. In short, their long dispersed state, with their severe persecutions, and still continuing a separate people among all nations, are standing, unanswerable and miraculous proofs of their sacred writings, and a complete fulfilment of the many prophecies concerning them, some thousands of years past. Another essential purpose, in the course of God's providence with his people is also to be produced. The restoration of this suffering and despised nation to their ancient city and their former standing in the favour of God, with a great in- crease of glory and happiness, are expressly foretold by Christ, his prophets and apostles, as immediately preceding the se- cond coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, to this our earth, with his saints and angels, in his own glory as media- tor, and the glory of the father, or of his divine nature, plainly distinguished from that humility and abasement attending his first coming in the flesh. Of course, whenever this restora- tion shall come to pass, it will be so convincing and convict- ing a testimony of the truth and certaihty of the whole plan and predictions of the sacred record, as powerfully to affect all the nations of the earth, and bring them to the acknow- ledgment of the true God, even our Lord Jesus the Christ. For, as Bishop Warburtoh justly asks, <* Is the explanation of the (Economy of grace, in which is contained the system of prophecy ; that is, the connection and dependance of the pro- phecies of the several ages of the church of God, of no use ? Sd^y of the greatest, and I am confident nothing but the light which will arise from thence, will support Christianity under its present circumstances. But the contending for sin- E 26 INTRODUCTION. gle prophecies only, by one who tliinks they relate to Christ in a secondary sense, only, and who appears to have no high opinion of secondary senses, looks very suspicious." Had all the great facts of revelation happened several thou- sand years ago, and the proof of their reality been ever so conclusive at the time, and nothing more done, but barely to hand them down to posterity as then believed in the testimo- ny for their support at a given period from their fulfilment, would have lost all its weight; and tlie world might justly have been excused for doubting of their credibility. But God, in his great mercy, has now left the children of men without excuse ; because he has so ordered it, in his infinite wisdom, that the farther we recede from the facts, the more do the ev- idences increase upon us. And this existence of the Jews, as a separate people, under all their afflictions and distresses, and that scattered among almost every nation on earth, is not among the least conclusive ; but is like the manna, kept in the ark in a staite of purity, which was undeniable evidence of the facts related in their history to the succe/eding generations, while the temple lasted. So that now, no reasonable man of common abilities, who studies that history, and their present circumstances in the world, with impartiality, care and close attention, attended by a real desire of knowing the truth, can long doubt the divinity of the sacred volume. To investigate then the present state and circumstances of this extraordinary people — to examine into their general his- tory, in as concise a manner as may answer our general plan — and to enquire after the ten tribes, wliicli formerly constitut- ed the kingdom of Israel, that now appear to be lost from tlic earth, must be an undertaking (however difficult andunprom- INTRODUCTION. 27 ising) worthy the time and labour, which may he necessari- ly expended therein. The writer of these sheets must acknowledge himself une- qual to the task ; but having been for years, endeavouring, but in vain, to urge more able hands to turn their attention to this important subject, he has at last determined to attempt it, under all his diificulties and deficiencies, on the principle, that he may possibly, by drawing the outlines, call the aid of some learned and more able pen into this service, being in his opin- ion of the utmost consequence to the present generation in par- ticular, as that era in which the latter times, the last times of the scriptures, or the end of the Roman government, seem to be hastening with rapid stridCvS. This subject receives great additional importance from its prophetic connection, as before mentioned, with the second ad- vent of the glorified Messiali, as son of God, to this our world, in fulfilment of his own gracious promises in his Iioly word : the signs of the approacli of which, he has expressly command- ed us to watcli, lest when he comes, as he will, in as unex- pected a manner as a thief in the niglit, we may be found sleeping on our post witli the foolish virgins, without oil in our lamps. This subject has occupied t}ie attention of the w^riter, at times, for more than forty years. He was led to the consider- ation of it, in the fii'st instance, by a conversation with a very worthy and reverend clergyman of his acquaintance, wlio, having an independent fortune, undertook a journey (in com- pany with a brother clergyman, wiio was desirous of attend- ing him) into the wilderness between the Alleghany and iSIis- sisippi rivers, some time in or about the years i765 or 6, be- 38 INTKODFCTION. fore the white people had settled beyond the Laurel Mountain. His desire was to meet with native Indians, who had never seen a wliite man, that he might satisfy his curiosity by know- ing from the best source, what traditions the Indians yet pre- served relative to their own history and origin. This, these gentlemen accomplished with great danger, risque and fa- tigue. On their return one of them related to the writer the information they had obtained, what they saw, and what they heard. This raised in the writer's mind such an idea of some for- mer connection between these aborigines of our land, and the Jewish nation, as greatly to increase a desire for further in- formation on so interesting and curious a subject. Soon after, reading (quite accidentally) the 13th chapter of the 2d apochryphal book of Esdras, supposed to have been written about the year 100, of the christian era, his ardour to know moic of, and to seek further into the circumstances of these lost tribes, was in no wise diminished. He has not ceas- ed since, to improve every opportunity afforded liim, by per- sonal interviews with Indians — reading the best histories re- lating to them, and carefully examining our public agents res- ident among them, as to facts reported in the several histories, without letting them know his object, so as not only to gratify his curiosity, by obtaining all the knowledge relating to them in his power, but also to guard against misrepresentation as to any account he miglit thereafter be tempted to give of them. His design at present is, if by the blessing of Almighty God his life, now far advanced, should be spared a little longer, to give some brief sketches of what he has learned, in this im- portant inquiry, lest the facts he has collected should be en- INTRODUCTION. 29 lively lost, as he feels himself culpable for putting off this bu- siness to so advanced a period of life, as to leave him but small hopes of accomplishing his intentions. He does not mean to attempt to solve all the difficulties, or answer all the objections that may very probably attend this investigation. It must be obvious to every attentive reader, who considers the length of time since the first dispersion of the ten tribes of Israel — -the wandering and destitute state of the Indian nations — ^their entire separation from all civilized society — their total want of the knowledge of letters or of writ- ing — the strange inattention of most of the Europeans, who first settled among them, to record facts relating to them, and the falsehood and deception of many of the few who did at- tempt it — the difficulties attending the obtaining a critical knowledge of their language, customs and traditions, arising from a prudent, though a violent jealousy and fear of the white people, from whom they have received little else but irre- parable injuries, wanton destruction and extreme sufferings. It must be allowed that under such untoward circumstances, many unsurmountable difficulties must arise, that cannot be avoided. In the prosecution of this compilation, the writer will avail himself of the best accounts given by tlie Spanish writers, he can meet with — ^the histories written by our own people who first visited this land, or have since made themselves acquaint- ed with tlie native inhabitants, and recorded any thing rela- tive to their languages, customs, manners and habits, such as Colden, Adair, Brainerd, Edwards, jun. on the language of the Mohegans — also of tlie information received from the Rev. 30 INTRODUCTION. Dr. Beatty, Barli'am, and others, of their personal observa- tions, while with the Indians. The writer is aware that sir WUiam Jones, whose charac- ter stands so high in tlie literary world, has endeavoured to shew that lie has discovered the tribes of Israel in the Jifghans of the eastern world, and he produces the account given by Es- dras in proof of it — And although the wT-itcr would pay tlie utmost respect to the learning and judgment of that excellent man, and would not dispute the Afghans being of Jewish de- scent; yet sir William himself, in his abridgement of a Per- sian work, entitled The secrets of the Jljghans^ transmitted to him by Mr. Vansittart, informs us, that this people, in rela- ting their own story, profess to be descended from king Saul. And they say, that Afghan lived in the time of David and Solomon, and finally retreated to the mountains, where his descendants became independent, and exterminated the infi- dels, meaning the heathen. Now, in the first place, Saul was not an Israelite, but the son of Kish, a Benjamite, and there- fore may well be found in the east; but not of the tribes of Is- rael.* Secondly. — If we look carefully into the account given by Esdras (and sir William has given authenticity to his ac- count) we find that the ten tribes he speaks of, were carried away by Salmanazar, and it is agreed on all hands, that he sent them unto tlie countries near the Euxine sea. And Es- dras says they determined to go to a place where they miglit keep their laws and remain undisturbed by the heatlien ; but if they had gone eastward, they would have been in the midst of them. Thirdly. — Tliey travelled a great way to an unin- habited country, in which mankind never yet dwelt, and * Vid. r Samuel, Otli chnp, 1 & 2. INTRODUCTION. 31 passed a great water, but the eastern coimtry, even in tliat early day, was well inhabited. These facts do not agree with the account given of the Afghans, who from tlieir own state- ment, belong to another tribe and lived in Persia, from whence they can return to Jerusalem without passing by sea or from the coasts of the earth. STAR IN THE WEST CHAPTER L Of the state of the Jews, ?JnE would imagine, from reasoning on the importance of tliis nation to the world at large — from the many clear and precise histories of them from the time of Abraham their great progenitor, and from the many great and glorious promises made to them and their posterity by a God of truth and faith- fidness, on condition of strict obedience to liis laws as contain- ed in the di\ine scriptures, that every person of leisure and observation would wish to become intimately acquainted with the minute circumstances attendant upon them from age to age. But such is the nature of man— such his indolence and inattention to things, however impoi'tant, that relate to distant objects and not present enjoyments, that judging from actual experience, the state of this people, and their hastening res- toration to their beloved city, and to more than their former celebrity and happiness, engages but (comparatively) few, even of those whose constant business in propagating the gos- pel, ought to have led them, with peculiar energy, to hav$ made them their diligent study. F Si A STAR IN THE WEST. Indeed, tlie delays the writer himself has made in this hu^- iiess, under a full conviction of th^ necessity of it, is pretty good evidence of the tendency of the human heai't to avoid active usefulness. It is well known to all historians and read- ers of tlie old testament, that God brought this nation of the Jews from the land of Egypt in a miraculous manner, with many signs and wonders, through a barren and desolate wil- derness, in tlie space of forty years. That he went before them in a pillar of cloud by day and of fire by night. That he gave them laws, written by the finger of God, and prom- ised them glorious things in case of obedience ; but pronounced tlic most awful threatcnings of misery and destruction in case of disobedience and forsaking liis laws. That he became their jxilitical Jdng and governor by express, personal consent, and mutual compact, in a different sense fi-oin that in which he stood to the rest of mankind, by which they wei*e put under a complete tlieocracy. This continued till Shiloh came, accord- ing to the prophetic declaration, when the government of the universal chuixjh of both Jews and Gentiles descended upon him. It may be said, that the Jews were long governed by judges and kings after their possession of Canaan. But these w^ere not of their appointment, but of the appointment of God under him, as his substitutes or vicegerents* — See 2 Chron. ix. and 8 — '^ Blessed be tlie Lord thy God, who delighted in thee, to set thee on his throne to be king for the Lord tliy God." — • 1 Sam. viii. and 7. — " xind tlie Lord said unto Samuel, heai'k- en unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee, for they have not rejected thee; but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them." Also Chron. xiii. and 8» A STAR IN THE WEST. S5 ^< And now ye tliink to withstand the kingdom of the Lord, in the hands of the sons of David." Yet such was their consti- tutional obstinacy and Iiardness of heart, that after experi- encing the most unbounded favors from God, by the fullest and most miraculous protection and signal interpositions in their favor, by driving out the Canaanites before them and placing them in the promised land, wliich is described as flowing with milk and honey, they continually broke their solemn cove- nant and opposed the express and positive commands of God himself, given and enforced in all the majesty of Jehovah, through the instrumentality of Moses and Aaron. Moses though the meekest man on earth, became wearied out by their perverseness and rebellion. In the words of an excel- lent writer,* <« there is nothing deserves more particular at- tention than the spirit and behaviour of the Israelites in the wilderness. A very remarkable instance of the wretched effects of servitude upon the human soul. They had been slaves to the Egyptians for about 140 years; their spirits were debased, their judgments weak ; their sense of God and religion very low ; they were defective in attention, gratitude and generosity ; full of distrust and uneasy suspicions; com- plaining and murmuring under the most astonishing displays of divine power and goodness, as if still under the frowns and scourges of their unjust task-masters; could scai»ce raise their thoughts to prospects the most pleasing and joyous. Tiiey knew not how to value the blessings of liberty — of a taste so mean and illiberal that the flesh and fish, the cucumbprs, the melons, the leeks, the onions, garlic, and such good things of * Taylor's scheme, Watsons Col. I Vol. 111. S6 A STAH IN THE WEST. Egypt, weighed more with them, than the bread fi-om heaven, (Numb. xi. 4 — 6) And all the divine assurances and demon- strations that they should he raised to the noblest privileges, the highest honours and felicity, as a peculiar treasure to God above all people in the world. In short nothing would do. The ill qualities of slavery w^ere ingrained in their hearts— a grovelling, thoughtless, sturdy, dastardly spirit, fatigued the divine patience, counteracted and defeated all his wise and beneficent measures; they could not be worked up to that sense of God ; that esteem of his highest favours ; that grati- tude and generous dutifulness; that magnanimity of spirit which were necessary to their conquering and enjoying the promised land ; and therefore the wisdom of God, determin- ed that they should not attempt the possession of it, till that generation of slaves, namely, all above 20 years of age, were dead and buried. However, this did not lie out of the divine plan. It served a great purpose, namely, to warn tliat, and all future ages of the church, both Jewish and Christian, that if they despise and abuse the goodness of God, and the noble privileges and prospects they enjoy, they shall forfeit the benefit of them. And the apostle applieth it to this very im- portant use, with great force and propriety, in his epistle to the Hebrews." — ii. chap. 15, to the end — iv. 1 — 12. Thus it was that Moses being thoroughly acquainted with their untoward dispositions, and tendency to revolt to the wicked and ridiculous inventions of the nations around them, and being inspired with a spirit of prophecy, he in very sub- lime language, warned them of their danger, plainly telling them, if they would obey the voice of tlie Lord their God in- deed^ and keep Ids covenant, then they should be a peculiar A STAR IN THE WEST. 37 treasure to him above all people, for that the whole earth was his. And that althougli God had thus kindly diosen them as his own people, yet their continuing to enjoy his protection and favour, depended on their obedience to the laws he liad given tliem. And after recapitulating the many special and unheard of mercies and extraordinary dealings of the Lord God of their fathers towards them fix)m the beginning, and then giving them many excellent rules for their conduct, he proceeded — " Take heed unto yourselves, lest ye forget the covenant of the Lord your God, which he made witli you, and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing which the Lord thy God hath forbidden thee. For the Lord thy Grod is a consuming fire, even a jealous God. Wlicn thou shalt beget children and children's children, and shalt have remained long in the land, and shall corrupt yourselves and make a graven image, or the likeness of any tiling, and shalt do evil in the siglit of the Lord thy God, to provoke him to anger ; I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that ye sliall soon utterly perish fix)m off the land where- unto ye go over Jordan to possess it ; ye shall not prolong your days upon it, but shall utterly be destroyed. And" tlie Lord God shall scatter you among the nations; and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the Lord sliilll lead you. And ye shall serve other gods, the work of men*s hands, wood and stone, which neither see nor hear, nor eat, nor smell. But if from thence, thou shalt seek the Lord, thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul. When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the Lord thy God, and shall be obedient to his voice; for the Lord a8 A STAR IN THE WEST. thy God is a merciful God, he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers, which he swear unto them." Deut. iv. 23 — 32. And Moses after giving them a most excellent system of laws (as he had re- ceived them from God) in the 26th chap. 30th verse, enu- merates a number of extraordinary blessings tliat God would confer on them, in case of their hearkening diligently to the voice of the Lord theii^ God, to observe and do all his com- mandments, and then passes the following awful sentence upon them, in case ^^ it should come to pass, that they would not hearken to the voice of the Lord their God," that the extra- ordinary and dreadful curses, mentioned in the 45th to the 66th verses, which he recapitulates, should come upon them, and then concludes in the 29th chap. 10th verse, ^* ye stand this day, all of you before the Lord your God — your captains of yofiir tnbes, your elders and your officers^ with all the men of Israel, that thou shouldest enter into covenant with the Lord tliy God, and into his oath wliich the Lord thy God maketh witli thee this day, that he may establish thee this day for a people unto himself, and that he may be unto thee a God, as he hath said unto thee, and as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob. Neither with you only do I make this covenant and this oath; but with him who standeth here with us this day, before the Lord thy God, and also with liini who is not here with us this day. Lest there sliould be witli you man or woman, or family or tribe, whose heart turneth away this day, from the Lord your God to go and serve the gods of the nations ; lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and worm-wood, and it come to pass when he heareth the words of this curse and he bless A STAR IN THE WEST. 39 himself in his heart, saying, I shall have peace though I walk in the stubhornness* of my heart, to add drunkenness to thirst ; the Lord will not spare him ; but then the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall smoke against that man, and all the curses written in tliis book shall lie upon him, and the Lord shall blot out his name from under heaven. And the Lord shall separate him unto evil, out of all the tribes of Israel ac- cording to all the curses of the covenant that are written in the book of the law. And it shall come to pass when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call tliem to mind among all the nations whither the Lord tliy God hath driven thee, and shalt return unto the Lord thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart and with all thy soul ; that then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity and have com- passion on thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee. If any of thine be driven unto the utmost parts of heaven, from thence wiQ the Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee. And the Lord thy God will biing thee into the land which thij fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it : and he will do to thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers. And the Lord tliy God will circumcise thy heart and the heart of thy seed, to love tlie Lord thy God with all thine heaii; and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. And the Lord thy God will put all these curses on thine enemies, and on them who hate thee, who persecuted thee. And thou shalt return and obey tlie voice of the Lord to do all his commandments, which I com- • As in the margin of tlic bible. *0 A STAR IST THE WESt^ niand tlice this day. And the Lord thy God will make tlie plenteous in every work of thine hand ; in tlie friiit of thy hody,* and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good ; for the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers. Tfihou shall hearken to ilie voice oj the Lord thy God, to keep his commandments and his statutes which are written in the book of the law ; and if thou turn unto the Lord thy God rvith all thine heart and with all thy soid.^^ — But these promises, and particularly that of being received by and placed under the particular and visible protection and government of Almighty God, necessarily required their separation from the nations round about them, wIk) were one and all sunk in the most stupid idolatry. To increase the obligations of this peo- ple to God, he had actually condescended (as before observed) to become their king and head, and promised to attend them through the wilderness, during all their travels, as a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. Their govern- ment thus became a complete theocracy, both in their civil and ecclesiastical establishments. So that afterwards, whether they had Moses and Aaron, judges or kings for their immedi- ate rulers, they w ere but inferior magistrates in their govern- ment, appointed by and under liim as their supreme head and sovereign. They were necessarily and expressly to be separated from all the people of the earth, as a nation ; by wliich the nature of their political and religious institutions, thus united, was made known to the world at large, and by the exclusive na- ture of their principles and practices, however obnoxious and offensive to other nations, who universally held in an intercom- munion of gods and divine worship: yet their attention was A STAR IN THE WESTo 4J. tli€reby strongly drawn to consider tliem as the peculiar cliar- actcristic complexion of the Jewish government. Tims Moses understood it when he said to God, " for wlierein shall it be known liere, that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? Is It not that thou goest with us? So shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are on the face of the earth." After the death of Moses, and Joshua his successor, and the congregation of the Jews having partially enjoyed the land in tolerable peace and quietness, the succeeding generations with their kings and their princes, forgot the covenant of tlie Lord their God, agreeably to the prediction of Moses, and went af- ter the inventions of the neighbouring nations. Yet God kind- ly sent his prophets from time to time, to refresh their memo- ries and to warn them of their danger, in case they persisted in their rebellion, and did not repent and return to the Lord their Gt)d, with all their heart and with all their soul, but continued in their disobedience. About 700 years before the christian era, near the time of the invasion of Salmanazar, king of Assyria, Isaiah the prophet of God, was sent to them, with tlris solemn and awful message. *^ The Lord sent a word unto Jacob and it hath lighted upon Israel, and all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitants of Sa- maria, who say in the pride and stoutness of their heart, the bricks are fallen down; but w^e will build with hewn stones. The sycamore trees are cut downi, but we will change them into cedars. Therefore the Lord shall. set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together : the Syrians before and the Philistines behind, and they shall de- vour Israel with open mouth ; for all this his anger is not tum^ G \'Z A STAR IN TlIE WEST. ed away, but his hand is stretched out still. For the people turiieth not unto him who smiteth them, neither do they seek the Lord of Hosts. Therefore tlie Lord will cut off fi-om Israel, head and tail, branch and rush, in one day. The ancient and honourable, he is tlie head, and the prophet who teaches lies, is the tail. For the leaders of this people make them to err, and they who are led of them are destroyed. Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatlierless and widows. For every one is an hypocrite and an evil doer, and every mouth speak eth folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still. For wickedness burneth as the fire ; it shall devour the briars and the thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest : and they shall mount up, like the lifting up of the smoke. Througli the wrath of the Lord of Hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire ; no man shall spare his brother. Isaiah ix. 8 — 19. " O Assyrian ! the rod of mine anger ; and the staff in their hand is mine indignation. I will send him (the Assyrian) against an hypocritical nation, and against the people of my WTath will I give him a charge, to take tlie spoil and to take the prey, and to tread them down like the mire of the street.'^ Isa. x. 5 — G. After grievous sufferings as above described, God in his great mercy, shewed that he would still be gracious to them in all their distress and apparent abandonment, in this con- solatory language — «•' And it shall come to pass in that day (the latter day) that Jehovah shall again, the second time, put forth his hand to recover the remnant of his people who re- maineth from Assyria and fix)m Egypt and from Pathros* and * A country bordering on Egypt. A STAR IN THE >VEST. 43 from Cushf and from Elamt and from Sliinar§ and fix)m Ha- mah^y and from the western regions, (as it should have heen translated, instead of the islands of the sea*) Isaiali xi. 11 — 15 Lowi;h's translation. And he shall lift np a signal to the na- tions, and shall gatlier the outcasts of Israel, and the dispersed (rf Judah shall he collect from the four extremities of the earth. And the jealousy of Ephraim shall cease, and the en- mity of Judali shall he no more ; Epliraim shall not he jealous of Judah, and Judah shall not be at enmity with Ephraim. But they sliall invade the borders of the Pliilistines, west- ward ; they shall spoil the children of the east together. They sliall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab, and the children of Ammon shall obey them. And ^^ Jehovah sliall ^mite with a drought the tongue of the Egyptian sea ; and he shall shake his hand over the river with his vehement wind, and he shall strike it into seven streams, and make them pass over it, dry shod, and there shall (also) be a high way, for the remnant of his people ; which shall remain from Assyria, as it was unto Israel, in the day when he came up from the land of Egypt." By this representation it plainly appears — 1st. That the people of the Jews, however scattered and lost on the face of the earth, are in the latter day to be recovered by the mighty power of God, and restored to their beloved city Jerusalem in the land of Palestine. 2d. That a clear distinction is made between the tribes of Judah, in which Benjamin is included, and the ten tribes of + Or Arabia. X Meaning Persia. ^ Where Babylon formerly stood. f In^ Assyria, to thf» east of the mount'iins forming the boundaries of Media. * Lowth. 4'i A STAR IN THE WEST. Israel, agreeably to their particular states. The first is des- cribed as dispersed among the nations in the four quarters of the world — -The second as outcasts from the nations oftJie earth* 3d. Thus they shall pass through a long and dreary wil- derness from the nortii country, and finally enter into Assyria^^ (it may possibly be) by the way of some narrow strait, where they will meet together in a body and proceed to Jerusalem. 4th. That this restoration is said to be accomplished a se- cond time. The first was from Egypt — tlie second is to bo similar to it, in several of its remarkable circumstances. 5th. The places from whence they are to come, are ex- pressly designated. They are to come first fi*om Assyria and Egypt, where it is well known, many of the tribes of JudaU and Benjamin were carried captive, and are now to be found in considerable numbers, and from Pathros bordering on Egijpt — and from Cush and from Elam, different parts of Persia, wliere the present Jews are undoubtedly of the same tribes, and perhaps mixed witli a few of the ten tribes who remain- ed in Jerusalem and were carried away by Nebuchadnezzar. And from Shinar still more east and where some of the same tribes are now found. And from Hamah near the Caspian sea, where some of the ten tribes have remained ever since the time of Salmanazar 5 and from the western regions,^ 6th. Thus we have the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin well known to be dispersed throughout the three quarters of the world — But as to the majority of the ten tribes, although every believer in divine revelation has no doubt of their be- ing preserved by the sovereign power of God in some un- known region ; yet as the whole globe has been traversed by * See Lowth. A STAR IN THE WEST. 45 one adventurer or another, it is a little astonishing that they have not hitherto heen discovered. By the representation above, it is clear that we must look for them, and they will un- doubtedly, at last be found, in tlie western regions, or some place answering this description as the place of their banishment. God proceeds in his encouraging prospects, in language of the greatest affection. " But now saith the Lord, who cre- ated thee O Jacob, and he wlio formed thee O Israel. Fear not, for I have redeemed thee ; I have called thee by thy name ; thou art mine. When thou passest through tJie waters^ I will be with thee, and through the rivers, they sliall not over- flow tliee; when thou walkest througli tlie fire, thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the holy one of Israel, thy saviour. I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou was precious in my sight, thou hast been honour- able, and I have loved thee, therefore will I give men for thee and people for thy life. Fear not, for I am with thee, I will bring tliy seed from the east and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north give up, and to tlie south keep not back; bring my sons from afar and my daughters /ro/]i ihs ends of the earthJ' Isaiah xliii. 1 — 6. Again, " Thus saith the Lord, in an acceptable time I have heard thee, and in a day of salvation helped thee, and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people to establish the earth, to cause them to inherit the desolate heri- tages. That thou may est say to the prisoners go forth; to them w^ho are in darkness, show yourselves.=^ They shall * Mr. Paber translates this " to them who are in darkness," " Be ye discovered.'- This is peculiarly applicable to the present state of the Israelites, as we hereinafter iu/»posc them to be. 46 A STAR IN THE ^VEST. feed in tlie ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither sliall the heat or sun smite them ; for he who shall have mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. And I will make all my mountains a way, and my high ways shall be exalted. Beliold these shall come from far : and lo, these from the north and from the west; and these from the land of SinimJ^ Isaiah xlix. 8 — 13. Here again they are described as passing mountains /rom far, or a great distance, and that from the north and west, or north-west; and othei^ are to come from the land of Sinim, or the eastern coun- try. " Moreover, thou son of man, take thee a stick and write upon it, /or Jiidah and for the children of Israel his com- pajiLons. And then another stick, and write upon it, for Jo- seph, the stick of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions,'' Ezekiel xxxvii, 16. It appears by this chapter, that there are some few of the Israelites still with Judah ; but all are again to become one people at a future day. It also appears that the body of the house of Israel are remote from Judah, and are to be brought fi*om distant countries to Jerusalem, when they are to become one nation again. Their approach to their own land, is so joyous an event, that Isaiah breaks forth in language of exultation. ^< Sing O heavens ! and be joyful earth, and break forth into sing- ing mountains, for the Lord hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted." « Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, behold ! I will save my peo- ple from the east country (the tribes of Judah and Benjamin) and from the west country (the ten tribes ,*) and I will bring A STAR IN THE WEST. 47 them, and they shall dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and they shall be my people and I will be their God in truth and in righteousness." Zech. viii. 7 — 8. Ezekiel, also refers to the same event : " As I live saith the Lord, with a mighty hand and an stretched-out arm, Sind xvith fiiry poured aid will I rule over you. And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you, face to face, like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you saith the Lord. And I will cause you to pass under the rod ; and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant ; and I will purge out from among you the rebels and tliem who transgress against me. I will bring them forth out of the country where tliey sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel, and ye shall know that I am the Lord." Ezekiel xx. 35 — 43. Here we see that they are distinguished again, by those of the east country and those of the west cmintry, and that they arc finally to be united under one government again, when they shall be restored to Jerusalem, yet they must suffer greatly by the way, for their sins and continued obstinacy, which would require God's fury to be poured out upon them, for the reluctance with which they will attempt the journey back to Jerusalem. In short their restoration again to the city of God, will in many things be similar to their Exodus from Egypt to Canaan. They will be obstinate and perverse in their oppo- sition to the journey : and on the way will shew mucli of the same spirit as their fathers did in the vvilderness> as they will 4S A STAR IN THE WEST* be attached to the land of their banishment, as their fathers were to that of Egypt. Many of them will Iiave a wilderness to pass through, as Israel of old had. God also will have a controversy with them by the way, and will destroy many of them, so that they shall never see Jerusalem, tlie beloved city. But those who hold out to the end, in their obedience to the heavenly call and submission to the divine will, shall be accept- ed, and these shall sincerely repent of tlieir past transgres- sions. Again ^*I will accept you with your sweet savour, when I bring you out from the people, and gatJier you out of the countries wherein ye have been scattered, and I will be sanctified in you before the heathen. And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I sliall bring you into tlie land of Israel, into the country, for the which I lifted up my hand, to give it to your fathers. And there shall ye remember your ways> and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled, and ye shall loath yourselves in your own sight for all the evils that you have committed." Bisliop Warburton's observations on tliis passage are worthy of notice. — ^He says, " It is here we see denounced, that the extraordinary providence under which the Israelites had always been preserved, should be with- drawn, or in scripture phrase, that God would not be enquired of by them. That they should remain in the condition of their fathers in the wilderness, when tlie extrordinary providence of God, for their signal disobedience, was, for sometime, suspend- ed. And yet that though tliey strove to disperse themselves among the people round about, and projected in their minds to be as the heathen and the families of the countries, to serv^e wood and stone, they should still be under the government of a theocracy, which when administered without an extraordi- A STAR IN THE WEST. 49 nary providence, the blessing naturally attendant upon it, was> and justly, called the rod and bond of the covenanV^ Every serious reader, who takes the divine scriptures for his rule of conduct, must believe that these people of God are yet in being in our world, however unknown at present to the nations — and as God once had seven thousand men, who liad not bowed the knee to Baal in the days of Elijah, wlicn he thought that lie was the only servant of God, left in Israel, so God has preserved a majority of his people of Israel in some unknown part of the w orld, for the advancement of his own glory. And we plainly see in the quotations above, that they are distin- guished again, by those of the east country, and those of the west country, and that though they were finally to be united into one government, when they shall be restored to Jerusa- lem, yet they must suffer greatly by the way, for their sins and continued obstinate provocations of the divine majesty, who was their king and governor, which would require his fury to be poured out upon them and particularly for the re- luctance with which they they shoidd be prevailed on to at- tempt a return to Jerusalem, when God should set up liis standard to the nations for that purpose. In short, their suf- ferings and perverse conduct on their Exodus from Egypt to the land of Canaan, seems to be a type of their final return to Jerusalem. They will be obstinate and perverse in their setting off and on their way, as they will be greatly attached to the land of their banishment — They, at least a great part of them, will have a w ilderness to pass through, as their fiith- crs had. God will have a controversy with them by the way^ on account of their unbelief and the customs and habits indulg- ed among them contrary to the divine commandments^ as he H 50 A ST All IN THE WEST. had w itii their liithers, and will destroy them in like manner, so that they shall never arrive at their heloved city, as was done to the rehels in the camp of Moses and Joshua. They are to pass through waters and rivers and he haptized there- in as their fiithers were in the red sea, and will receive the same divine protection. — Those who shall hold out to the end in a line of ohedicnce and submission to the divine will, shall be accepted and safely returned to tlie land promised to Abra- ham, Isaac and Jacob, and their seed after tliem, where they sliall sincerely repent and mourn for all their former trans- gressions.-* AYe are not left to llie predictions and encouraging declara- tions of one or two prophets of God ; but Ezekiel also con- firms and continues the divine interference in their favour, for he says, *^ Thus saith the Lord, behold ! I will take the children of Israel from among the heathen, whither they be gone, and will gather tliem on every side, and bring them in- to tlieir own land ; and I will make them one nation in the land upon tlie mountains of Isi'ael : and one king shall be king to them all, and tliey shall no more be two nations, neith- er shall they be divided into two kingdoms any more at all. Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their trans- gressions. But I will save them out of all their dwelling pla- ces, wherein they tliey have sinned, and will cleanse them, so tlicy shall be my people, and I will be their God. And David my servant shall be king over them ; and they all shall have one shepherd, they shall also walk in my judgments and observe my statutes to do them. And they shall dwell in the * Some of them ai*e to be ciu-ried in ships, by scafarirg nations, as a present tr* the Lord at Jevut,alein. A STAR IN THE WEST. 5,1 land that I have given unto my servant Jacob, wherein your fathers have dwelt, and tliey shall dwell therein, even they and their children, and their children's cliildren forever. And my servant David, shall be theii' prince forever. ^< Moreover I will make a covenant of peace with tliem ; it shall be an everlasting covenant with tlicm. And I will place them and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My tabernacle shall also be with them, yea, I will be their God and they shall be my peo- ple. And the heathen shall know, that I tiie Lord, do sanc- tify Israel, wlien my sanctuary shall be in the midst of tliem forever more." From this representation it appears, that the posterity of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, are still God's peculiar people—- That he brought them with a mighty arm from Egypt, by tlie way of the wilderness and througli the red sea. That he gave them laws and oi'dinances to wliich he commanded tlie most strict obedience. And in case of failure and wilful diso- bedience, the severest curses were denounced upon them. They were to be divided into two nations — to be scattered among the gentiles, to the north and the south, to the east and the west. They were to be driven by tlie hand of God, to the utmost parts of the earth — Into Assyria — Egypt — Pathros— ^ Cusli — Elam — Shinar — ^Hama — and into the western regions and the land of Sinim. They were to serve gods, the work- manslup of men's hands, of wootl and of stone. Israel is heav- ily charged with stubborn disobedience, and is threatened with being cut off suddenly, as in one day, and with great and accumulated distress aiid anguish. They are expressly eliarg- 32 A STAR IN THE WEST. ed with the sin of drunkmnesSf as adding drunkenness to thirst, as their prevailing sin. On the other Jiand, the promises to them are very great, in case of ohedicncc, or on sincere repentance in case of fail- ure. After great sufferings, in the latter days, that is about the end of the Roman government, if they shall seek the Lord their God, they shall not be entirely forsaken, or totally des- troyed* Moses also, by the command of God, instituted the offices of high pnesi and priests to preside over and govern their re- ligious rights and sacred services. He consecrated Aaron and his sons to these important offices, and vested them with the most extraordinary powers, that were ever conferred on a mere man. Philo, the famous Jewish writer, speaking in a lofty rhetorical way, gives tliis cliaracter of the Iiigli priest—^ ** He was something more than human. He more nearly re- sembled God, than all the rest, That he partook of the di- vine and human nature. That he was, on the day of expia- tion, a mediator between G^d and his people." The high priest was the greatest person in the state, next to the king or Judge, and represented the whole people. His business was to perform the most sacred parts of the divine service, which consisted in offering up the appointed sacrifi- ces, with many washings and carnal ordinances, as particular^ ly established by Moses. He was clothed with the priestly garments, besides tliosc used by tlie other priests. 1st. The robe of the Ephod, in tlie liem of which were 72 bells. 2d. The Ephod'* itself, which was like a waistcoat without sleeves, * The Ephod was considered as essential to all the parts of divine ^vorsliip, and without it, none ever enciuired of God. — Clarke. A STAR IN THE WEST, 53 the hinder part of which reached down to the heels, and the fore part came but a little below the stomacli. It was fasten- ed on the shoulders. To each of the shoulder-straps was fas- tened a precious stone, on which was engraven the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. 3d. He wore on his breast a piece of cloHf doubled of a span squai^e, which was termed the breast plate, and in it were set twelve precious stones, which had the names of the twelve patriarchs engraven on them. 4th. He wore a plate of gold on his forehead, which was tied on the lower part of his tiara, with purple and blue ribbands : and on it was engraven. Holiness to the Lord. He wore these only when he ministered in the temple. Moses also gave them special injunctions with regard to circumcision,^ and all the furniture of the temple, particular- ly respecting tlie ark, which was to be made of sliittim w(>od, or accasia, called an incorruptible wood in the Septuagint. This ark was a kind of chest or box, about four feet five inch- es long and two feet six inclics wide, in which the two tables of the covenant, or law (called the testimony or witness) written by the finger of God himself, with Aaron's rod and the pot of manna were to be laid up. Exodus xxv. 10. On the top of this, was placed tlie mercy seat, at the ends of which were the two cherubim of gold, between whom the vi- sible appearance of the presence of God, as seated on a throne, was. The ark was the principal of all the holy things be- longing to the tabernacle. 2d Samuel, vi. 12. It gave a * Some of the Jewish doctors observe, ** that the number of proselytes in the great day of the Messiah, will be so great that the church, omitting- the ceremony of circumcision, will receive them into its bosom by ablution or baptism, 4th voL Ijcighton's woiks, 157. 5* A STAR IN THE WEST. sanction of holiness to every place where it was brought.* 2(1 Chmnicles viii. 11. Moses also commanded them to keep a continual fre upon the altars of that which first was given from heaven, and to keep the candles burning on the altar. He also appointed three grand, annual religious festivals, in addition to the weekly sabbath, and daily and other sacrifices, whiSl were to be religiously attended by the males at Jerusalem, on pain of being cut off fi'om the congregation. f 1st. The Passover or feast of unleavened bread. It continued seven days from the 15th day of March till the 21st. On the eve of the feast, or the 1st day of unleavened bread, being the 14th day of the month, the paschal lamb was killed and eaten. On the seven following days were offered the paschal sacrifices, and they eat unleavened bread. The first and last days were sabbaths, on which they held their holy convocations. On the tenth day of their first month, Abib, every man took a lamb or kid of the first year, without blemish, according to the house of his fath- ers, unless tlie household was too small, then two neighbours joined together. It was kept four days till the 14th day, when it was killed. They eat tbe flesh that night roast with fire, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs ; but not a bone of it was to be broken ; and notliing of it was suffered to remain until morn- ing ; but if any did, it was to be burned with fire. During the seven days of unleavened bread, no leaven was to be found in their houses, and none was to be eaten on pain of death. • Aftei- tlieir return fx-om the captivity of Babylon, they had synagogues through- out the land,; and at the east end of each synagogue, they placed an ark or chest in conamemoration of the foregoing ark of the covenant in the temple ; and in this they lock up tlie pentateuch written upon vellum Avith a particular ink. Predeaux Con. 2d. vol. 534. t But the women did not go up, and seem to have been altogether excluded: Tid. 2d vol. 63—68, A STAR IN THE WEST. 55 " To meet tlie letter of this precept in the fullest manner pos- sible, the Jews, on the eve of this festival, institute a most rij;- orous search through every part of their houses, not only re- moving all leavened bread, but sweeping every part clean, that no crumb of bread should be left that liad leaven in it — leaven was an emblem of sin, because it proceeded fix)ra cor- ruption. (Note on the 19th verse of the 12th Exodus, by Dr. Clark.) The next day after, they offered to God, a handful of barley, being the first fruits of the year, which the high priest ground, and putting some oil and frankincense upon it, he presented it to God — Then they offered a lamb for a whole burnt offering — A meat offering was also made, of fine flour mingled with oil — Also a drink offering of wine — ^^nd tlieij were forbidden to eat cither bread or jmrched corUf or green ears, until the offering was brought unto God, 2d. The feast of weeks or pentecost or harvest, being the first fruits of tlieir labours. It was held seven weeks or fifty days af- ter the Passover, or 14th March. The first fruits of the harvest were now offered up to God. Tliey offered up two cakes made of the new wlieat. Deuteronomy xvi. 16. This oblation was accompanied with a great number of sacrifices, and sev- eral other offerings and libations. od. The feast of in^athenng, at tlie end of the year, and was the great day of atonement for sin. This was held on the 10th day of tlie 7th month Tizri, answering to our September and October. This was the first montli of tlie civil year, and the 7th of the ecclesiastical.^ On the 1st day of this monlli was held the memorial of blowing of trumpets. On the 15th * On it was held a holy convocation unto the Lord, to afflict tlicir souls and (»9"er an offering made by fire unto the Lord. Liviticus 23 — 27. 56 A STAR IN THE WEST, day of the month was the feast of Tahcmacles— it was kejit under booths or green tents and arbors made of small limbs of trees, in memory of their dwelling in tents on their journey through the wilderness. All tlie males were bound to appear at Jerusalem before the Loi'd, and this was one of their great- est solemnities. The nation was also divided into twelve tribes, governed by a chief of each tribe, under Moses and Aaron. They were again arranged in their encampments in four divi- sions, under four standards, of a man, an eagle, a lion and an ox. He also established six cities of refuge, for tlie protection of the man-slayer, who was guilty through accident, or igno- rance. He appointed an avenger of blood. This was founded on what God says to Noah, Genesis ixth chap. 5—6 ver. *' Surely your blood of your lives will I require — at the hand of man — at the hand of every man^s brother will I require the life of man. Who so sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed, for in the image of God made he manj" And therefore ^' whosoever killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past, he shall flee into one of these cities and live, lest the avenger of blood pursue the slayer while his heart is hot and overtake him, and slay him." Moses chose seventy assistants or counsellors, who were af- tervvai'ds called the great Sanhedrim, or council of the nation. When met in council, the high priest sat in the middle, and tlie assistants, or elders, on each hand in a semi circular form. He also appointed, by the command of God, Aaron and his sons, priests to the congregation of Israel ; It was the duty of tlie priests, among other important objects, publicly to bless the people in tlie name of Jehovah — to attend the daily wor- sliip by sacrifice in the tabernacle— to attend the religious A STAR IN THE WEST. S7 festivals-'^to keep up the sacred fire on tlie altar^ and to attend the armyf when going to war, wiVi the ark of the corcenanl, to ask counsel of the Lord,* to sound the trumpet and encourage the troops. Once in a year the higli priest, cloathed in his pon- tifical dress, went into the holy of holies, when he had on the holy linen coat and the linen hreeches on his flesh, and was girded with the linen girdle and attired with the linen mi- tre. Moses also gave them laws as to clean and unolean beasts, birds and fishes ; the clean of which, alone, should be eaten or sacrificed. They were particularly and solemnly forbidden to eat of swincs flesh, or the blood or fat of the beast. The fat and entrails of the sacrifices were to be burned on the altar, which was to be made of earth, or stones of the brook, on which an instrument was not to comej, that is, it was not to be of hewn stone. In pi'ocess of time the people grew weary of being govern- ed by their judges, and not only murmured but grew very turbulent and rebellious. They tumultuously demanded a king to rule over them, like the nations round about them* Crod in his righteous judgment gave them a king, at the same time, by his prophet^ foretelling them of their fate under him* However, their change of government made no change in their dispositions. They still continued tlieir transgressions and perverse disobedience, till God wearied, as it were, with their obstinacy, and the gross iniquities of their kings, divid- ed their nation into two distinct kindoms, in tlie time of Re»- hoboam, the son of Solomon, to wit, the kingdom of Judah, to which the tribe of Benjamin was united ; and the kingdom of ♦ Vide Numbers x. 33—35-6, and quote it at large. Joshua vi. 8— J 3. Also 1 Samuel, iv. 5—7. 2 Samuel tI. 6—7. I SS A STAR IN THE WEST. Israel^ consisting of the remaining ten tribes. Even this did not alaim them so as to prevent their rebellious spiiit. But they continued for some hundred years in the most stubborn opposition to the laws God liad gi^en them by his servant Mo- ses, and idolatry seemed to become a more desirable object with them as tlie threatenings of God, by his prophets, were pointed with greater severity against it. They went so far as to invite Tiglah Pilnezer, king of Assyria, to aid them against the king of Syria, though so positively forbidden by God; and at Ahaz, king of Israel's particular request, they united with him and took Damascus, and carried the people of it captives to Ker or Keor, the ancient Charboras or Chabar. — 2 Kings, xvi. 9. And such was their obstinacy and rebellion, that it is worthy of observation, t.liat Israel had not one single king from the commencement to the end of their kingdom, who feared the Lord or governed agreeably to his commandments. The fate of Israel was fixed. God, in his rigliteous displea- sure, at length cast them off, and gave them into the hands of that very Tiglah Pilnezer who, it is probable, was the same with Arbaxes,*= the first king of Assyria after the revolt of the Medes, about seven hundred and forty years before the christian era, who, with Maz>f king of Judah, as we have al- ready mentioned, took Damascus and annexed it to the As- syrian empire ; thus removing the barrier between that em- pire and Palestine, so that both kingdoms, Syria and Pales- tine, became an easy prey to this powerful monarch. He cap- tured the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Ma- nasseh, who dwelt on the east side of Jordan, and carried them captives, and placed them in Halah and Harbor, and Harah^ * Vide 1st. vol. Predeaux, page 2-13. A STAR IN THE WEST. 59 and to the river Gozan.^ — 1 Chronicles, v. 26. It is scarcely possible that the king of Assyria would have placed so turbu- lent a people, whom he had led away captive from so distant a land, and whom he had reason so greatly to dislike, in any fertile part of his kingdom ; it is most likely that be sent the greatest part of them on his northena frontier, as far as possi- ble from a probability of doing him any harm by their restless dispositions. This is confirmed by the express words of the sacred historian, as will appear liereafter. About twenty years after this, or one hundred and thirty-four years before the Bab- ylonish captivity, tlie remaining tribes, persisting in their im- penitence, and neglecting to take warning by the miserable fate of their brethren, and not discovering the least sign of reformation, God raised up Shalmanazar, the successor of Tig- lah Pilnezer, who besieged Hoshea, the king of Israel, in Sar maria, and after taking tlie city, and victoriously conquering * Harah, or as it is called by some, Hai'a, which in Hebrew signifies bitter, is the root from whence it is used to signify a mountainous tract, and thus gave that name to the country north of Assyria, near to Media, and perhaps ran through it. On the north of this tract runs the river Araxis, now called Aras. — Oharius, 296. Obarius, on whom much dependence may be placed, describes the source of the river Araxis to be in the mountains of Ararat, of Armenia, on the south of which river lies the little province of Ai"sea, erroneously supposed by him to be the Ar- sareth of Esdras ; so that Harah is no other tJjan the province of Iran, situate be- tween the rivers Charboras or Araxis, as it is called in the Anabasis of Xenophoni and Cyrus, now called Aras and Kur. Kur (^ Ker was the place Tiglah Pilne- zer sent the captives of Damascus, and was to the south east of Media. — Prideaux, vol. 1, p. 13. This is mentioned also in Amos, i. 5, and seems to be a distant place even from Syria, and where captives were usually sent — Gozan, and the river of Gozan. Ptolemy places the region of the Gauzanites in the north east of Mesopo- tamia, with the city Gizana near tJie river Charboras, at the foot of the mountaia Masius, and another region called Gauzania, in Media, in the latitude 40, 15, near the river Cyrus or Ker, mentioned above. The learned Bochart asserts the ci- ty Gauzania to lie in the midway between the mountain Chaboras and the Caspian sea, and between the two streams of the river of Cyrus, and says that probably it gave the name of Gozan both to the river and country ; and this he takes to be tUe , scripture place, as being the city of the Medes. 6(1 A STAB IN THE WEST. the remainiHg tribes, took all the chief men, with the bulk of the nation, now lost to every principle of gratitude to God, and carried them also captives into Assyria, and placed most of them with their brethren, who had been formerly taken by Tiglah Pilnezer, in Halah, and in Harbor, by the river Go- zan, in the cities of the Medes ; leaving only some poor re- mains of the people, who continued in the land in a miserable condition, till Ezzarhaddon afterwards removed them to Bab- ylon and other eastern countries which he had conquered.—* And to prevent danger from their numbers, part of them were removed into an adjoining district. This was about seven hundred and twenty-one years before the christian era, and nine hundred and forty-seven after their coming out of Egypt, The king of Assyiia also replaced in the cities of Samaria in- habitants from Babylon, and from Cutha, a river of Persia,* and Ava, Hamah and Sepharvin.--2 Kings, xvii, 24*. Thus it appears, that the ten tribes, except a few who took refuge in Jerusalem, with the tribe of Judah.f were wholly de- prived of their goodly land, and transferred into the northern parts of Assyria, between tlie Euxine and Caspian seas, among the cities of the Medes, except a part of them, vvho were settled something more to the south, in Persia, which was then a part of the Assyrian monarchy. Tlie two tribes and an half on the east side of Jordan, in the days of Jeroboam, king of Israel, amounted to eight hundred thousand mighty men of valour — 2.Chronicles, xiii. 3— -so that the whole people at the time of their captivity, including those tribes, being about two hundred and thirty-six years after Jer- oboam, must have amounted to a very large number indeed, ^ Josephus, vol. 2, page 115. 2 Chrgnicles, xj. 16. A STAB IN THE WEST, 61 Here, then, in all likelihood, they must have remained a long time. Besides the scriptures mentioning their being in the cities of the Medes " to this day," as in 2 Kings, xxiii. 41, and in 1 Chronicles, v. 26. Josephus mentions tliem in his book De Bell. lib. 2, ch. 28, of the Greek—in the Latin 808 ' — and in his preface 705— .in his Antiquities, lib. 20, 'ch. 9 — and lib. 11, ch. 5, page 368. And Sulpitius Severus, as quot- ed by Flcmming from lib. 2, cli. 16, page 321, and who wrote about thf^ year 400, says, « the ten tribes dispersed among the Parthians, Medes, Indians and Ethiopians, never returned to their ancient inheritance, but are subject to the sceptres of barbarous princes. The scriptures, however, declare in the most express terms that they shall return and be wholly re- stored, with the other tribes, to Jerusalem. If, then, the re- turn of these tribes, wherever they may be, should be by the way of the Euxine sea, which is north from Judea, they need not pass over the Euphrates, which lies across and in the mid- dle between these countries. To accomplish this, if they come from the north east, they may pass over the Straits of Kam- schafka, either by a literal fulfilment of the promise, as in the case of the Red sea and Jordan, to bring more declarative glory to God, or they may pass from island to island in bark boats, or in ships, or perhaps, as the most likely way, they may cross on the ice. They will be a long time in travel- ling, perhaps, to prepare them for their, so great a change ia life, as in the forty years in the wilderness, during which all the rebellious among them may perish, as they did under like circumstances on their way to Canaan. The geographical situation of this pai't of Assyria is w^ortb attending to. Media lay on the northern side of the Caspian 62 A STAR IN THE WEST. sea, bounded by the mountains of Araxis, or Chaboras, or Aras, as it is now called, which separate Media on the north from Armenia, and then bounded by the southern shore of the Cas- pian sea, which is far north, having on the west the river Halys, rinming into the Black sea, which territory has been since possessed by the Tartars. Persia and Susiana are contig- uous on the south.=* The country is mountainous on the side of Assyria, and a ridge of mountains that runs to the south of the Caspian sea, bounds a vast plain, a great part of which being covered with salt, is uncultivated and depart. Persian Irak extends at present over a .erre^t part of ancient Media, lliere w as a time when the Medes shook off the Assyrian yoke, and ruled over that part of Asia which extended to- wards the west, as far as the river Halys. That part of Me- dia contiguous to Armenia, was distinguished by the name of Atropatena, the capital of which is named Gaza, or Gazaca, since called Ganzak. Persia extends from the frontier of Media on the north, to the Persian Gulph on the south, and westward to the river Halys. The mountains separating Per- * Ptolemy mentions a mountain, a city and a river, by the name of Charboras, ■which divides Assyria from Media towards the north west The river arises out of the mountain Massius, in the north of Mesopotamia, and appears to be the same as Ezekiel, i. 1—3, calls Chebar. Habor, or as it is called in Hebrew, Chabor, must have been the city of this name. Aramianus calls the river by the name of Abo- ras. Benjamin of Tudela, the Jewish traveller, who lived in the latter end of the twelfth century, says, that passing east, he came to the river Chebar, where he found sixty synagogues. He asserts that the prophet Ezekiel was buried here, and his tomb is there to be seen. Rabbi Pelakich gives an account of some Jews he found in Tartary, who did not observe the traditions of the fathers. Upon en- quiring why they neglected them, they answered that they had never heard of them. He complains that the Jews were greatly diminished on the banks of the Euphrates, and in the ancient cities, where they were formerly computed to have amounted to nine hundred thousand.— Modern ITniversal History. Basnage 620. In Thebes he found two thousand Jews engaged in the silk and dying business.— ChOibriand lotrod. 15. Perhaps the number of synagogues i» exaggerated. A STAR IN THE WEST. 63 sia from Media, were called Halzardera, or the thousand mountains. The ahove is supposed to have given name to the river Gozan, which ran still farther north ; hut the sound has been changed by length of time, which has been the fate of most places in that country. Soon after the removal of the ten tribes to this country, and about seven hundred years before Christ, the Medes over- ran the Assyrian empire, which, from remote antiquity, had extended over a great part of Asia. The Scythians, who lay still farther north, about one hundred years afterwards^ conquered the Median empire in Upper Asia, wlio retained the government but about twenty-eight years. — Herodotus, lib. 1, 157. — 1 Predeaux, 25, 35-6. Even this was long enough to promote an acquaintance between the northern parts of Me- dia and the still more nortliern country of Scythia. The an- cient Scythia was the general name given to Tartary, which then extended from tlie mouth of the Obey, in Russia, to the Dnieper ; from thence across the Euxine, or Black sea ; thence along the foot of mount Caucasus, by the rivers Ker or Kur, and Aras, to the C&spian sea; thence to the White Mountains, including part of Russia, with the districts tliat lie between the Frozen sea and the Japan sea. — Sir William Jones, Dissert, vol. 1, 142, and onward. It extended farther north than was known to the then neighbouring nations, liv- ing to the soutiiward and eastward. From the mouth of the Danube to the sea of Japan, the whole longitude of Seythia, is about one hundred and ten degrees, whicli, in that parallel, are equal to (rather more) five thousand miles. The latitude reaches from the fortieth degree, which touches the wall of China, above one thousand miles northward to the frozen re- 6]t A STAR IN THE WEST. gioiis of Siberia. — Robinson's View of the progress of society in Europe, page 335. Mr. Bryant conjectures that the name Scythia, was derived from Cuthaif and if so, it casts more light on the prophetic declarations hereinafter mentioned. Sir Wil- liam Jones, speaking of the language of the Tartars, says, <^that their language, like those ofMierica, was in perpetual fluctuation, ,and that more than fifty dialects, as Mr. Hyde was credibly informed, were spoken between Moscow and China, by the many hundred tribes and their several branch- es." Yet he doubts not but that they all sprang from one common source ; excepting always the jargon of such wan- dering mountaineers as, having long been divided from the main body of the nation, must, in a course of ages, have fram- ed separate idioms for themselves. But need we go farther than the Assyrians and Persians themselves, who conquered the ten tribes ? They had an original language of their own ; but their successors, if we may believe the best historians, having become a mixture of several different nations, as Sara- cens, Tartars, Parthians, Medes, ancient Persians, become Mahometans, Jews, and women from Georgia and other coun- tries, transplanted into Persia, have now a debased language, compounded of those of all these different nations. — Hyde, The country into which the ten tribes were thus transplanted, was \'^ry thinly inhabited, and extended farther north than we are yet much acquainted with. Those captive Israelites must have greatly encrcased in numbers, before their migration more northward and westward. This is confirmed by the names of the towns in that country, which to this day bear witness to their founders. Samarcand, plainly derived from Samaria, is a very large and populous placQ. They have a A STAR IN" THE WEST. 65 (3ity on a very high hill, called Mount Tabor i A city built on the river Ardou, is named Jericho, which river runs near the Caspian sea, npon the north and north east. There are two cities, called Chorazin the great and the less. The Tartar chiefs are called Morsoyes^ very like Moyses, as Moses is called by the ancients. The Tartars boast their descent from the Israelites, and the famous Tamerlane took a pride in declaring that he descend- ed from the tribe of Dan.' — -Vide note in page 62* The tribes of Judah and Benjamin are dispersed not in the north east country, from whence the passage towards Syria and Palestine lies along the eastern borders of the Euxine sea, but in the western and southern parts of Asia and Africa^ from whence the passage to Syria and Palestine lies far wide and distant from it. But all who are in, or come through the north west parts of Persia, near the western shore of the Caspian sea,* and to the eastward in Mesopotamia, must pass the Euphrates to get to Palestine. After this we have no account of these tribes, except what is mentioned in 2 Kings, xvii. 23 — ^41, and 1 Chronicles, v. 26, wherein it is said, these tribes were carried out of their own land into Assyria^ to this day, &c. — until the time of Jo- sephus, the Jewish historian, who mentions them ^^ as then being somewhere beyond the Euphrates,'^ and calls them Adiabenians.j The other two tribes of Judah and Benjamin^ * The Caspian straits are placed by Ptolemy between IMedia and Parthia. Vide page 67. ■}■ The river Lyens, Avhich runs a little west of Hala, was anciently called Zaba, or Diava, by Ammianus, which signifies aAvolf; whence this portion of Assyria was called Adiabane, and the river Lyens was called sometime Ahavah or Adia- feane. It may cast some light on this subject to know that Josephus, in his An- K 66 A STAR IN THF. WEST. together w ith a few of the ten tribes interspersed among them;, being in Asia and Europe, living in subjection to the Romans." One of the late Jewish writers says, <^ the Jews relate that the ten tribes were carried away, not only into Media and Persia, hit into the northern countries heyond the Bosphorus," — The next author who mentions them is Orielius, who speaks of them as being in Tartary. — ^Vide note of Benjamin of Tudela, in page 62. The famous Giles Fletcher, L L. D. in his treatise on this subject, printed in 1677, observes, " as for two of those colo- nies of the Samaritan Israelites, carried off by Salmanazer, wliich w ere placed in Harak and Harbor, they bordered both on the Medians, (where the others were ordered on the north and north east of the Caspian sea, a barren country.) So that those tribes might easily meet and join together when oppor- tunity served their turn, wliich happened unto them not long after, when all the provinces of Media, Chaldaran, and Mes- opotamia, with their governors, Merodach, Baladin and Dejo- ceSf called in the scriptures Arphaxad, by desertion, fell away from the Assyrians, in the tenth year of Esar-haddon. And that these tribes did, not long after, reunite themselves and join in one nation, as they were before, being induced partly by their own desires, as disdaining even to live commixed with other people, especially such abandoned idolaters, and partly by the violence of the Medians, who expelled them thence." tiquities, Book 20. ch. 5, says, that Helena, queen of Adiabene, -who had embracer! the Jewish religion, sent some of her servants to Alexandria, to buy a great quan- tity of corn ; and others of them to Cyprus, to buy a cargo of dried figs, which she distributed to the Jews that were in want. This was in the time of the famine, mentioned by Agabus, Acts xi. 28, and took place in Atino Domini 47, or therea- bouts. This shews that there were manv Jews in that country. A STAR IN THE WEST. 67 That the ten tribes were transjiorted into some of the north- ern provinces of the then Assyrian empire, bordering on the Caspian and Euxine seas, and to the northward and north cast of them, is universally admitted, and fully proved by the sacred records. And that they continued tlierc a very con- siderable time, and became very numerous, can scarcely be doubted ; but that tliey cannot now be found there, in any great numbers, is also very cei'tain. That there sliould be found some remnant still in that country, adds to tlie proba- bility of the account already given. In the sudden removal or migration of a nation from one country to another, it is not probable that every individual would be included. Many at- tached to the soil by long habit, or taste, or birth, or connected with the natives by domestic circumstances, or from various other causes, would naturally remain behind, and their pos- terity as naturally encreasing by time, would thus prove the fact of their first existence there as a nation. Thus it was in Samaria and Jerusalem^ when Salmanazcr carried them away captive ; some few were left behind, who continued with Judali and Benjamin, and were finally carried away by Ezzarhaddon or Nebuchadnezzar.^ It therefore becomes an important question, what became of them ? For no believer in revelation, as already observed, can admit that they are lost to the woiid, while God has made so many promises that he will bring them in the latter days from the ends of the earth, and that they, together with the other two tribes, shall be reinstated in their beloved city. Now, as Ave know them to have been exposed in the place of their captivity, at differ- * Josephus, in lils enumeration of the Israelites carried away with Juf'ah anil Benjamin, to Babylon, snys fbey amounted to six hundred and fifty-two.— Vol. 2, 171, 68 A STAR IN THE WEST. ent periods, to oppression and the severest calamities ; par- ticularly to the continual blasphemous worship of idolaters, it certainly seems reasonable to conclude, independently of any positive testimony which may be alledged on the subject, that so discontented and restless a people, suffering under so severe a captivity, would strive to change their condition, and endea- vour to remove as far as possible from their oppressors. Thig resolution was greatly promoted by the facility with which such a measure might be effected, on so distant a frontier, while the kingdom was involved in desolating wars with the nations around tliem, and when the people with whom they sojourned, must have rejoiced at tlieir leaving them, being such troublesome inmates. They must have known the suc- cess, first of the Scythians, then the Medes, and then the Persians, under Cyrus, which was followed by the easy con- quest of the whole of Media and Persia, as Herodotus has shewn in his history, and by which they must have been encouraged in so important a business. The power of the kingdom was also coinparatively weak, at so great a distance from the capital, and distracted with political cabals and inr surrections against Astigages, who reigned over both Media and Persia, and who was conquered by his grandson, Cyrus. And it is not improbable but that a removal more north, by which such restless subjects would leave their improvements and real property to the other inhabitants, and extend the territory of their governors, would not have been disagreeable either to the princes or people of that country. Again, f^ the usual route from the Euxine sea to the noi'tliward of the Cas- pian sea, through Tartary and Scythia, to Serica and the northern parts of China, by which the merchants carried on A STAR IN THE WEST. 69 ii great trade, might enable the tribes to travel noii;h\vard and eastward, towards Kamschatka." At least this is the assertion of that able geographer D'Anville, io his ancient geography, written before the late discoveries of Cook and others.^Vol. 2, 621-3. But the most minute and last account we liave of them, is in the thirteenth chapter of the second apochryphal book (f Esdras, 39 — 50. Esdras had a dream or vision — An angel appeared and interpreted it to him, in the following detail : <* And whereas thou sawest that he, Jesus the Christ, gath- ered another jieaceable multitude unto him ; those are tlie ten tribes, who were carried away prisoners out of their own land in the time of Hosea, the king, whom Salmaim%ar, the king of Assyria, led away captive. And he carried them over tJie waters, and so they came into another land. But they took this counsel among themselves, that they would leave the mul- titude of tlie heathen, and go forth into a further country, where tiever mankind dwelt, that they might there keep their statutes, which they never kept in their own land. And they entered into Euphrates by the narrow passages of the river ; for the Most High then sliewed signs for them, and held still the flood, till they were passed over ; for througli tliat country there was a great way to go, namely, of a year and an half. A nd the same region is called Arsareth." Here was a great river to go through, called Euphrates, as all great rivers were call- ed by the Jews. It could not be the river of the east known by that name, because it was in a further country, where mankind never dwelt. But the river Euphrates lay to the southeastward of them, and runs through an Inhabited country. They were also put to great difficulties to pass this 70 A STAR IN THE WEST. river, until God shewed signs to them, and held still the flood, which is a very expressive term for the passage being frozen over, to enable them to pass in safety. But to pix)ceed with the vision : « Then dwelt they there, until the latter times. And now when they shall begin to come, the Highest shall stay the springs of the stream again, that they may go through — therefore sawest thou the multitude in peace. But those who he left behind of thy people, are they who are found within my bordei's. JVow, when he destroyeth tJie multitude of the nations tliat are gathered together, he shall defend his people who remain. And then Jhe shall shew them great wondtrs,^^ Hear the words of Isaiah, xi. 15, 16, and compare them with the above. " And the Lord shall utterly destroy the tongue of the Egyptian sea, and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go over dry shod. And there shall be an high- way for the remnant of his people, who shall be left from xVs- syria ; like as it was to Israel in the day that lie came up out of the land of Egypt." This sea and river cannot mean the Euphrates, the Nile, or the Red sea, as neitlier is in the way from the northern parts of ancient Media, which were once part of Assyria, where these tribes dwelt. The Caspian or Cir- casian strait, through the mountains of Caucasus, lies about midway between the Euxine sea to the west, and tbe Caspian sea to the east, througli Iberia. After passing through the strait from the north, by keeping a little west, you pass on in the neighbourhood of the Euxine sea, through Armenia Minor, into Syria Proper, and by the head of the Mediterra- nean sea to Palestine, without going over the Euphi-ates. But all who are in Persia, in Armenia Major, and to the A STAR IX THE WEST. T± eastward in Mesopotamia, and beyond Babylon, must pass the Euphrates to get tlierc. But as before obsci'ved, the Jews called all great rivers by the name of the Euphrates, or of some large river well known to them. Nay, they called tlie invasion of a formidable enemy by the name of a large river, when they came from the noi'th. " Now therefore beliold the Lord bringeth up upon them the waters of the river, strong and many, even the king of Assyria, and all his glory — and he shall come up over all his cliannels and go over all his banks." " Thus saith the Lord, behold waters rise up out of the north, and shall be an overflowing flood, and sliall overflow the land, and all that is therein, the city, and them who dweU therein ; then the men shall cry, and all the inhab- itants of the land shall howl, at the noise of the stamping of the Tioofs of his strong horses, at the rushing of his chariots." — Isaiah viii. 7. — Jeremiah xlvii. 2, 3. By the above story out of Esdras, it appears, as it does in the bible, that these tribes were taken by Salmanazar, in the time of Hoshea, their king, and carried away over tlie waters into a strange land, that is, transplanted into Media and Persia. There, after suffering a long time, how long is not known, but it is pretty clear that it must have been for some hundred years, they repented of their former idolatry, and became discontented and restless, being distressed and wearied out with the folly and wicked practices of their idol- atrous neighbours around them. They consulted with their brethren in the northwestern parts of Persia, in the cities of the Medes, who were not far from them, and took counsel together, and resolutely determined to leave tiie multitude of the heathen, and travel farther north, in search of a country 72 A STAR IN THE WEST. uninhabited and not claimed by any one, and of course free from the troublesome, dangerous neighbourhood and example t)f the heathen — nay, a country, wherein mankind never yet dwelt. It is not uncommon for men to run into extremes ; though it is not improbable but that they might have had some divine direction in the business. They resolved to risk every danger and inconvenience, to avoid opposition to, and tempta- tion from, keeping the statutes of the Lord, which they had so totally neglected in their own holy land, having been led away hy the awful examples of the nations around them. The foregoing extract from the apochryphal book of Esdras, is not quoted as having divine authority ; but merely as the historic work of some Jew of an early day. Eengelius and BasnagCf both assert that it is generally admitted by the learned, that those books of Esdras were written in the begin- ning of the second century. They are held uncanonical by all protestants, not having been ever quoted by tlie fathers^ or any early christian writer, as of divine authority. The Church of England, by her sixth article, permits them to be read for example of life and instruction of manners ; but does not allow them to establish any doctrine of religion. The Ro- man Catholics consider them as of divine authority. This quo- tation from the first book of Esdras is used here, as any other account of an early transaction, by an author living near the time of the event, would be. This Jew seems to be a serious and devout writer, on a subject he appears to be acquainted with, and from his situation and connections, might be suppos- ed to know something of the leading facts. And whether he wrote in a figurative style, or under the idea of similitudes, dreams or visions, he appears to intend the communication of A STAR IN THE WEST. 7d> events that he believed had happened, and as far as they are corroborated by subsequent facts, well attested, they ouglit to have their due weight in the scale of evidence. These Israelites, then, accordingly executed their purpose, and left their place of banishment in a body, although it is hardly to be doubted but some, comparatively few, from va- rious motives, as before observed, remained behind ; although their places may have been filled up by many natives, who might prefer taking their chance with them in their emigra- tions, which were common to the people of that region, espe- cially the old inhabitants of Damascus removed to the river Ker, by Tiglah Pilnezer, some time before the taking of Sa- maria, and the removal of the ten tribes. They proceeded till they came to a great water or river, which stopped their pro- gress, as they had no artificial means of passing it, and reduc- ed them to great distress and almost despair. How long they remained here, cannot now be known ; but finally, God again appeared for tliem, as he had done for their fathers of old at the Red sea, by giving them some token of his presence, and encouraging tliem to go on ; thus countenancing them in their project of forsaking the heathen. God stayed the flood, or perhaps froze it into firm ice, and they passed over by the narrow passages of the river, which may have been occasion- ed by the islands, so that they might go from island to island, till they landed on the opposite side in safety. They might have been a long time exploring the banks of this water, as some of the nations of Europe, with all their means of knowl- edge, have since done, before they discovered these narrow passages, w hich gave them hopes of success. L 7-i> A ST All IN THE MEST- Here, then, they found a desart land, of a better soil aird climate, and went on, and in process of time travelled so far as to take a year and an half, which, construed according to the proplietic rule of their ancestors, a year for a day, would make upwards of five hundred years, and thus literally found a country w herein mankind never yet dwelt. But although these Children of Israel might have passed over the straits of Kamschatka, and peopled the northeast parts of America, and so went on to the southward and east- ward, and left some settlers wherever they remained any time ; yet it does not follow that they might not have been attended by many of tlie inhabitants of Scythia or Tartary, who were willing to try tlieir fortunes . w ith them. Neither does it follow, that some persons of other nations might not have been driven by storms at sea on the American coasts, and made settlements there. All these might have contribut- ed to establish customs among them, different from their own, and also might adulterate and change theii' language in some instances, as was done in Babylon. In this land, then, they are to remain till the latter time, when Jeliovalr will " put forth his hand again a second time, to recover the remnant of his people that remaineth from Assyria, from Hamah or Hala, and the western regions ;* and he will set up an ensign for the nations^ and will assemble the outcasts of IsraclJ^ <* And the Lord with his mighty wind will shake his hand over the river, and will strike it into seven streams, and make them pass over dry shod, and there shall be a high way for the remnant of his people, who remain from Assyria, as it was unto Israel in the day that he came out of * Lowth's translation. A STAR IN THE WEST. 75 the land of Egypt." — Isaiah xi. 16 — as wc liave hcforc men- tioned. These trihcs liavc hcen thus lost for more than two thousand years. Those of Judali and Benjamin being, a considerable time after the conquest of Samaria, carried away captives to Babylon, by Nebuchadnezzar, and perhaps with some of their brethren of the ten tribes, who might have remained with them in Jerusalem, were settled in Babylon during seventy years, when they returned to Jerusalem again by the consent of their conquerors, and remained in possession of their belov- ed country till the coming of the Messiah, whom they per- versely put to death on the cix>ss, and voluntarily imprecated that his blood might rest on them and their children ; wiiicli has since been awfully verified, by their misery and disper- sion, having been led away again into captivity by the Romans, who burned their city and made their land a desolation and a curse. From this awful and tremendous fate, the ten tribes, by their previous captivity and banishment, have been happi- ly delivered, having had no hand in this impious transaction. It was about forty years after the crucifixion, that the con- quest of the Romans, and the burning of their temple and city took place. The Romans ploughed up the scitc of the city- according to the Messiah's prediction, and drove the tribes of Judah and Benjamin as slaves and criminals into every coun- try of the east. They sold thousands of tliem as tliey do cat- tle, and they literally became a bye-word and a hissing with all nations. But at this time their brethren the ten tribes of Israel, were in their state of banishment on the frontiers of Persia and Media, from whence they have disappeared and are generally supposed to be lost. And were it not for the 76 A STAR IN THE WEST. promises of that God, who cannot deceive, a God of holiness and truth, we should give up any enquiry after them as hope- less. But he whose word is truth itself has said, " that in the latter days, he will bring again the captivity of his people Israel and Judah, and will cause them to return to the land that he gave to their fathers, that they should possess it. Go and proclaim these words towards the north, and say return thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord. At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord. And all the nations shall be gathered to it, to the name of the Lord, to Jerusalem ; neither shall they walk any more after the stub- bornness of their evil heart. In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel, and they shall come togeth- er out of the land of the north, to the land that I have given for an inheritance unto your fathers." Jeremiah iii. 12 — 18. <' For thus saith the Lord, sing with gladness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the nations — publish ye — praise ye — and say, O Lord save thy people, the remnant of Israel. Behold ! I will briug them from the north country , and gather them from the coasts of the earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with child and lier who travaileth with child together, a great company shall return thitlier." Jere- miah iii. 7 — 8. <« Therefore behold ! the days come saith the Lord, that they shall no more say, the Lord livetli who brought up the children of Israel out of the land of Egypt ; but the Lord liveth who brought up and led the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and from all countries whither I have driven them, and they shall dwell in their own land." Jeremiah xxiii. 7-r^8. "Behold! the davs come saitli the Lord, that the A STAR IN THE WEST. 77 ploughman shall overtake the reaper; and the treader of grapes, him who sowcth seed : And the mountain shall drop new wine, and all the hills shall melt. And I will hring again the captivity of my people Israel, and they sliall huild the waste cities and inhahit them. And they shall plant vine- yards and drink of the wine thereof : they sliall also make gardens and eat the fruit thereof, and I will plant them upon their land, and they no more shall he pulled up out of the land, which I have given them saith the Lord thy God." Amos ix. 13, &c. ** For they shall abide many days without a king and witliout a prince, without a sacrifice and without an image (the word means a pillar, or chief support, and may be transla- ted, an altar, which suits the context) and without an ephod and without a teraphim ; but afterwards shall the children of Israel return and seek the Lord tlieir God, and David their king, and shall fear tlie Lord and his goodness, in the latter days." Hosea, iii. 4 — 5. << God calls to his people — Ho ! Ho ! come forth and flee from the land of the north, for I have spread you abroad as the four winds of the heavens, saith the Lord." Thus saith the Lord of Hosts, behold ! I will save my people from the east country and from tlie rvest co2intrij, or the country of the going down of the snnJ^ Zcchariah, ii. 6 — viii. 7, as it is in the mar- gin of the bible. We say, if it was not for these and such like promises, it might be thought presumption and folly, for any one to waste his time in enquiring after this long lost people, as it would then have been most natural to conclude that they had passed into oblivion, with the nations of the east and the west, their conquerors, as Babylon, Nineveh, Assyria and Egypt. But 78 A STAR IN THE WEST. as Jehovah cannot deceive, hut is the same yesterday, to day and forever, whose words are yea, and amen, who hath said, "yet now thus saith Jehovah, who created thee O Jacob! and who formed thee O Israel ! fear thou not, for I have redeemed thee — I have called thee by thy name — tliou art mine — fear thou not for I am with thee — from the east I will bring thy children, and from the west I will gather thee togeth- er. I will say to the north give up, and to the south withhold not, bring my sons from (far, and my daughters /roin the ends of the earth.^' Isaiah, xliii. 1 — 6. From all this it plainly appears from whence the Jews arc to be gathered a second time, when they shall be brought home again. They are to come from Assyria and Egypt, where it is wxll known very many of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin are now to be found, and from Pathros, and from Cnshf and from Elam, (different parts of Persia, where they are of the same tribes, with perhaps a small remnant of the Israelites) and from Shinar, still more east, consisting wholly of the two before mentioned tribes, and may include the black Jews, and from Hamah near the Caspian sea, where some of the ten tribes may have remained behind, on the departure of their brethren to the northward, and from the western regions. Thus we are to look to some western i-egion, for a number, rather for the main body, of this dispersed nation. Now as no other part of the world lias yet been discovered where the body of the Israelites as a nation, have been found, it may be justly concluded, that they must at last be discovered in some western region, not yet taken notice of, where they are kept till the day of their deliverance. . ! A STAR IN THE WEST. 79 To a believer in the divinity of tlic bible, there can be no hesitation, but that all this will most assuredly come to pass in the most literal and extensive sense. These lost tribes must be some where on our earth, answerable to tlie 7iorth and the west from Jerusalem — a far off, even in the ends of the earth. And as from the present signs of the times, particu- larly of the Roman government and the reign of antichrist, we may rationally conclude tliat these are the latter times, tiie last times of the Roman government, and that the great things foretold in the word of God, are fast accomplishing, it becomes ' a duty now, to search diligently into these great subjects of christian consideration, and attend to what the spirit of God has revealed of these eventful times, lest the language of Chidst to the Pharisees, may become applicable to us — « Ye hypo- crites ! ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth ; but how is it, that (notwithstanding all your light and know- ledge from revelation) ye do not discern tliis time.*' Luke, xii. B6, We w ill therefore proceed in the attempt, to collect togeth- er what may be yet known of this favoured, though sinful and suffering people, once so dear to the God of all the earth, and w ho still remain a standing and unanswerable monument and pooof of the truth of prophecy to all nations. And if we can do no more than call the attention of christians, of leai^ning and leisure, to this important subject, it will not be lost labour, A STAR IN THE WESTc 81 CHAPTER IL tJ/i enqairtj into the question, on what 'part of the globe is it most Ukelij, that these descendants of Israel may he now found, aris- ing from late discoveries and facts, that have not come to the knowledge of the civilized world, till of late years. EVERY quarter of the world lias been so traversed and explored by tlie hardy and adventurous seamen of modern Europe and America, as well as by travellers whose curiosity and indefatigable labours, have scarcely left any considera- ble tract of tlie globe imnoticed, that we can scarcely pre- sume on making the least discovery in any hitherto unknown part of the world. We must look to the histories of coun- tries already known to tbe geographer and traveller, and apply to the divine scriptures for the compass which is to direct our course. Hence it must answer to the following particulars — 1. It must be a country to the north and west from Judea. Jeremiah, iii. 17 — 18, xxiii. 7 — 8. Zechariah, ii. 6. 2. It must be a far country from Judea. Isaiah, xliii. 6— xlvi. 11,* * Remember the former things of old tjme, verily I am God and none else ; I am Cod and there is none like unto me. From the beginning, making known the end, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, my council shall stand, and whatever I have willed I will effect. Calling from the east, the eagle, and fi-om a land far distant the man of my council. As I have spoken, so will I bring it to pass ; I have formed the design and I will execute it. Lowth'i^ translation. M S'Z A STAK IN THE UEST. 3. It must answer the term, from the ends of the earth. Isaiah, xliii. 1 — 6. 4*. It must he in the western regions, or the country of the going down of the sun. Zecharia, viii. 7. 5. It must he a land, tliat at the time of the trihes going to, ^\as without inhahitants, and free from heathen nciglibours. 2 Esdras, xiii. 41. 6. It must he beyond the seas from Palestine, the country to which part of them are to return in ships. Isaiah, Ix. 9 — xvii. 2. The scriptures are very positive in four of the above par- ticulars, the fifth is founded on the text from 2d Esdras, and although it is not pretended that tlie apochryphal books bear any comparison as to divine inspiration, with the bible, yet as that book was written by a Jew, somewhere about the year 100, it may, as has already been observed, be nscd as evidence of an historic fact, equally with any other histoi'ian, and if cor- roborated by other facts, will add to the testimony. As to the sixth particular, this is not only supported by the text, but it is the opinion of that great and judicious writer, the Rev. Mr. Faber, on the whole representation of the scriptures, who certainly deserves the attention of every serious christian. He seems \ery positive ^< that some prevailing maritime pow- er of faitliful worshippers, will be chiefly instrumental in con- verting and restoring a part of the Jewish nation. This seems to be declared in scripture, more than once, with suffi- cient plainness." <« AVho are these ? like a cloud they fly, and like doves to their holes. Surely the Isles shall wait for me, and the sliips of Tarsliish, among the first, to bring thy sons from afar ; their silver and their gold with them, unto A STAR IN THE WEST. 83 the name of the Lord thy God, unto the holy one of Israel, he- cause he hath glorified me." Isaiah, Ix. 8 — 9. Again it is expressly said, they are to he gathered from the coasts of the earth, implying that they were to have scmie conncctiim with the sea, and the address which God makes to them puts it out of douht. " Ho ! land spreading wide the shadow of thy wings, which are beyond the rivers of Ciish^ or Cuthai, accus- tomed to send messengers hy sea, even in Bulrush vessels upon the surface of the waters. Go swift messengers unto tlie nation dragged away and plucked ; unto a people wonder- ful from the heghming hitherto ; a nation expecting, expect- ing and trampled underfoot ; whose lands the rivers have spoiled. Isaiah, xviii. 1 — 2, At that season, a present shall be led to the Lord of Hosts ; a people dragged away and pluck- ed ; even a people wonderful from the beginning hitherto ; a nation expecting, expecting and trampled under foot ; whose land, rivers have spoiled, unto the place of the name of the Lord of Hosts, Mount Zion." Isaiah, xviii. 7. Mr. Faber has given a paraphrase of part of the foregoing texts, thus, (3d vol. 94) " Go swi^t messengers, unto fe nation, long appa- . reiltly forsaken by God ; a nation dragged away from their own country and plucked ; a nation wonderful from tlieir beginning hitherto ; a nation perpetually expecting their pro- mised Messiah, and yet trampled under foot ; a nation whose land the symbolical rivers of foreign invaders have for ages spoiled. Go swift messengers ! You who by your skill in nav- igation, and your extensive commerce and alliances, are so qualified to be carriers of a message to people in the remotest countries ; go with God's message unto a nation dragged away ; to the dispersed Jews ; a nation dragged away from its pi-o- 8* A STAR IN THE WJfiST. per seat, and plucked of its wealth and power ; a people won- derful from its beginning to this very time for the special pro- vidence which has ever attended them and directed their for- tunes ; a nation still lingering in expectation of the Messiah, who so long since came and was rejected by them and now is coining again in glorij ; a nation universally trampled under foot ; whose land, rivers, armies of foreign invaders, the Assy- rians, Babylonians, Syromacedonians, Romans, Saracens, and Turks, have over-run and depopulated." Letter on Isa- iah, 18. *< My worshippers beyond the river Cush, (which must be to the northward and westward of Jerusalem) shall bring as an oifering to me, the daughters of my dispersion.'* Zeph. \\u 10. And Zechariah treating on the same subject, says, " I will hiss for tliem (the tribes of Epliraim and his children, mentioned in the former verses) for I have redeemed them ; and they shall increase as they have (heretofore) increased. And I will sow them among the people, and thtij shall remem- ber me in far countries, and they shall live with their cliildrcn and turn again. And I will bring them again also (that is besides those from far countries) out of the land of Egypt, and gather' them out of Assyria, and I will bring them into the land of Giliad and Lebanon, and place shall not be found for them. And he (that is Epliraim) sliall pass through the sea with affliction, and shall smite the waves in the sea, and all the deeps of the river shall dry up, and the pride of Assy-- ria shall be brought down, and the sceptre of Egypt shall pass away, and I will strengthen them in the Lord, and they sliall walk up and down in his name, saith the Lord.'* Zechariali, 2i, 8-^12, A STAR IN THE WEST. 85 Here is an explicit difFerence made between the return of Judah and Ephraim, that is, between the Jews and Israel- ites'—the latter is to come from a far country — he is to pass through a great water, or over the seas, or both. The words here made use of, may be very applicable, to people, wlio have rio knowledge or experience of passing over the sea in sliips, whose sickness is generally extremely distressing. Mr. Faber supposes that the land spreading wide the sha- dow of her wings, may be some maritime nation, the sails of whose ships, and the protection given by them, are here pro- phesied of. He seems to tliink, this may refer to Great Bri- tain, in like manner, as she may be designated by Tai-shish, which was formerly a great trading and maritime country. Yet he tliinks it possible it may refer to some other maritime nation — but it is asked, why not to a union of maritime nations, on so important and difficult an undertaking. From a serious consideration of all the foregoing circum- stances, we seem naturally led to have recourse to the late discovered continent of America, which the first visitants found filled with inhabitants, and though called savages, dif- fered essentially from all the savages ever known to the peo- ple of the old world before. In the first place they resem- bled (considerably) in appearance, the people of the oriental nations. Mr. Penn, who saw and communicated witli them in a particular manner, on his first arrival in America, while in their original, uncontaminated state, before they were debased and ruined by their connection with those who called tliemselves civilized and christians, was exceedingly struck with their appearance. In one of his letters to his friends in England, he says, « I found them witii like countenance with §6 A STAR IN TKE WEST. tlie Jewish race ; and their children of so lively a resemblance i(} them, that a man would think himself in Duke's-place or Beriy-street, in London, wlicn he seeth them." (Penn's AYorks, 2d vol. 704, year 16S2.) They wore ear-rings and nose jewels ; bracelets on their arms and legs ; rings on their fingers ; necklaces made of highly polished shells found in their rivers and on their coasts. Their females tied np theii' hair behind, worked bands i-omid their heads, and ornamented them with shells and feathers, and are fond of strings of beads round several parts of their bodies. They use shells and tur- key spui*s round the tops of their mocasins, to tinkle like lit- tle bells, as they walk." Isaiah proves this to have been the custom of the Jewish women, or something much like it. ** In that day, says the prophet, the Lord will take away the bra- very of their tinkling ornaments about their feet, and their cauls, and their round tires like the moon. The chains and the bracelets and the muflers. The bonnets and the orna- ments of the legs, and the head-bands, and the tablets, and the ear rings ; the rings and the nose jewels." Isaiah, iii. 18. They religiously observed certain feasts, and feasts very similar to those enjoined on the Hebrews, by Moses, as will hereinafter more particularly be shewn. In short, many, and indeed, it may be said, most of the learned men, who did pay any particular attention to these natives of the wilderness at their first coming among tliem, both Englisli and Spaniards, were struck with their general likeness to tlie Jews. The Indians in New-Jersey, about 1681, are desciibed, as persons straight in their limbs, beyond the usual proportion in most nations ; very seldom crooked or deformed ; their features regular: their countenances some times fierce, in common A STAR IN THE WEST. 87 rather resembling a Jew, than a christian. (Smith's History of New-Jersey, 14.) It shall now be our business to collect those facts in tlieir history, that are well attested, with those which may be known of them from personal knowledge of men of character, or from their present mannei^, customs and habits ; although we are well advised, and it should be constantly borne in mind, tliat the corruption of both principle and practice, introduced amongst them, by their connection with Europeans, has so debased their morals and vitiated all their powers of mind, that they are quite degenerated from their ancestors. An old Charibbee Indian, in a very early day, thus address- ed one of the white people. " Our people are become almost as bad as yours. We are so much altered since you came among us, that we hardly know ourselves, and we think it is owing to so melancholy a change, that hurricanes ai*e more frequent than formerly. It is the evil spirit, who has done all this — who has taken our best lands from us, and given us up to the dominion of christains. Edward's History West-Indies, 1 vol. 28. And yet we very gravely assert that we have bene- fited the Indian nations, by teaching them tlie christian reli- gion. The Indians have so degenerated, that they cannot at this time give any tolerable account of the origin of their religious rites, ceremonies and customs, although religiously attached to them as the commands of the great spirit to their forefatli- ers. Suppose a strange people to be discovered, before wholly unknown to the civilized world, and an enquiry was instituted Into their origin, or from what nation they had sprung, what 88 A STAR IN THE AVEST. mode of examination would be most likelj to succeed and lead to a rational solution of the question ? In our opinion, a strict enquiry into the following particu- lars, would be the best means of accomplishing this yaluable purpose. Their language. , Their received traditions. Their established customs and habits. Their known religious rites and ceremonies. And, lastly, their public worship and religious opinions and prejudices. Therefore to commence this enquiry, with some degree of method, we shall confine ourselves to these five particulars, as far as we can find well authenticated data to proceed upon. A STAR m THE WEST. 80 CHAPTER III. Jin enquiry into the language of the Ameiican Indians ^ WHEN we consider how soon the family of Noah, scattered throughout Asia, Africa and Europe, lost almost every trace of their original language, so far at least, as not to be easily understood by the nations into which they became divided — established different manners and customs peculiar to each Nation or people — and finally formed for themselves respective- ly, such absurd and wholly differing modes of religious wor- ship, as well as principles and doctrines, and finally became, at different times, to bear the most inveterate hatred to each otlier, we could no longer, at this remote period, hope for much success in looking for convincing testimony to prove the fact very satisfactorily, though we should stumble on the actual descendants of those children of Abraham, the lost ten tribes of Israel, after so long a dispersion and entii^e separation from the rest of tlie world. And if we do find any convincing tes- timony on this subject, we must attribute it to the over-ruling providence of that God who is wonderful in council, and true to all his promises. Hear Sir William Jones, whose author- ity will have great influence on all who know his character. In his discourse on the origin of the East Indians or Hindoos, Arabs, Tartars, &c. he says, "hence it follows, that the only family after the flood, established itself in the northern parts of Irauy now Persia. That as the family multiplied, they were divided into three distinct branches, each retaining N 90 A STAK IN TUB VTEST. little, at first, and loosing the whole by degrees, of their com- mon primary language ; but agreeing severally on new expressions for new ideas.'* Father Charlevoix, a famous French writer, who came over to Canada very early, and paid particular attention to the Indian natives, says, "that the only means (which others have neglected) to come at the original of the Indian natives, are the knowledge of their languages, and comparing thenj with those of the other hemisphere, that are considered as primitives. Manners very soon degenerate by means of com- merce with foreigners, and by mixture of several nations unit- ing in one body — and particularly so, amongst wandering tribes, living without principle, laws, education or civil gov- ernment, especially where absolute want of the necessaries of life takes place, and the necessity of doing without, causes their names and uses to peris-h together. From tlieir dialects, we may ascend to the mother tongues themselves. These are distinguished by being more nervous than those derived from them, because they are formed from nature, and they contain a greater number of words, imitating the things where- of they are the signs. Hence he concludes that if those char- acteristical marks which are peculiar to any oriental nation are found in the Indian languages, we cannot reasonably doubt of their being truly original, and consequently, that the peo- ple who speak them, have passed over fmm that hemisphere,*' This then must be an enquiry into facts, the investigation of which, from the nature of the subject, must be whoUy founded on well authenticated accounts recorded by \\Titers of charac- ter, who may be consulted on this occasion ; or from the information of such persons who liave been long domesticated A STAR IN THE WEST. 91 with particular nations, suspected to have originated fi-om the other hemisphere ; or of persons wliose occupation or mode of life has led them to visit parts of the globe, the most likely to afford some light on this abstruse subject. And even here our assistance cannot be expected to be great ; but whatever we are able to discover, we will put together, in hopes that by pui*suing this enquiry, though we should arise no farther than bare rudiments, the curiosity of the more learned and persevering, may produce some further and more adequate discovery, to enlighten mankind. The difficulties attending this attempt must be great. The Indian languages, having never hor^v reduced to any certainty by letters, must have been expf)scd to great changes and misconceptions. They are still a wandering people, having no knowledge of gram- mar or of the arts and sciences. No monuments of antiquity — no mechanical trades — oppressed and distressed on all hands — driven from their original residence into a wilder- ness, and even there not suffered to remain stationary ; but still driven from place to plaee — debased and enervated by the habitual use of intoxicating spirits, afforded them by tra- ders for the double purpose of profit and imjwsition — vitia- ted by the awful example of wiiite people, we are at this day confined to the few traces of their original language, their religion, rites and customs, and a few common traditions that may yet with labour be collected, to form our opinions upon. The Indian languages in general, are very copious and expres- sive, considering the narrow sphere in which they move ; their ideas being few in comparison with civilized nations. They have neither cases nor declensions. They have few or 93 A STAR IN THE WEST, no prepositions — tliey remedy this, by affixes and suffixes, and their words are invariably the same in both numbers. All this, if the writer's information be correct, is very simi- lar to the Hebrew language. He has been informed from good autliority, and the same is confirmed by a writer well acquainted with the subject, that there is no language known in Europe, except the Hebrew, without prepositions ; that is, in separate and express words. The Indians have all the other parts of speech, except as above. They have no com- parative or superlative degrees of comparison more than the Hebrews, They form tlie last, by some leading vowel of the divine name of the great spiritf added to the word. It is observed by some Jewish, as well as christian intei^reters, that the several names of God, are often given as epithets by tlie Hebrews to those things which are the greatest, the strongest, and the best of their kind, as ruach elohim, a migh-. ty wind, 1 vol. Stackhouse's History of tlie Bible, page 8, in n note. Both languages are very rhetorical, nervous and em- phatical. Those public speeches of the Indians, that the wri- ter of these memoirs has heard or read, have been oratorical and adorned with strong metaphors in correct language, and greatly abound in allegory. About the year 1684, tlie gov- ernor of New- York, sent an accredited agent to the Ononda- gos, on a dispute that was likely to arise with the French, The agent (one Arnold) behaved himself very haughtily towards the Indians, at delivering his commission. One of the chiefs then answered him in a strain of Indian eloquence, in which he said among other things, " I have two arms — I extend the one towards Montreal, there to support the tree of peace 5 and the other towards Corlaer, (the governor of New- A STAR IN THE WEST. 93 loi'k) who has long heen my brother. Ononthis (the governor of Canada) has been these ten years my father. Corlaer has been long my brother, with my own good will, but neither tlie one or the other is my master. He who made iJie worlds gave me this land I possess. / am free. I respect them both ; but HO man has a right to command me, and none ought to take amiss, my endeavouring all I can, that this land should not be troubled. To conclude, I can no longer delay repairing to my father, who has taken the pains to come to my very gate, and who has no terms to propose, but what are reasonable." 1 Wynne's History America, 402 — 3. At a meeting held with the President, General Washing- ton, in 1790, to prevail upon him to relax the terms of a trea- ty of peace, made with commissioners under the old confede- ration, relative to an unreasonable cession of a large part of their country, which they had been rather persuaded to make to the United States, for the sake of peace, and which after- wards they sincerely repented. of, Cmmplant who had long been a steady friend to the United States, in the most perilous part of the revolutionary war, delivered a long, persuasive and able speech, which the writer of this preserved, and has now before him, and from which are extracted the following sentences, as a proof of the above assertion. " Father, when your army entered tlie country of the six nations, we called you tlie town destroyer, and to this day, when your name is heard, our women look behind them and turn pale ; our chil- dren cling close to the necks of their motliers ; but our coun- cillors and warriors being men, cannot be afraid ; but their hearts are grieved by the fears of our women and children, and desire that it may be buried so deep, as to be heard of no 9i A STAR IN THE AVEST, more. Father, vre will not conceal from you, that the great spirit and not man, has preserved Complant from the hands of his own nation. For they ask continually, where is the land, on which our children and their children, are to lie down upon ? You told us, say they, that a line drawn from Penn- sylvania to Lake Ontario, would mark it forever on the east ; and a line running from Beaver Creek to Pennsylvania, would mark it on the west. But we see that it is not so. For first one and then another comes and takes it away by order of that people, who you told us, promised to secure it to us forever. Cornplant is silent, for he has nothing to answer. When the sun goes down, Coriiplant opens his heart before the great spirit; and earlier than the sun appears again upon the hills, lie gives thanks for his protection during the night, for he feels, that among men become desperate by the injuries they sus- tain, it is God only that can preserve him. Complant loves peace— all he had in store, he has given to those, who have been robbed by your people, lest they should plunder the inno- cent, to repay themselves. <^ The whole season which others havte employed in providing for tlieir families, Cornplant has spent in endeavors to preserve peace, and at this moment, his wife and children are lying on the ground, and in want of food. — His heart is in pain for them ; but he perceives, that the great spirit^ will try his firmness, in doing what is right. Father ! innocent men of our nation are killed one after another, though of our best families; but none of your people, who have committed these murders, have been punished. We recollect that you did promise to punish those who should kill our people ; and we ask, was it intended that your people should kill the Seneca's, and not only remain un- A STAR IN THE WEST. 95 punished, but be protected from the next of kin, Fatlier ! these to us are great things. We knotw that you are very strong — JFe have heard that ym are wise, but we shall wait to hear your answer to this, tJiat we may know that you arejust,^' Adair records a sentence of a speech of an Indian captain to his companions, in his oration for war. Near the conclusion of his harangue, he told the warriors, " he feelingly knew that their guns were burning in their hands — their tomahawks were thirsty to drink the blood of their enemy, and their trusty arrows were impatient to be upon the wing ; and lest delay should burn their hearts any longer, he gave them the cool re- freshing word, *'join the holy ark," and away to cut off the de- voted enemy." But a speech made by Logan, a famous Indian chief, about the year 1775, was never exceeded by Demosthenes or Cicero* In revenge for a murder committed by some unknown Indians, a party of our people fired on a canoe loaded with women and children, and one man, all of whom happened to belong to the family of Logan, who had been long the staunch friend of the Americans, and then at perfect peace with them. A war im- mediately ensued, and after much blood-shed on both sides, the Indians were beat, and sued for peace. A treaty was held, but Logan disdainfully refused to be reckoned among the suppliants; but to prevent any disadvantage from his ab- sence, to his nation, he sent the following talk, to be delivered to lord Dunmore at the treaty. " I appeal to any white man to say, if he ever entered Logan's cabin hungry, and lie gave him not meat — if ever he came cold and naked, and Lo- gan clothed him not. During the course of tlte last long and bloody war. Logan remained idle in his cabin, an advocate for 96 A STAR IN THE ^VEST. peace. Such was his love for the white men, tliat my couir-^ trymen pointed as they passed, and said, Logan is the friend of white men, I had thought to have lived with you, but for the injuries of one man. Colonel — — the last spring, in cold blood, and unprovoked, murdered all the relations of Logan ^ not sparing even my woman and children. There runs not a drop of his blood in the veins of any living creature. This called on me for revenge. I have sought it. I have killed many. I have fully glutted my vengeance. For my country, I rejoice at the beams of peace. But do not hai^bor a thought that mine is the joy of fear. Logan never felt fear. He will not turn on his heel to save his life. Who is there to mourn for Logan ? No, not one.*' Great allowance must be made for translations into another lauguage, especially by illiterate and ignorant interjn'eters. This destroys the force as well as beauty of the original. A writerTAdaii^ who has had the best opportunities to know tlie true idiom of their language, by a residence among them for forty years, has taken great pains to shew the similarity of tlie Hebrew, w itli the Indian languages, both in their roots and general construction; and insists that many of the Indian words, to this day, are purely Hebrew, notwithstanding their exposure to the loss of it to such a degree, as to make the preservation of it so far, little less than miraculous. Let any one compare the old original Hebrew, spoken with so much purity by the Jews before the Babylonish captivity, with tliat spoken by the same people on their return, after the comparatively short space of seventy years, and he will find it had become a barbarous mixture of the Hebrew and Chal- daic languages, so aB not to be uiiderstood by an ancient A STAR IN THE WEST. 97 Hebrew, and in a great measure, has continued so to this day. We say such a consideration will show an almost miraculous intervention of Divine Providence, shouW a clear trace of the original language be discoverable among the natives of our wilderness at this day. " Their words and sentences are ex- pressive, concise, emphatical, sonorous and bold.'' Father \ Charlevo ix, in liis history of Canada, paid more attention to j the Indian languages than most travellers before him, arid | indeed he had greater opportunities, and was a man of learn- ing, and considerable abilities. He says, " that the JHgonquin and Huron languages, have, between them, that of almost all the savage nations of Canada we are acquainted with. Who- ever should well understand both, might travel without an. interpreter, more than fifteen hundred leagues of country, and make himself understood by an hundred different nations, who have each their peculiariongue. ^/Ihe Mgonquin especial- ly has a vast extend;, f It begins at Acadia and the Gulph of St. Lawrence, and takes a compass of twelve hundred leagues^ twining from the south-east by the north, to the south-west. They say also, that the Wolf Nation, or the Mohegans, and the greatest part of the Indians of New-England and Virginia, speak the Algonquin dialects. The Huron language has a copiousness, an energy, and a sublimity, perhaps not to be found in any of tlie finest languages JSCi.JknQ^v of; and those whose native tongue it is, though now but a handful of men, I have such an elevationof soul, as agrees much better with the majesty of^ieir language, than with the state to which they are reduced. Some have fancied they foundj- similarity with thejiebrew, others have thought it had the same origin with the Greek." "The Algonquin language has not so much 98 A STAR IN THE WEST. force as the Huron ; but has more sweetness and elegance* Both have a richness of expression, a variety of turns, a pro- priety of terms, a regularity w hich astonishes— but what is more surprising, is, that among these barbarians, who never study to speak well, and who never had the use of writing, there is never introduced a bad word, an improper term, or a vicious construction. And even thebcliildreii preserve.^^ the purity of the language in their common discourse. On the other hand, the manner in which they animate all they say, leaves no i-oom to doubt of their comprehending all the worth of their expressions, and all the beauty of their language.'* j Mr. Golden, who wrote the History of the Wars of the Five I Nations, about the yeai* 1750, and was a man of considerable \ note, speaking of the language of those nations says, " they are » very nice in the turn of their expressions, and that a few of them are so far masters of their language, as never to offend the ears of their Indian auditory by an unpolite expression. They have, it seems, a certain urbanity or atticism in their language, of which the common ears are very sensible, though only their great speakers attain to it. They are so given to speech-making, that their common compliments to any person they respect, at meeting or parting, are made in harangues. They have a few radical words, but they compound them with- out end. By this their language becomes sufficiently copious, and leaves room for a good deal of art to please a delicate ear. Their language abounds with gutturals and strong aspirations, which make it very sonorous and bold. Their speeches abound \ with metaphors, after the manner of the eastern nations." It jshouldbe noted, that Mr.jColden, though a sensible man, and jof excellent character, coidd not speak theii' language, and A STAR IN THE WEST. 9l^ not having any considerable communication with them, took his information from others. The late Rev. Dr. Jonathan Edwards, of Connecticut, son of the late President Edwards, who was a man of great celeb- rity, as a well read, pious divine, and of considerable erudi- tion, was intimately associated with the Indians _a,t gtock- bridge, of the Mohegan tribe in that state, from the age of six years. He understood their language equally with his mother tongue. He also had studied that of the Mohawks, having resided in their nation about six months for that purpose. He informs us that the name MoJwgan is a corruption of Miikke- kaneaWf arising from the English pronunciation. This is a very common thing, and occasions much confusion, and great difficulties, in tracing the languages of the different tribes. For we have not only to contend with a different pronuncia- tion and spelling of both English and French, but the corrup- tion and ignorance of interpreters and tradei's, especially in an early day; and also the different modes of writing the same word by different people, arising from their different concep- tions of the word as pronounced by tlie Indians.* As for in- stance, in the same words by the English and French — English. Frevch. Owenagunges. Abenaguies. Maques. Aniez. Odistastaglieks. Mascoaties. Makihander. Mourigan. * The different sounds given by different tribes to the same letters, is also a source of difficulty. Those who write, often use the letter &, where the sound is oh, so that owoh is used in the Mohegan where a or au is used in other languages, as Moquoh for Mauquah,a bear. The sound of these two are alike, when spokea hj an Indian. The e final, is never sounded in any word, but a monosyllable. 100 ▲ SlJLE IN THX \*EST. Enpish, FrtiicJi. Oneydoes. Oiiejonts. Utawawas. Outa\nes. Todericks. Tateras. SataDa*s. Shaononoos. The Mc^gan language was spoken bj all the vanoos tribes of New-En^aod. ^lanj of the tribes had a different dialect, but the language was radieadlj the same. Mr^giki t^ caUe dthe Indian Ap ostk^ who was among the first setfl^rs of MassadmsettSy and died in 169i. trandated the bible into Indian^ which is firand to be in a partienl ar toleet o f the Mo- hegan language. Dr. Edwards says it shears to be much more extcnsiTe tiian an j other language in NcNrth-Amniea. Tlic languag e of ^ Ddaw arrSn in Pennsy lYania^ of flie Pcwoft- soofe, borderi ng on Nova-S cotia, of the JbtMa ms qfSL Fn ads^ in Canada, cf the SkmeaMat^mkfbe Ohio, and of the CMpptvaSy at file miwdward rfy^y, Hnwin^ were aD radicallT the same w ith flic Jftte aw. The same is said of the Ottorwas^ ^i)ai^ takes. Mantes, Memamems, MssUagas, 8t ada e$^ OOa^g^mUs, Ki Bisfmge s, Ji ipt^m s, Ji^mkims, Whuui^ots, &£. Dr. Edwards asserts, tiiat lor the pronouns common in other lawgnagpsj thcT cxpress the {Honoons both substantiTc and adfeetrre, by affixes or letters, of srllables added at the begin- nings «r ends, or both, of their nouns. I nth^p ^jjticular, the structure of their language enneides with that ^Ifiei fU ehiipu-. in an instance in which the Hebrew differs from all the lan- guages €i Eun^, ancient and modem, \%ith this only differ- enee, tiiat the Hebrews always joined the affixes to the ends of the words, whereas the Indians, in prowmns of the singular nnidKr, prefix the Irtter or s^toMe; but is the plural nuion 1 A STAR IN THE WEST. 101 ber, they add others as suffixes. Also as the word is in- creased, they change and transpose the vowels, as in tmohhe^ can, an hatchet ; nd^imhecan^ my hatchet : the o is changed into 11, and transposed after the manner of the Hehrews; likewise in some instances, the t is changed into d. Besides what has heen observed concerning prefixes and suffixes, there is a remarkable analogy, says Dr. Edwards, between some words of the Mohegan language, and the cor- respondent words in the Hebrew. In the Mohegan niah is L In Hebrew it is ani, which is the two syllables of niah trans- posed. Keah, thou or thee. The Hebrews use Ka the suffix. Vwoli, is this man, or this thing; very analagous to the He- brew Hu, or Huah, ipse. J^ecaiinuh is we : in Hebrew it is nachnu or anachnu. In Hebrew ni is the suffix for me, or the first person. In the Mohegan, n, or ne, is prefixed to do- note the first person, as nmeetseh, or nimeetseh, I eat. In Hebrew k or ka, is the suffix for the second person, and is indifferently either a pronoun, substantive or adjective. K or ka, has the same use in the Mohegan language as kmeetseh or kameetseh, thou catest. Knish, thy hand. In Hebrew the vau, and the lettej ii and hu, are the suffixes for he or them. In the Indian the same is expressed by u, or uxv, and by oo, as in uduhwhunnw, I love him. Pumissoo, he walketh. In Hebrew, the suffix to express our, or us, is nu. In Mohegan, it is nuh, as noghnuh, our father. Nmeetsclmuh, we eat, &c. To elucidate this subject still farther, a list of a few words in the different Indian dialects shall be added, with the same wordsi in Hebrew and Chaldaick. 102 A STAR IN THE WEST. English, CJuirihbee. Creeks, MoJwgan, and Northern Hebrew. His wife Liani l^anguages. Li bene My yv\k Yene-nori Hene herranni Come hither Hace-yete Aca-ati (Samari« tan) The hearens Chemim Shemim Jehovah Jocanna Y. He. Ho. wah Jehovah Woman Ishto Ishto Man or chief Ish Ishte Ish I Niah Ani, the 2 sylla- bles transposed as alini Thou or thee Keah Ka This man Uwoh Huah We Necaunuh Nachnu Assembly or walled house Kurbet Guir, or gra bit Kecklaee or collar Enca Ong My necklace Yene kali Vongali Wood My skin Hue Nora Oa (Chaldaic) Ourni lam sick Nane guaete Nanceheti Good be to you Haleatibou Ye hali ettuboa To blow Phoubac Phouhe Roof of the Toubana ora house Debona our Go thy way Bayou boorkaa Boua Bouak Eat Baika Bge Chaldaic To eat Aika Akl do. The nose Nichiri Neheri Give me Natoni boman Natoui bamen nourishment* The great first Yo hewah Jehovah cause ♦ Edward's West-Indies. A STAR IN THE WEST. 103 English, Charihbee, Creeks, MohegaUf and Northern Languages. Hebrew, Praise the first Halleluwali Hallelujah cause Father Abba Abba Now, the pres- Na Na ent time Very hot, or Heru, hara, or Hara hara bitter upon hala me To pray Phale Phalac The hind parts Kesh Kish One who kills Abe, derived Abel another from Abele Gruf The war name Noabe, com- who kiUs a pounded of rambling en- Noah & Abe emy Canaan Kenaai Canaan Wife Awah Eve or eweh Winter Kora Cora Another name Ale Ale or alohim for God Do lennois* lannonf Indians of Pe - nobscot Arrarat,a high A.rrarat, a high Arrarat, a hi| mountain mountain. mountain As the writer of this does not understand either the Hebrew or Indian languages, so as to be a judge of their true idioms or spelling, he would not carry his comparisons of one language with the other, too far. Yet he cannot well avoid mentioning, merely as a matter of curiosity, that the Mohawks, in confed- eracy with the Five Nations, as subsisting at the first arrival ♦ Barlow. "f Litterally he shall be called a son. Christian Observer for June 1813, p 349. 104 A STAR IN THE WEST. of the Europeans in America, were considered as the law- givers, or tlie interpreters of duty, to the other tribes. Nay, this was so great, that all paid obedience to their advice. They considered themselves as supreme, or first among the rest. Mr. Golden says, that he had been told by old men in New-England, that when their Indians were at war, formerly, witli the Mohawks, as soon as one appeared, their Indians raised a cry from hill to hill, a Mohawk ! a Mohaw^k ! Upon which all fled like sheep before a wolf, without attempting to make the least resistance. And that all the nations around them, have for many years, entirely submitted to their advice, and pay them a yearly tribute of w ampum. The tributary nations dare not make w ar or peace, without the consent of the Mohawks. Mr. Golden has given a speech of the Mo- hawks, in answer to one from the governor of Virginia, coin- plaining of the other confederate nations, which shows the Mohawks superiority over them, and the mode in which they corrected their misdoings. Now it seems very remarkable, that the Hebrew woi'd Mhhokek, spelled so much like the Indian word, means a law-giver, (or leges interpres) or a superior. Blind chance could not have directed so great a number of remote and warring savage nations to fix on, and unite in so nice a religious standai'd of speech, and even grammatical con- struction of language, where there was no knowledge of letters or syntax. For instance. A, oo, E A, is a strong religious Indian emblem, signifying, I climb , ascend^ or remove to another place of residence. It jwiuts to A-no-wah, the first person singular, and E A, or Yah, He, Wah, and implies putting themselves under the divine patronage. The begi)ming of that most A STAR IN THE WEST. 105 sacred symbol, is by studious skill, and a thorough knowledge of tlie power of letters, placed twice, to prevent them from being applied to the sacred name, for vain purposes, or crea« ted things. Though they have lost tlie true meaning of their religious emblems, except wliat a very few of the more intelligent tra- ders revive in the retentive memories of the old inquisitive magi, or beloved man; yet tradition directs them to apply them properly. They use many plain religious emblems of the divine name, as Y, 0, he, wah — Yah and Ale, and these are the roots of a prodigious number of words, through their various dialects. It is worthy of remembrance, that two Indians, who belong to far distant nations, without the knowl- edge of each other's language, except from the general idiom, will intelligibly converse together, and contract engagements without any interpreter, in such a surprising manner, as is scarcely credible. In like manner we read of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, travelling from country to country, fix)m Chaldea into Palestine, when inhabited by various differing nations— thence into Egypt and back again, making engage- ments, and treating with citizens wlierever they went. But we never read of any difficulty of being understood, or their using an interpreter. The Indians generally express themselves with great vehe- mence and short pauses, in their public speeches. Their periods are well turned, and very sonorous and harmonious. Their words are specially chosen, and well disposed, with great care and knowledge of their subject and language, to show the being, power and agency of the great spirit in all that concerns them. P 10t> A STAR IN THE WEST. To speak in general terms, their language in tlicir roots, idiom and particular construction, a])pears to have the whole genius of the Hebrew, and what is very remarkable, and well worthy of serious observation, has most of the peculiarities of that language, especially those in which it differs from most other languages ; and " often, both in letters and signification, synonimous with the Hebrew language." They call the light- ning and thunder, Eloha, and its rumbling noise Rowah^ which may not, improperly, he deduced from tlie Hebrew word Uuach, a name of the third person in the holy Trinity, originally signifying " the air in motion, or a rushing wind." — Faber. The Indian compounded words are generally pretty long, but those that are radical or simple, are mostly short; very few, if any of them, exceed three or four syllables. And as their dialects are guttural, every word contains some conson- ants, and these are the essential characteristics of language. Where they deviate from this rule, it is by religious emblems, which obviously pi'oceeds from the great regard they pay to the names of the Deity, especiidly to the great four lettered, divine, essential name, by using the Icttei's it contains, and the vowels it was originally pranounced witli, to convey a vir- tuous idea; or by doubling or transposing them, to signify the contrary. In this all the Indian nations agree. And as this general custom must proceed from one primary cause, it seems to assure us, that this people was not in a savage state when they first separated, and varied their dialects with so much religious care and exact art. Souard, in his Melanges de Literature, or Literary Mis- cellanies, speaking of the Indians of Chiiana, observes, <' on A STAE IN THE WEST. 107 the authority of a learned Jew, Isaac JVasciy residing at Suri-: nam/' wc are informed that the language of tliose Indians, \ which he calls the Galibe dialed^ and which is common to all the tribes of Guiana, is soft and agreeable to the car, abound- ing in vowels and synonims, and passessing a syntax as regu- lar as it would liave been, if established by an academy. This Jew says that all the substantives are Hebrew. The word expressive of the soul in each language, mQnm breaih. They j have t]ic same word in Hebrew to denominate God, wliich ( mcan£jiaster, or lord/' It is said tliere are but two mother tongues among the north- ern Indians, and extending tlience to the Missisippi, the Huron and Algonquin, and there is not more difference be- tween these, than between the Norman and Fjcencli. Dr. Edwards asserts that the language of the Dclawares, in Penn- sylvania — of tlie Penobscots, bordering on Nova-Scotia — of the Indians of St. Francis, in Canada — of the Shawanese, on tlie Ohio — of the Chippcwas, to the westward of Lake Huron — of the Ottawas, Nanticokcs, Munsces, Minoniones, Messina- gues, Saasskies, Ottagamies, Killestinocs, Mipegoes, Algon- quins, Winnebagoes, and oC the several tribes in New-Eng- land, are radically the same, and the variations between them are to be accounted for from their want of letters and of com- ; munication. Much stress may be laid on Dr. Edwards' opin- \ ion. He was a man of strict integrity, and great piety. He \ had a liberal education — was greatly improved in the Indian | languages, which lie habituated himself^,^ from early life, I having Uyf4Jgn^ among the Indians. I A STAR IN THE WE.ST. iQ9 CHAPTER IV. The Indian Traditims as received by their Nations. AS the Indian nations have not the assistance afforded by the means of writing and reading, they are obliged to have recourse to tradition, as Du Pratz, 2 vol. 169, has justly ob- served, to preserve the remembrance of remarkable transac- tions or historical facts ; and this ti^adition cannot be preserv- ed, but by frequent repetitions ; consequently many of their young men are often employed in hearkening to the old belov- ed men, narrating the history of their ancestors, which is thus transmitted from generation to generation. In order to pre- serve them pure and incorrupt, they are careful not to deliver them indifferently to all their young people, but only to those young men of whom they have the best opinion. They hold it as a certain fact, as delivered down from their ancestors, that their forefathers, in very remote ages, came fmni a far distant country, \fiyihe way of the west, where all the people were of one colour, and that in process of time they movexl eastward to their present settlements. This tradition is corroborated by a current report among them, related by the old Chickkasah Indians to our traders, that now about 100 years ago, there came from Mexico, some of the old Chickkasah nation, or as the Spaniards call them Chichemicas, in quest of their brethren, as far north as the Jlquahyah nation, above one hundred and thirty miles above the Natchez, on the soutk-east side of the Missisippi river ; 110 A STAR IX THE M'EST. but througli French policy, tlicy were either killed or sent back, so as to prevent their opening a brotherly intercoui'se with them, as they had proposed. It is also said, that the ^lauatalcas believe that they dwelt in another region before they settled in Mexico. — That their forefathers wandered eighty years in search of it, through a strict obedience to the commands of the great spirit ; who ordered them to go in quest of new lands, that had sitch particular marks as were made known to them, and they punctually obeyed the divine man- date, and by that means found out and settled that fertile coun- try of Mexico, Our southern Indians have also a tradition among them which they firmly believe, that of old time, their ancestors lived beyond a great river. That nine parts of their nation, out of ten, passed over the river, but the remainder refused, and staid behind. /That they had a king when they lived far to the west, who left two sonSjl That one of them, with a num- ber of his people, travelled a great way for many years, till tliey came to Delaware river, and settled there. That some yeai's ago, the king of the country from \\ liicli they had emi- grated, sent a party in search of them. This was at the time the French were in possession of the country on the river Alleghany. That after seeking six years, they found an Indian who led tlicm to the Delaware towns, where they staid one year. That the Fi*ench sent a white man with them on their i^turn, to bring back an account of their country, but they have never been heard of since. ^'ht is said among their principal, or beloved men, that they have it handed down from their ancestors, that the book which the white people have was once theirs.\ That wiulc they A STAR IN THE WEST. Ill had it they prospered exceedingly ; but that the white people bought it of them, and learnt many things fi*om it; while the Indians lost their credit, offended the great spirit, and suffer- ed exceedingly from the neighbouring nations. JJThat the great spirit took pity on them and directed them to this coun- try.' That on their way they came to a great riyer, which tliey could not pass, when God dried up the waters and tlipy passed over dry shod. They also say that tlieir forefathers were possessed of an extraordinary divine spirit, by which they foretold future events, and conti'ouled the common course of nature, and this they transmitted to their offspring, on con- dition of their obeying the sacred laws. That they did by these means bring down showers of plenty on the beloved people. But that this power, for a long time past, had entire- ly ceased. The reverend gentlemen mentioned in the introduction, who had taken so much pains in the year 176i or 5, to travel far westward, to find Indians who had never sCen a white man, informed the writer of these memoirs, tliat far to the northwest of tlie Ohio, he attended a party of Indians to a treaty, with Indians from the west of the Missisippi. Here he found the people he was in search of — he conversed with their beloved man who had never seen a white man before, by the assistance of three grades of interpreters. The Indian inform- ed him, that one of their most ancient traditions was, that a great wliile ago, they had a common father, who lived towards the rising of the sun, and governed the whole world. That all the white people's heads were under his feet. That he had tv\Tlve jsons, by whomi he Administered bis^pyernment. That his authority was derived from the great spirit, by vLctue of 112 A STAR IN THE AVEST. some special gift from liim. That the twelve sons behaved very bad and tyrannized over the people, abusing their pow- er to a great degree, so as to offend the great spirit exceed- ingly. Tliat he being thus angry with them, suffered the white people to introduce spirituous liquors among them, made tliem drunk, stole the special gift of the great spirit from them, and by this means usurped the power over them, and ever since the Indians heads were under the white people's feet. But that tliey also had a tradition, that the time would come, when the Indians would regain^Jhe gift of the jgreat spirit from the white people, and with it their ancient power, when the white people's heads would be again under the In- dian's feet, j Mr. M'Kenzie in his History of the Fur Trade, and his I journey through North-America, by the lakes, to the Soutli- I Sea, in the year , says, " that the Indians informed him, i [that they had a tradition among them, that they originally came from* another country inhabited by wicked people, and * had traversed a great lake, which was narrow, shallow and full of islands, where they had suffered great hardships and much misery, it being always winter, with ice and deep snows — at a place they called the Copper-mine River, where they made the first land, the ground was covered witli copper, over which a body of earth l^ad since been collected to the depth of a man's heighth. They believe also that in ancient times their ancestors had lived till their feet were worn out with walking, and their throats with eating. Thej^iiescribed a deluge, v»hen the waters spread over the whole earth, ex- cept the highest mountain, on the top of wliich they were pre- A STAR IN THE WEST. 113 served. They also bcli€\ ejn a fuhu^e ji^^^^ M'Ken- zie's history, page 113. The Indians to the eastward say, that previous to the white v people coming into the country, their ancestors were in the \ habit of using circumcision, but lattcrally, not being able to assign any reason for so strange a practice, their young peo- ple insisted on its being abolished. M'Kenzie says the same of the Indians he saw on his route, even at this day. History, page 3i. Speaking of the nations of the Slave and Dog-rib Indians, yeij far to the northwest, he says, <* whether circumcision be practised among them, I cannot pretend to say, but the appear aijce of it was general among those I saw." The Dog-rib Indians live about two or three hundred miles from the straits of Kamsehatka. ^ Dr. Beatty says, in his journal of a visit he paid to the In- \ dians on the Ohio, about fifty years ago, that an old christian { Indian informed him, that an old uncle of his, who died about I the year 1728, related to him several customs and traditions of former times; and among others, that circumcision was practised among the Indians long ago, but their young men making a mock at it, brought it into disrepute, and so it came to be disused. Journal, page 89. The same Indian said, that one tradition they had was, that once the waters had overflowed all the land, and drowned all the people then liv- ing, except a few, who made a great canoe and were saved in it. Page 90. And that a long time ago, the people went to build a high place. That while they were building of it, they lost their language, and could not understand one anoth- er. That while one, perhaps, called for a stick;, another Q 114 A STAK IN THE WEST. brought him a stone, <5cc. «Scc. and from that tune the Indians began t(jKS])ciik di^miMa^ ! Father C liayEj^y^ix, the Frcneli historian, informs us that the I Hurons and Iroquois, in that earJy day, had a tradition among j them that the first \yom an came from heaven and hacTtwins, * and that the jlder killed the ;^ounger. In an account published in the year 164i, by a Dutch min- ister of the gospel, in New- York, giving an account of tlie Mohawks, he says, *< an old woman came to my house and told the family, that her forefathers had told her tiiat tlie great spirit once went out walking \vith his brother, and that a dispute arose Jjetwcen them, and the great spirit killed his brother." This is plainly a confusion of the story of Cain and Abel. It is most likely from the ignorance of the minister in the idiom of tiie Indian language, misconstruing, Cain being represented as a great man, for the ^reat spirit. Many mis- takes of this kind are frequently made. \ Mr. Adair, who has written the Historj of thej[nid^ and \ who deserves great credit for his industry and improving the \ very great and uncommon opportunities he enjoyed, tells us, that the southern Indians have a tradition, that when they left tlieir own native land, they brought with thera^^asanctified rod, by order of ajj.j?racle, which they fixed every gigjit in the ground ; and were to remove from place to place on this con- tinent, towards the iis,ing sun, till it bnded in one night's time. That they obeyed the sacred oracle, and tiie miracle at last took place, after they arrived on this side of the Missisippi, on the present land they possess. This was the sole cause of I heir settling there — of fighting so firmly for their reputed A STAR IN THE WEST. 115 holy land and holy things — that they may be buried with Ihoir beloved forefathers.'* This seems to be taken from Aaron's xp^]. Col. James Smith, in liis Journal of J^ vents, tliat happened while he was prisoner with the Caughncwaga Ir^dians, from 1755 to 1759, says, " they have a tradition tliat in the begin- ning of this continent, the angels or heavenly inhabitants, as they call them, frequently visited the people, and talked witli their forefathers, and gave directions how to pray, and how to appease the great being, when he was offended. They told them they were to offer sacrifice, burn tobacco, buiT/iloe and deer's bones, &c. &c." Page 79. The Ottawas say, "that there are tw^o great beings tliat rule and govern the universe, w ho are at war with each other ; the one they cr\\ Manefn^ and the other Mukhemaneto. Tiiey say that Manelo is all kindness and love, and the other is an evil spirit that delights in doin^g miscldef. Some sa}'^ that they arc equal in power ; others say that Jlanetp^hi^the first ^esit cause, and therefore must he all powerful and supi'eme, and ought to be adored and worshipped ; whereas Matchemaneto ought to be rejected and despised." " Some of the Wyandotr. and Caughnewaga's profess to be Roman Catholics ; but even these retain many of tlie notions of their ancestors. Those who reject the Roman Catholic religion, hold that there is one great first cause, whom they call Owaheeyo, that rules and governs the univ^erse, and takes care of all his creatures rational and irrational, and gives them their food in due sea- son, and hears the prayers of all those who call upon him ; therefore it is but just and reasonable to pray and oflc'r sacri- fice to this great being and to do those things that are pleas- 116 A STAR IN THE WEST. ing in his sight. But they widely differ in what is pleasing or displeasing to this great being. Some hold that following nature or their own propensities is the way to happiness. Others reject this opinion altogether, and say, that following their own propensities in this manner is neither the means of I happiness, or the way to please the deity. My friend, Te- caughretanego, said, our happiness depenij^ on our^using our reason, in order to suppress these evil dispositions ; but when i our propensities neither lead us to injure ourselves nor others, we may with safety indulge them, or even pursue them as the means of happiness. Page 80. Can any man read this short account of Indian ti'aditions, drawn from tribes of various nations, from the west to the east, and from the south to the north, wholly separated from each other, written by different authors of the best characters, botli for knowledge and integrity, possessing the best means of information, at various and distant times, without any povssi- ble communication with each other, and in one instance from occular and sensible demonsiration ; written on the spot in several instances, with tlie relators before them ; and yet sup- pose that all this is either the etTcet of chance, accident or de- sign, from a love of the marvellous or a premeditated inten- tion of deceiving, and thereby ruining their own well estab- lished reputations? f Charlevoix was a clergyma^i of character, who was with [the Indians some years, and travelled from Canada to the Missjsippi, in that early day. Adair li^ ed fort^ years entirebc.j3Qmesticated with the southernjiulians, and was a man of learning and great obser- vation. Just before the revolutionary war he brought his A STAR IN THE WEST. 117 manuscript to^EHzjibetjiJ'own, in New-Jersey, to William Livingston, Esq. (a neighbour ottlie ;\vTiter) to have it exam- ined and corrected, which was prevented by tlie troubles of a ^ political nature, just breaking out. The Re>\ Mr. Brainerd ; was a man of remarkable piety, and a missionary with the Crosweek Indians to his death. Dr. Edwards was eminent for his piety and learning, and was intimately acquainted with tlie Indians from his youth. Dr. Beatty was a clergyman of note and established character. Bartram was a man well known to the writer, and travelled tlie country of tiie soiitli- ern Indians as a botanist, and was a man of considerable dis- cernment, and had great means of knowledge ; and M'Jijea- zie, in the employment of the nortlnyest^ojnpany, an old tra- der, and the first adventurous explorer of the country, from the lake of the woods to the southern ocean. It is now asked, can any one carefully and with deep reflec- tion, consider and compare these traditions with the history of the ten tribes of Israel, and the late discoveries of the Rus- sians, capt. Cook and others, in and about the peninsula of Kamschatka and the northeast coast of Asia and the opposite shore of America, of which little was before known by any civilized nation, without at least drawing strong presumptive inferences, in favour of these wanderiiig nations being descen- ded from some oriental nation of the old world, and most prob- ably, all things considered, beiner the lost tribes of Israel. jT^et us look into the late discoveries, and compare them 1 I with the Indian traditions. - "* ^"^^Kamschatka is a large peninsula on the north eastern part of Asia — It is a mountainous country, lying between fifty-one and sixty-two degrees of north latitude, and of course a very 418 A STAR IN THE "WEST. cold and frozen climate. No grain can be raised there, though some vegetables are. Skins and furs are their chief exports. The na,tives are wild as the country itself, and live on fish and sea animals, with their rein-deer. The islands in this sea, whicli separate it from the northwest coast of Ameri- ca, are so numerous that the existence of an almost continued chain of them between the two continents is now rendered extremely probable. The principal of them are the Kurile Islands, those called Bherings and Copper Islands, the Alentian Islands and Fox Islands. Copper Island which lies in fifty-four degrees north, and in full sight of Bhering's Island, has its name from the great quantities of copper witli whicli the northeast coast of it abounds. Mr. Grieve's history. It is washed up by the sea, and covers the shores in such abund- ance, that many ships might be loaded with it very easily. These islands arc subject to continual earthquakes, and abound in sulphur. Alaska is one of the most eastwardly isl- ands, and probably is not far from the American coast. The snow lies on these islands till March, and the sea is fdled with ice in winter. There is little or no wood growing in any part of the country, and the inhabitants live in holes dug in the earth. Their greatest delicacies are wild lily and other roots and berries, with fish and other sea animals. Tlie distance between the most nortlieastwardly part of Asia and the north- west coast of America, is determined by the famous naviga- tor eapt. Cook, not to exceed thirty-nine miles. These straits are often filled with ice, even in summer and frozen in winter, and by tliat means might become a safe passage for the most numerous host to pass over in safety, though these continents had never been once joined, or at a much less distance than A STAR IN THE WEST. 119 at present. The sea from the south of Bbering's Straits to the islands, between the two continents, is very shallow. From the frequent volcanoes that are continually happening, it is probable, not only that there has been a separation of the con- tinent at Bhering's Straits, but that the \vhole space from the island to that small opening was once filled up by land ; but that it had by the force and fury of the waters, perhaps actua- ted by fire, been totally sunk and destroyed, and the islands left in its room. Neither is it improbable that the fiist pas- sage of the sea was much smaller than at present, and that it is widening yearly, and perhaps many small islands that existed at the first separation of the continents, have sunk or otherwise have been destroyed. These changes are manifest in almost every country. I ^loiisieur Lc Page dii Pratz, in his 2d vol. ofjus Histoi^ of i Louisiana, jjmge 120, informs us, that being exceedingly desir- | ous to be informed of the origin of the Indian natives, made every enquiry in his power, especially of the nation of tiie Natchez, one of the most intelligent among them. All he could learn from them was, that they came from betw een the nwth and the sun setting — being no way satisfied with this, he sought for one w ho bore the character of one of their wisest men. He w as happy enough to discover one named Moncccld' apCf among the Yazous, a nation about forty leagues frem the Natchez. This man w as remarkable for^Uis solid iiiuleistand- ing and elevation of sentiments, and his name was given to him by his nation as expressive of the man — meaning *^*//{; killer of^pain andjutigue,** His eager desire to see the coun- ti y from w hence his forefathers came, he obtained directions and set off. He went i^ the |^i|souri, where be staid a long 120 A STAR IX THE WEST. time to learn the different Janguages of the nations he was to pass through. After long travelling he came to the nation of the Otters, and hy them was directed on his way, till he reach- ed the southern ocean. After being some time with the na- tions on the shores of the great sea, he proposed to proceed on his journey, and joined himself to some people who inhabi- ted more westvvardly on the coast. They travelled a great way between the north and the sun setting, when theyarriv- ed at the village of his fellow travellers, where he found the days long and the nights short. He was here advised to give f)ver all thoughts of continuing his journey. They told him •^ that the land extended still a long way in the direction afore- said, after which it ran directly west, and at length was cut by the great water from north to south. One of them added, that when he was young he knew a very old man, who had seen that distant land before it was eat away by. the great water ; and wlien the great.>Y:^ter3y,as low, many rocks still appeared in those parts." ^^oncacht-ape took their advice and returned home after an absence of five years,' Tiiis account given to Du Pratz, in the year 1720, confirms the idea of the narrow passage at jK*amsc/iato, and the proba- I bility that the continents once joined. It is remarkable that the people, especially the Kamschat- kians, in their marches, never go but in indian file, following one another in the same track. Some of the nations in this quarter, prick their flesh with small punctures with a needle in various shapes, then rub into them charcoal, blue liquid or some other colour, so as to make the marks to become indeli- ble, after the manner of the more eastern nations. A STAR IN THE WEST. l^JL Bishop Lowth in his notes on the 16th verse of the xlixth chapter of Isaiah, says, « this is certainly an aUusionto some practice common among the Jews at that time, of making marks on their hands and arms hy punctures on tlie skin, with some sort of sign or representation of the city or temple, to shew their affection and zeal for it. They had a method of making such punctures indelible by fire or staining — and this art is practiced by travelling Jews all over the world at this day— Vid. also his note on cliap* xlv. 5th verse. Thus it is with our nortliern Indians ; tliey always go in Indian file, and mark their flesh just as above represented. The writer of this has seen an aged christian Indian Sach- em, of good character, who sat for his portrait. On stripping his neck to the lower part of his breast, it appeared that the whole was marked with a deep blueish colour in various fig- ures, very discernible. On being asked the reason of it, he answered, with a heavy sigh, that it was one of the follies of his youth, when he was a great warrior, before his conversion to Christianity ; and now, says he, I must bear it, as a punish- ment for my folly, and carry tlie marks of it to my grave. The people of Siberia made canoes of birch bark, distended over ribs of wood, nicely sewed together. The writer has seen this exactly imitated by the Indians on the river St. Lawrence, and it is universally the case on the lakes. Col. John Smith says, " at length we all embarked in a large birch bark canoe. This vessel was about four feet wide and three feet deep, and about thirty-five feet long; and though it could carry a heavy burthen, it was so artfully and curiously con- structed, tliat four men could carry it several miles, from one landing place to another; or from the waters of tlie lake to the R 12^ A STAK IN THE WEST. waters of the Ohio. At night they carry it on the land, and invert it, or turn it bottom up, and convert it into a dwelling- house." It also appears from the liistory of Kamsehatka, written by James Grieve, that in the late discoveries, the islands which I extend from tlie sonth point of Kanischatka, amount to tliirty- one or thii-ty-two. That on these islands are high mountains, and many of them smoaking volcanoes. Tliat the passages between them, except in one or two instances, were but one or two days row, at the time of the authors writing that his- tory. They are liable to terrible inundations and earthquakes. The following is collected from Mi*. Steller's journal, as recorded in the above history. " The main land of America lies parallel with the coast of Kamsehatka, insomuch that it may reasonably be c-oucluded that these lands once joined, especially at tlie Techukotskoi Noss, or Cape. He offers four reasons to prove it : 1st. The appearance of both coasts, whicli seem to be torn asunder. 2d. Many capes project into the sea from thiily to sixty versts. 3d. Many islands are in tlie sea which divides Kamsehatka from America. *th. The situation of the islands, and the breadth of that sea. — The sea is full of islands, which extend from the north-west point of America to the channel of Anianova. One follows another, as the Kuruloski islands do at Japan. The Ameri- can coast at sixty degrees of north latitude, is covered \^ itli wood; but at Kamsehatka, which is only ^fty-one degrees, there is none for near fifty vei'sts from the sea, and at sixty- two not one tree is to be found. It is known also, that tlie fish enter the rivers on the American coast, earlier than they do in the rivers of Kamsehatka. There are^ also i)lenty of A STAU IX THE WEST. 12;! raspberries, of a large size and fine taste, besides honey suckles, cran-berries and black-berries in great plenty. In the sea there are seals, sea-beavei*s, whales and dog-fisli. In the country and in the rivers on the American coast, rod and black foxes, swans, ducks, quails, plover, and ten kinds of birds not known in Europe. These particulars may help to answer the question, whence w^as America peopled; for though we sliould grant that the two continents never were Joined, yet they lie so near lo each otiicr, that the possibility of the inhabitants of Asia going over to America, especially considering the number of the islands, and tlie coldness of tlic climate, cannot be denied. From BlK^ring's Island, on its high mountains, you can see mountains covered with snow, that appear to be capes of the main land of America, From all which it appears clearly, here vvas a probable mean of a people passing from Asia to America, either on the main land before a separation, or from island to island ; or on the ice after a separation, by which the continent of America might have been peopled, by the tribes of Israel wandering north-east, and directed by the unseen hand of Providence, and thus they entered into a country wlicrcin mankind never before dwelt. It is not presumed that the ten tribes of Israel alone did this. Many of the inhabitants might have gone with them from Tartary or ^cythia ; and particularly the old inhabitants of Damascus, who were carried away in the first place by Tiglah Pilnezer, before his conquest of the Israelites, and were their neighbours, and perliaps as much dissatisfied with their place of banishment, though for different reasons, as the Israelites, as well as from Kamschatka, on their way where 12* A STAR IN THE WEST, they were stopped some time, as the Egyptians did with the Israelites of old. And indeed it is not improbable, as has be- fore been hinted, that some few of other nations, who traded on the seas, might, in so long a course of time, have been driven by stress of weather, and reached the Atlantic shores at different places ; but the great body of people settling in North and South- America, must have originated from the same source. Hence it would not be surprising to find among their dcr scendants, a mixture of the Asiatic languages, manners, cus- toms and peculiarities. Nay, it would appear rather extra- ordinary and unaccountable if this was not so. And if we should find this to be the case, it would greatly corroborate the fact of their having passed into America from the north- east point of Asia, accoi'ding to the Indian tradition. We, at the present day, can hardly conceive of the facility with which these wandering northern nations removed from one part of the country to the other. The Tartars at this time, who possess that northern country, live in tents or covered carts, and wander from place to place in seai'ch of pasture, &c. A STAR IN THE WEST. 125 CHAPTER V. Their general CJmrader and established Customs and Habits^ WE will now proceed to consider tlie general character of the people of whom we are treating, as preliminary to the enquiring into their customs and habits. It will be necessary to the full understanding our subject, to premise a few par- ticulars. When America was first discovered by Columbus, it was comparatively well peopled by some hundreds, if not thousands of tribes of different nations, from the coast oppo- site to Kamschatka to Hudson's Bay. Their numbers have not been known, neither can they be known at this day. But to form some general idea of them, by reasoning on the sub- ject, we will give the numbers of the nations that have come to our knowledge at different times=^ — A Akamsians Arrowhatoes Assinnis Arathapescoas Avoyels Adaics Appomotacks Accotronacks Accomacks Abenakias Algonkins Amelistes Assinaboils Agones Arkanzas Aughquagchs Alebamons Attatramasucs Amdustez Aiaouez Assanpinks Aurananeaus Appalachos Abeckas Aquelou-pissasf Atacapas Andaslaka Attibamegues * Pikes Expedition. No. of Warriors. No. of Women. No.of Ch»I(lrei>, + Men who understand and see. 125 A STAR IN THE WEST. B Catawhas Cussutas Blanes Chocktaws Chiikaws Bayoue Ogoulas Creeks Colapissas C Choiianongsf Caseitas Chatkas* or flat Chiahnessou Chatkas heads Canzas Conchacs Cuttatawomans Chitemachas D Chickahomines Caonetas Delawares Cliickiaes Chatots Dog-rib Indians Chesapeaks Chacci Cumas, or E Connosidagoes red Cray fish Erics Colnmnewagoes Chaouchas or Erigas Chalas Ouachas F Capalinakes Cadodaquioux Foxes, 400, 500, 850 C(Hroas Conestogoes G Christinaux Caughnewagoes Grand Eaux Chilians Chayennes Gakaos Canses Chappunish, or Ganawoose Caddoques pierced nose H Caonitcs Indians Hassiniengas Cayugas Cantanyans, on tlie Hurons Conoies Alleghany Houmas Chippewas, or An- river I chipawah, 345, Ceneseans or Cenis Iroquois 619, 1624^ Cahirmois Illinois Chcrokees Coosades Ictans Chickasaws Cowetas Icbewas * They xeckoned formerly 25000 warriors, but it is more likely to be only men. Said to be quite peaceable. — Du Pratz. f A numerous nation of 38 villages, below the Missouri, on the Missisippi. A STAR IN THE WEST. 127 loways, 300, 400, 700. K Kecoughtons Kaskkasies Killistinocs Kiekapoos Kappas Kanoatinas Kans, 465, 500, 600. L Linniliiiopes Lenais Les Puans M Minatarees Messiasics Menowa Kaiitong, or people of the lakes, S05, 600, 1200. Mantes Macliecous Mechimacks Mohiccons Munsees Manalioacs Melotaukes Monachans, now Tuscaroras, ad- ded to the Five Nations in 1712. Mandans Monasiceapanocs Musquaties Monahassanoes Massinagiies Mohemonsoes Mexicans Moraughtacunds Mattapomens Missinasagues Missouris Mohocs or Mohawks Mingoes Mohuccons Miamis Mynonamies 300^ 350, 700. Mascoiitons, or Na- tion of Fire Messcothins Mencamis Mobeluns, or Mou- ville Milowacks Mertowacks Mohuccories Mahatons, or IManhattons Mohegans Muckhekanics Ministeneaux Munseys Minisinks Maherins Massawonaes Minonionees Mipegois Miiskoghees Michigamias Maqiias Mandans N Nesharainas; Narragansetts Nepiscenicens Nassamonds Nottoways Nanticokes Natches Nantaughtacunds Nepissens Naudowessies Natchitoches Nauatalchas Nacunes or Greens Narauwins^s 128 A STAR IN THE AVE^T. o Omans Onanikins Ousasons Outponics Onaumanients Oswagatches Orundacs - Osages ±252, 1793, 97i. Oneidas Onondagoes Oueatonons Ottowas Oniscousins Ottagamies or Foxes Outimacs Ousasoys Otters Oniyoiiths Othoiiez Oiimas, or Red Na- tion Oufe Ogulas,orthe Nation of the Dog Oque-Loussas Oakfuskees Ouachibes P Piorias Pequots Parachuctaus Prakimines Plmitconis Piankishaws Patowomacks Pissassees Padoucas Pamunkies Payankatanks Powhatans Paspahegas Panis and White Panis, Black Panis Pouhatamies Penobseots Panemahas Pacha Oglouas, or the Nation of Bread Pomptons Pawnees, 1993, 2170, 2060. Pemveans Panoses Pandogas Quiocohanses Quadodaquees R Rappahanocks Round Heads Rancokas Ricoras S Sokulks Skillools Seminoles Schactikook,or river Indians Sitons, 360, 700, 1100. Susquehannas Satanas Sankihani Stegerakies Shackakonies Secakoonies Sivux Senecas Sapoonies Shawanese Souckelas Shakies Saaskies Shackaxons A STAR IN THE WEST. 129 Sacs 700, 750, 1400 Tapousoas Shosonces or Snake Tionontates Winnebagocs 450, 500, 1000. Indians. T Teganatics Taiixilnanians Tauxinentcs Tcntilvcs Tiiscaroras Twightwie^ Thomcz Taensas Tonicas Theoux Tsouonthousaas, on Washpelong or peo- the Ohio pie of the leaves Tetaus 2700, 3000, 180, 350, 530. 2500. Washpcoute 90, V 180, 270. Vermilions Y W Youghtaniinds Wabingies Yazous Wapings Yanetongs 900, %Yiglicocomicoes 1600, 2700. "Wianoes Yatassees Wamasqueaks Other bands gene- Titones 2000, 3600, AVyandots rally 1704, 2565, 6000 "Webings 4i20. Tomaroas Whonkentics Some nations divided and settled at a distance from each other, and after many years, their language so changed, as to form different dialects ; as was in our days, the case with the Erigas., on the Ohio, who separated from the Tuscororas, and formed a distinct dialect in the course of a few years. Here are tlien one hundred and ninety different nations, each having a king or sachem over them, of whom we have had some knowledge, though many of them are not now known ; what then must be the number of the nations on this conti- nent could they all be known ? Although we cannot with any precision know the number of the nations, on the arriviU of Columbus, and much less the number of souls, yet we may as matter of curiosity give the numbers of individual nations of 150 A STAH IN THE WEST. late years as far as the fact can be ascertained — and here our labour will be greatly lessened by a late ingenious and well written pamphlet, entitled, " Discourse delivered before the New- York Historical Society, December 1811," by the hon- ourable Dewitt Clinton, of the city of New-Yjork. To the labours of this gentleman, w^e are greatly indebted for the substance of many of the following observations, as well as the elegant manner in which he has communicated so much infor- mation to tlie world. Du Pratz, in his History of Louisiana, (1 vol. 107 —123) gives an account of the single nation of the Padoucas, lying west by north-west of the Missouri, in 1724, which may give a faint idea of the numbers originally inhabiting this vast continent. He says " the nation of the Paduca^s is very nume- rous, extends almost two hundred leagues, and they have vil- lages quite close to the Spaniards of New Mexico." << They are not to be considered as a wandering nation, though employ- ed in hunting, summer and winter— page 121. Seeing they have large villages, consisting of a great number of cabins, which contain very numerous families. These are permanent abodes ; from which one hundred hunters set out at a time with their horses, their bows and a good stock of arrows." **The village where we were, consisted of one hundred and forty huts, containing about eight hundred warriors, fifteen hundred women, and at least two thousand children, some Padoucas having four wives." — page 124. « The natives of North-America, derive their origin from the same country, since at bottom tliey all have the same manners and usages, as also the same maimer of speaking and thinking." A STAR IN THE WEST. 131 Mr. Jeffei'son, late President of the United States, in his Notes on Virginia, has also given mucli usefid information to the world on several important subjects relating to America, and among others as to tlie numbers of the Indians in that then dominion. Speaking of the Indian confederacy of the war- riors, or rather nations, in that state and its neighbourhood, called **the Powhatan confederacy," says, it contained in point of territoiy, as he supposes, of their patrimonial country *< about three hundred miles in length, and one hundred in breadth. That there was about one inhabitant for every square mile, and the proportion of warriors to the whole num- ber of inhabitants, was as three to ten, making the number of souls about thirty thousand." Some writers state the number of their warriors at the first coming of the Europeans to Virginia, to be fifteen thousand, i and their population fifty thousand. La Houtan says that \ each village contained about fourteen thousand souls, that is, fifteen hundred that bore arms, two thousand superanuated men, four thousand women, two thousand maids, and four thousand five hundred children. From all which, it is but a moderate estimate to suppose that there were^ six_ hundred tliousand fighting men, or warriors, on this continent at its first discovery. In 1677, col. Coursey, an agent for Virginia, had a confer- ence with the Five Nations, at Albany. The number of war- riors was estimated at tliat time in those nations at the fol- lowinr rate. Moliawks three hundred, Oneidas two hundred, Onondagoes three hundred and fifty, Cayugas three hundred, Senecas one thousand — ^total two thousand one hundred and 132 A STAK IN THE WEST. fifty, which makes the population ahout seven thousand two hundred. Vide Chalmer's Political Annals, 606. # Smith, in his History of New- York, says, that in 1756, the Inumher of fighting men were about twelve hundred. Douglass, in his History of Massachusetts, says, that they i were about fifteen hundred in 1760. I In 1764b, coj. Boquet states the whole number of the inhab- itants (he must mean fighting men) at fifteen hundred and ^ fifty. Captain Hutchins, in 1768, states them at two thousand one hundred and twenty, and Dodge, an Indian trader, in I 1779, at sixteen hundred, in the third year of the American revolutionary war. Many reasons may be assigned for the above differences-— some may have staid at home for the de- fence of their towns— some might be absent treating on dis- putes with their neighbours, or sickness, ke, &c. During the above war, in 1776 — 7, the British had in their service, according to the returns of their agent — Mohawks three hundred, Oneidas one hundred and fifty, Tuscororas two hundred, Onondagoes tliree hundred, Cayugas two hun- dred and thirty, Senecas four hundred— In the whole fifteen hundred and eighty. The Americans had about two hundred and twenty, making up eighteen hundred warriors, equal to about six thousand souls. In 1783, Mr. Kirkland, missionary to the Oneidas, estima- ted the number of the Seneca warriors at six hundred, and the total number of the Six Nations, at more than four thousand. In 1790, he made the whole number of Indian inhabitants then remaining, including in addition, those who reside on Grand River, in Canada, and the Stockbridge and Brother- A STAR IN THE WEST. 133 town Indians, who liad then lately joined them, to be six thou- sand three hundred and thirty, of which there were nineteen hundred warriors. In 179i, on a division of an annuity, by order of Congress, to be made among the Six Nations, the numbers appeared with considerable certainty, to be In the United States^ In the British government. Mohawks 300 Oncidas 628 ^60 Cayugas 40 Onondagoes 450 760 Tuscaroras 400 Senecas 1780 Stockbridge and Brothertown In- dians, about 2330 The above number of British 760 But what are these to the southern Indians, and especially those of Mexico and Peru. I will give one example. Mons. La PageJiiJPratz, in his History of Louisiana, written about the year 1730, assures us, "that the nation of the Natchez, from whom the town of that name on the Missisippi is called, were the most powerful nation in North America — 2 vol. 146. They extended from the river Manchas or Iberville, which is about fifty leagues from the sea, to the river Wabash, which is about four hundred and sixty leagues from the sea, and that they had five hundred Sachems ia the ^lation.'* He further says, "that the Cliatkasor Flat-heads, near the river Pacha Os^ulaSf had twenty-five thousand warriors, but 13* A STAK IN THE WEST. in whicli number, he supposes many were ) reckoned who had but a sliglit title to that name — Page 140. But a short estimate of the length and breadth of different parts of America, although not pretended to be perfectly accu- rate, yet having endeavoured to keep within bounds, it may serve to answer tlie end now proposed. Length in miles. Breadth in miles. Old Mexico 2,000 600 New-Mexico 2,000 1,600 Louisiana 1,600 1,200 Terra Firm a 1,400 700 Amazonia 1,200 960 Peru 1,800 500 Chili 1,200 500 Patagonia 700 300 La Plata 1,500 1,000 Brazil 2,500 700 Thirteen United States 1,250 1,040 Esquimaux 1,600 1,200 Canada 1,200 276 Nova Scotia 500 400 Floridas 600 130 Miles 20,850 11,106 Besides this immense territory, on all which there are some Indians to be found, the country from New^-Mexico, west to the South seas, which is yet in a state of nature, and abounds in Indian nations, must be added to the vast amount, as more than equal to all the rest. A STAR IN THE WEST. 135 The Indians, by oppression, diseases, wars and ardent spir- its, have greatly diminished in numbers, degenerated in their moral character, and lost their high standing as warriors, especially those contiguous to our settlements. ^*The very ancient men who have witnessed the former glory and prosperity of their country, or who have heard from the mouths of their ancestors, and particularly from their be- loved men, (whose office it is to repeat their traditions and laws to the rising generations, with the heroic achievements of their forefathers) the former state of tlieir country with the great prowess and success of their warriore of old times, they weep like infants, when they speak of the fallen condition of their nations. They derive however some consolation from a prophecy of ancient origin and universal currency among them, that the man of America, will, at some future period, regain his ancient ascendency and expel the man of Europe from this western hemisphere. This flattering and consol- atory persuasion has enabled the Seneca and Shawnese prophets, to arrest, in some tribes, the use of intoxicating liquors, and has given birth, at different periods, to attempts for a general confederacy of the Indians of North America.'* Clinton, The vvriter of this was present at a dinner given by gene- ral Knox, to a number of Indians in the year 1789, at New- York; they had come to the President on a mission from tlieir nations. The house was in Broadway. A little before dinner, two or three of the Sachems, with their chief or prin- cipal man, went into the balcony at the front of the house, the drawing room being up-stairs. From this tliey had a view of the city, tlie harbour, X^ong-Island, &e, &c. After remain- 136 A STAB IN THE ME ST. ing there a sliort time, they returned into the room, apparent- ly dejected ; but the chief more than the rest. General Knox took notice of it, and said to him, brother ! what has happened to you ? — You look sorry ! — Is there any thing to distress you ? He answered — I'll tell you brother. I have been looking at your beautiful city — the great water — your fine country — and see how happy you all are. But then, I could not help think- ing, that this fine country and this great water were once ours. Our ancestors lived here — they enjoyed it as their own in peace — it was the gift of the great spirit to them and their children. At last the white people came here in a great ca- noe. They asked only to let them tie it to a tree, lest the waters should carry it away — we consented. Tliey tlien said some of their i)eople were sick, and they asked permission to land them and put them under the shade of the trees. The ice then came, and they could not go away. They then beg- ged a piece of land to build wigwams for the winter~we grant- ed it to them. They then asked for some corn to keep them from starving — we kindly furnished it to them, they promising to go away when the ice was gone. When this happened, we told them they must now go away with their big canoe; but they pointed to their big guns round their wigwams, and said they would stay tliere, and we could not make them go away. Afterwards, more came. They brouglit spirituous and intox- icating liquoi^ with them, of which the Indians became very fond. They persuaded us to sell them some land. Finally they drove us back, from time to time, into the wilderness, far from the water, and the fish and the oysters — they hare destroyed the game — our people have wasted away, and now we live miserable and wretched, whils you are enjoying our A STAR IN THE WEST* ia7 line and beautiful country. This makes me sorry brother ! and I cannot help it.'^ But to proceed, the colour of the Indians, generally speak- ing, was red, brown, or copper coloured, differing according to climate, high and low grounds. They are universally at- tached to their colour, and take every mean in their power to increase it, prefering it to the white. They give a name to the white people, which is highly contemptuous ; it is that of an heterogenous animal. Sometimes when they aim at greater severity, that of << the accursed peopleJ^ The hotter or colder the country is where the Indians have long resided, the greater proportion have they of the white or red colour | this is asserted by Adair from personal experience. He has compared the Shawanoh Indians with the Chikkasaw, and found them much fairer, though their endeavours to cultivate the copper colour were alike* He thinks the Indian colour to be the effect of climate, art and manner of living* Tlieir tradition says, that in the country far west, from which they came, all the people wore of one colour ; and they are ignor- ant which was the primitive colour. Adair has seen a white man, who, by his endeavors to change his colour, became as deeply coloured as any Indian in the camp, after he had been in the woods only four years. The Indians to the Southward are often of a deeper hue than those to the northward ; in a high country they incline to a lighter tinge ; but then those to the northward are more ignorant, and less knowing in their traditions, rites^ and religious customs. The like change is not unknown in Europe and Asia. The inhabitants of the northern countries, in many instances, arc comparatively fairer than those of the southern countries* T 138 A STAR IN THE WEST. In the soutli the Indians are tall, erect and rohust^— th.cir limbs are well shaped, so as generally to form a perfect human figure. They delight in painting tliemselves, especially with red or vermilion colour. They are remarkably vain, and suppose themselves the first people on earth. The Five Na- tions called themselves * Ongnje-honwe, that is, men surpassing all others, the only beloved people of the great spirit, and his pecnliar people. But as to their common mode of living, they are generally all great slovens — they seldom or ever wash their shirts. It is a matter of fact, proved by most historical accounts, that the Indians, at our first acquaintance with them, gener- ally manifested themselves kind, hospitable and generous to the Europeans, so long as they were treated with justice and humanity 5 but when they were, from a thirst of gain, over- reached on every occasion, their friends and relations treach- erously entrapped and carried away to be sold for slaves ; themselves injuriously oppressed, deceived and driven from their lawful and native possessions ; what ought to have been expected, but inveterate enmity, hereditaiy animosity, and a spirit of perpetual revenge. To whom should be attributed the evil passions, cruel practices, and vicious habits to which they are now changed, but to those who first set them the ex- ample; laid the foundation, and then furnished the continual means for propagating and supporting the evil. In a very early day, in the colony of Virginia, the first settlers, by their great imprudence, had soured the Indian temper, raised their jealousies, and provoked their free and independent spirits, so as to lead them to determine on the extirpation of the wFiole colony — then few, weak and divided. A STAR IN THE WEST. 139 The Indians managed their intended attack with so much secrecy, that they surprised the colonists in every quarter, and destroyed near one fourth of them. In their turn, the survivors waged a destructive w^ar against the Indians, and murdered men, women and children. Dr. Rohertson says, <* regardless, like the Spaniards, of those principles of faitli, honor and humanity, which regulate hostilities among civil- ized nations, and set hounds to tlieir rage, the English deem- ed every thing allowable that tended to accomplish their de- signs. Tiiey hunted the Indians like wild beasts, rather than enemies ; and as the pursuit of them to their places of retreat in the woods, w^as both difficult and dangerous, they endeav- oured to allure them from their inaccessible fastnesses, by offers of peace, and promises of oblivion, made with such an artful appearance of sincerity, as deceived^ the crafty Indian chief, and induced the Indians to return in the year 1623, to their former settlements, and resume their usual peaceful occupations. The behaviour of the two people seemed now to be perfectly reversed. The Indians, like men acquainted with the principles of integrity and good faith, on which the intercourse between nations is founded, confided in the recon- ciliation, and lived in absolute security, without suspicion of danger, while tlie English, with perfidious craft," were pre- paring to imitate savages in their revenge and cruelty. " On the approach of harvest, when a hostile attack t\ ould be most formidable and fatal, the English fell suddenly on all the Indian plantations, murdered every person on whom tljey could lay hold, and drove the rest to the woods, m liere so many perished with hunger, that some of the tribes nearest to the English, were totally extirpated.*' — History of North- Amer- ica, 96, 97. 140 A STAR IS THE WEST. Robertson again, speaking of the war in New-England, between Connecticut and Providence, in their first attempt against the Pequod Indians, says, " that the Indians had se- cured their town, which was on a rising ground in a swamp^ with pallisadcs. The New-England troops, unperceived, reached the pallisadcs. The barking of a dog alarmed the In- dians. In a moment, however, they started to their arms, and raising the war-cry, prepared to repel the assailants. The English forced their way through into the fort, or town, and setting fire to the huts, which were covered with reeds, the confusion and terror quickly became general. Many of the women and children perished in the flames, and the war- riors, endeavoring to escape, were either slain by the Eng- lish, or falling into the hands of the Indian allies, who sur- rounded the fort at a distance, were reserved for a more cruel fate. The English resolved to pursue their victory, and hunt- ing the Indians from one place of retreat to another, some subsequent encounters were hardly less fatal than the fii^t action. In less than tliree months, the tribe of the Pcquods were extirpated." — Ibid 184 — 5, 6. <• Thus the English stained their laurels, by the use they made of victory. Instead of treating the Pequods as an inde- pendent people, who made a gallant effort to defend the pix)p- er'iy, the rights and freedom of their nation, they retaliated upon them all the barbaiities of American war. Some they massacred in cold blood, others they gave up to be tortured by their Indian allies, a considerable number they sold as slaves in Bermuda, the rest were reduced to servitude among them- selves." i A STAB IN THE WEST. 14>1 What I am about mentioning, may be considered as of little force while standing by itself, yet when connected with so many other circumstances, it is thought worth mentioning. This nation of Pequods were a principal nation of the east, and very naturally reminds one of the similarity of the same name in Jeremiah 1. 21, where the inhabitants of Pekod are particularly mentioned ; and also in Ezekid xxiii. 23. The difference in spelling one with a k, and the other with a (/, is mo uncommon thing. The Indian languages being very gut- tural, the k is generally used where an Englishman would use the q — but many of the first names used by the English in an early day have been corrected. Sir Walter Raleigh says his " first landing in America was at Roanor, which afterwards was found to be called by the Indians, Roanoke. Another trifling observation in itself, yet will add to the pre- sumption already mentioned, is the original name of a point of land on the western part of the Euxine or Black Sea, men- tioned by D'Anville, JVagara. This is the Abydos of the Greeks, 1 D'Anville, 287, and is much the same with the point in Lake Ontario, in New- York state, well known by the Indian name J\'*iagara. But if this character of the Indians, as originally being kind and hospitable, should be doubted, as I know it will be by many, who think themselves well acquainted with then?, from being with the present race around our settlements ,• let us go back and hear what idea Christopher Columbus formed of them in the very beginning of our knowledge of them. He must be the very best witness that can be produced on this subject. In his account, sent to his royal master and mis- tress, of the inhabitants, on his first landing in America, he 142 A STAR IN THE WEST. says, " I swear to your majesties, that there is not a hettcr people in the world than these; more affectionate, affable, or mild. They love their neighbours as themselves. Their language is tlie swecttst, the softest and most cheerful, for they always speaking smiling." In another instance, a ven- ^jM crablc old man approached Columbus with great reverence, ^ and presented him with a basket of fruit, and said, " you are come into tliese countries, with a force against which, were we inclined to resist, resistance would be folly. We are all therefore at your mercy. But if you are men subject to mor- tality like ourselves, you cannot be unapprised, that after this life, there is another, wherein a very different portion is allot- ted to good and bad men. If therefore, you expect to die, and believe with us, that every one is to be rewarded in a future I state, according to his conduct in the present, you will 4o no hurt to those who do none to you."— -Edwards' West-Indies, 1 vol.72. De las Casas, bishop of Chapia, who spent much time and labour anvong the Indians of New Spain, trying to serve them, says, '• I was one of the first who went to America. Neither curiosity, nor interest prompted me to undertake so long and dangerous a voyage. The saving the souls of the heathen was my sole object. Why was I not permitted, even at the expense of my blood, to ransom so many thousands of souls, who fell unhappy victims to avarice and lust. It was said tliat barbarous executions were necessary to punish or check the rebellion cf the Americans. But to w liom was this owing ? Did not this people receive the Spaniards, who first came among them, with gentleness and humanity ? Did they not shew more joy in proportion, in iavisliing treasure upon them. A STAR IN THE A\'E8T. 14S tlmn the Spaniards did greediness in receiving it. But o\w avarice was not yet satisfied. Though they gave up to us their lands and their riclies, we woiihl take from them their wives, their chiklren and their liberty. To blacken the char- acters of these unhappy people, their enemies assert that they are scarce human creatures. But it is we wlio ought to blush for having been less men, and more barbarous than they. They are represented as a stupid people, and addicted to vice. But have they not contracted most of their vices from the examples of christians. But it must be granted that the Indians still remain untainted with many vices usual among Europeans. Such as ambition, blasphemy, swearing, treach- ery, and many such monsters, which have not yet taken place among them. They have scarce an idea of them. All na- tions are equally free. One nation has no riglit to infringe on the freedom of another. Let us do to these people, as w^c would have them have done to us, on a change of circum- stances. AVhat a strange method is this of propagating the gospel ; that holy law of grace, which, from being slaves to Satan, initiates us into tlie freedom of the children of God." The Abbe Clavige|'o, another Spanish writer, confirms this idea of the South-Americans. " We have had intimate con- verse, says he, with the Americans; have lived some yeai^ in a seminary destined for their instruction — attentively ob- served their character — their genius- — their disposition and manner of thinking; and have besides, examined with the utmost diligence, their ancient history — ^their religion — their government — ^their laws and their customs. After sucli long experience and study of them, we declare, that the mental 14* A STAR IN THE "WEST. qualities of tlie Amcric«ans are not in the least inferior to those of the Europeans." Amon^j^ the many instances of provocation given to tliem by the white people, Nea), in his History of New-England, page 21, says, "one Hunt, an early trader with the Indians of New-England, after a prosperous trade with the natives, en- ticed between tw enty and tliirty of them on board his vessel, and contrary to the public faith, clapped them under hatches, and took them to jNIalaga, and sold tliem to the Spaniards* This the remaining Indians resented, by revenging them- selves on the next English vessel that came on their coast." In the year 1620, a sermon was preached at Plymouth by the Rev. Mr. Cushman, from which the following extract is taken, relative to the treatment they received from the na- tives. " The Indians are said to be the most cruel and treacherous people in all these parts, even like lions, but to us they have been like lambs, so kind, so submissive and trusty, as a man may truly say, many christians are not so kind or sincere. Though when w^e came first into this coun- try we were few^, and many of us very sick, and many died by reason of the cold and wet, it being the depth of winter, and we having no houses or shelter, yet when there were not six able persons among us, and the Indians came daily to us by hundreds, with their sachems or kings, and might in one hour have made despatch of us ; yet such fear was upon them, as that they never offered us the least injury in word or deed* And by reason of one Tisquanto, that lives among us, and can speak English, w^e have daily commerce with their kings, and can know what is done or intended towards us among the savages." 1 A STAR IN THE WEST. 145 I. Tlic late gova3iQ£.flutjyiuij3on, in liis history of Ncw-Eng-l land, observes, ^< tliat the natives shewed courtesy to the \ English at their first arrival ; were hospitable, and made such | as would eat their food, welcome to it, and readily instructed them in planting and cultivating the Indian corn. Some of the English who lost themselves in the woodsy and must other- wise have perished with famine, they relieved and conducted home." Mr. Penn, also, at his first coming amongst them, spoke and wrote of them in high tei*ms, as a kind and benevolent people. The history of Ncw*Jersey informs us, that •« for near a century, the Indians of that state had all along maintained an intercourse of great cordiality and friendship with the inhabit- \ ants, being interspersed among them, and frequently receiv- \ ing meat at their houses, and other marks of their good will I and esteem." — Smith, j)age 4i0. Father Charlevoix, who travelled early, and for a long time among the Indians, from Quebec to New-Orleans, and had. great opportunities, which he made it his business and study to improve, tells us, speaking of the real character of the In- dian nations, " that with a mien and appearance altogether savage; and with manners and custx)ms which favour the greatest barbarity, they enjoy all the advantages of society. At first view, one would imagine them without form of gov- ernment, laws or subordination, and subject to the wildest ca- price. Nevertheless, they rarely deviate from cert^jiiax- ims and usages, founded on good sense^alone, which holds tlie place of law, and supplies in some sort, the want of lega) au- thority. They manifest much stability in, the engagements Ii6 A STAR IN THE WEST. they Iiavc solemnly entered upon; patience in affliction, as well as submission to what they api)rehend to be the appoint- ment of Providence ; in all this they manifest a nobleness of soul and constancy of mind, at which we rarely arrive, with all our pliilosopliy and religion. They are neither slaves to ambition nor interest, the two passions that have so much weakened in us the sentiments of humanity, (which the kind author of nature has engraven on the human heart) and kind- led those of covetoiisness, which are as yet generally unknown among them.'* It is notorious, that tlicy are generally kinder to us, though they despise us, than we are to them. There is scarce an instance occurs, but that they treat every white man who goes among them, with respect, which is not the case from us to them. The same author says, " the nearer view we take of our savages, the more we discover in them some valuable qualities. The cJiief part of the principles by which they I'cgulate tlieir conduct; the general maxims by wiiich they govern themselves ; and the bottom of their characters have nothing wliich appears barbarous. The ideas, tliough now quite confused, wliich they have retained of a first Being; the traces, though almost effaced, of a religious jvorship, whieli they appear formerly to have rendered to the Supreme Deity, and the faint marks which we observe, even in their most indifferent actions, of the ancient belief, and the primitive re- ligion, may bring them more easily than we think of, into the w^ay of truth, and make their conversion to Christianity more easily to be effected, than that of more civilized nations." But what surprises exceedingly, in men whose whole out- ward appearance proclaims nothing but barbarity, is, to see A STAR m THE >yE9r. I.i7 Ihcm behave to each other, witli sucli kindncssjind regard, that are not to be found among tlic m()st civ ili^^qi^ ligations. Doubtless this proceeds, in some measure, from the words mine and thiiie, being as yet unknown to these savages. AVe are equally charmed with that iiatiiral a^mj^inaljcc^ which reigns in all tlieir behaviour, in all their actions, and in the greatest part of their diversions. Also with the civili- ty and deference they shew to their equals, and the respect of young people to the aged. And lastly, never to see them quarrel among themselves, witli those indecent expressions, oaths and curses, so common among us ; all wliich are proofs of good sense and a great command of temper. ^^ In short, to make a brief portrait of these people, with a savage appear- ance, manners and customs, which arc entirely barbarous, there is observable among them, a socialjdndness, free from almost all the imperfections which so often disturb the peace of society among us. They appear to be without passion ; but they do that in cold blood, and some times througli prin- ciple, which the most violent and unbridled passion produces in those who give no car to reason. They seem to lead the most wretched life in the world ; and yet they were, perliaps, the only happy people on earth, before the knowledge of the objects which so work upon and seduce us, had excited in them, desires which ignorance kept in supineness ^ but which have not as yet (in 1730) made any great ravages among them. We discover in them a mixture of tlie fiercest and most gentle manners. The impeifcctions of wild beasts, and * Le Page Da Pratz, says, "I have studied these Indians a considerable num- ber of years, and I never could learn that there ever were any disputes or boxing matches among either the hoys or men. 2 vol. 165, lis A STAn IS THE AVESr. the virtues and qualities of the lieart and mind wliicli do the greatest honour to human nature. Du Pratz, in his history ^of^JiOjiisiana, says, ^*that upon an acquaintance with the Indians, he was convinced that it was wrong to denominate them savages, as they are capable of making good use of their reason, and their sentiments are just. That they have a degree of prudence, faithfulness and generosity, exceeding tliat of nations who would be oifcnded ' at being compared with them. !No people, says he, are more hospitable and free than the Indians. Hence they may be esteemed a happy people, if that happiness was not impeded by their passionate fondness for spii'ituous liquors, and the fool- ish notion they hold, in common witli many professing chris- tians, of gaining reputation and esteem by their prowess in war." But to whom do they owe their uncommon attachment to both these evils ? Is it not to the white people who came to them with destruction in each hand, while we did but de- ceive ourselves, witli the vain notion, that we were bringing the glad tidings of salvation to tliem. Instead of tliis, we have possessed tliese unoffending people with so horrid an idea of our principles, that among themselves they call us the accursed jjcople, '^^And their great numbers, when first discov- ered, shew that they had, comparatively, but few wars before we came among them. ^ Mr. William Bartram, a gentleman well known in the state of Pennsylvania, son to the late John Bartram, Esq. so long Botanist to Queen Caroline, of England, before the re}^olu- tion, in the journal of his travels through tlie Creek country, speaking of the Siminoles or lower Creek nation, and of their being then few^ in number, says, *< yet this handful of people A STAR IN THE WEST. Ii9 possess a vast territory, all East Florida and the greatest part of West Florida, which being naturally cut and divided into thousands of islets, knolls and eminences, by the innumerable rivers, lakes, swamps, savannas and ponds, form so many se- cure retreats and temporary dwelling places, that effectually guard them from any sudden invasion or attacks from their ■enemies. And being such a swampy, liammoky country, fur- nishes such a plenty and variety of supplies for the nourish- ment of every sort of animal, that I can venture to assert, that no part of the globe so abounds with wild game or crea- tures fit for the food of man. Thus they enjoy a superabun- dance of the necessaries and conveniences of life with the se- curity of person and property, the two great concerns of man- kind. They seem to be free from want or desires. No cruel enemy to dread ; nothing to give them disquietude but the gradual encroachments of the white people. Thus contented and undisturbed, they appear as blithe and free as the birds of the air, and like them as volatile and active, tuneful and vociferous. The visage, action and deportment of a Siminole, being the most striking picture of happiness in this life — Joy, contentment, love and friendship without guile or affectation, seem inherent in them, or predominate in their vital princi- ple, for it leaves them but with the last breath of life." To exemplify their kindness to strangers, he says, that having lost his way in travelling through their towns, he was at a stand how to proceed, when he observed an Indian man at the door of his habitation, beckoning to liim, to come to him. Bartram accordingly rode up to Iiim. He cheerfully welcom- ed him to his house, took care of his horse, and with the most graceful air of respect led him into an airy, cool apartment. 150 .A STAR IN TUE WEST. where being seated on cabins, bis women bronglit in a re- fresliing repast, witli a pleasant cooling liquor to drink. Then pipes and tobacco. After an hour's conversation, and Mr. Bartram iniorming him of his business, and where he was bound, but having lost his way, lie did not know how to go on. Tlie Indian cheerfully replied, that he was pleased that Mr. B. was come into their country, wliere he should meet with friendship and protection; and tliat lie would himself lead him into the right path. He turned out to be the prince or chief of Whatoga. How long would an Indian Iiave rode through our country, before he would have received such kindness from a common farmer, much less a chief magistrate of a country ? INIr. Bartram adds to tlie testimony of Father Charlevoix, in favour of their good characters among them- selves. He says they are just, honest, liberal and hospitable to strangers ; considerate, loving and affectionate to their wives and relations ; fond of their children ; frugal and per- severing ; charitable and forbearing. He was weeks and months among them in their towns, and never observed the least sign of contention or wrangling ; never saw an instance of an Indian beating his wife, or even reproving her in anger. Col. John Smith sa^s, " when we had plenty of green corn and roasting ears, the hunters became lazy, and spent their time in singing and dancing. They appeared to be fulfilling tlie scriptures, beyond many of those who profess to believe tliem, in that of taking no thought for to-morrow, but in liv- ing in love, peace and friendship, without disputes. In this k\st respect they are an example to those who profess Chris- tianity — page 29. A STAR IN THE WEST. 151 The first and most cogent article in all theii* late treaties with the white people is, " that there shall not be any kind of spirituous Jiquors brougiit or sold in their. fowns; and the traders are allowed but ten gallons for a company, which are esteemed sufficient to serve them on their journey; and if any of this remains on their arrival, they must spill it on the ground." Mr B. met two young traders running about forty kegs of Jamaica spirits into the nation. They were discover- ed by a party of Creeks, who immediately struck their toma- hawks into every keg, and let the liquor run out, without drinking a drop of it. Here was an instance of self denial, seldom equalbd by white men, for so fond are they of it, that had they indulged themselves with tasting it, nothing could have prevented them from drinking the whole of it. Mr. B. saw a young Indian who was present at a scene of mad in- temperance and folly, acted by some wliite men in the town. He clapped his hand to his breast, and with a smile looking up, as if struck with astonishment, and wrapt in love and adoration of the Deity, lamented their conduct. We have thus endeavored to give some ideas of the Indian char^ter, at the first arrival of the EurQi)eans among them, before they were debauched and demoralized by an acquaint- ance with those who pretend to be their benefactors, by com- municating to them the glad tidings of salvation, through Jesus Christ. \Yq have exhibited the testimony of the best wi'itei's, from various parts of the continent, acquainted with very dif- ferent nations, from the south to the north. It is given ^cn- . erally in the authors own words, lest we iinght be charged with misrepresenting their meaning, by adopting our own language, or putting a gloss on theirs; and our design has 152 A STAR IN THE WEST. been, that the reader may be made acquainted with the i>eo- ple of wliom we treat. We must confess, that we have given the fairest part of their character, wliile at home and among their friends, though a perfectly just one. The objects which engage their attention, and indeed their whole souls, are war and hunting. Their haughty tempers will not condescend to labour— this they leave to their women. Hence they put on rather a solemn character, except when they divert themselves with their principal amusements, dan- dng and gaming. But in war, and while opposing the ene- mies of their nation, they are cruel and revengeful. They make war with unrelenting fury, on the least unatoned atFront, equal to any European nation whatever. It is their custom and long continued liabit. They kill and destroy their own species without regret. The warrior is the highest object of their ambition. They are bitter in their enmity> and to avenge the blood of a kinsman, they will travel hundreds of miles, and keep theii* anger for years, till they are satisfied.* Thej scalp all the slain of their enemies (as many of the Asiatics did) that they get in their power, contrary to the usage of all other savages.f They usually attack their ene- mies with a most hedious and dreadful yelling, so as to make the woods to ring. Very few of the ablest troops in the world can withstand tlie horror of it, who are strangers to them,^ and have not before been acquainted with this kind of recep- tion. Tliey are kind to women and children whom they take * The murderer shall surely be put to death. The avenger of blood, lumself, slull slay the murderer; wheu he nieeteth him, he shall slay him. — Numbers XXXV. 18, 19. + David speaks of the hoary scalps of his eaeiaies. A STAR IN THE WEST. 153 prisoners, and are remarkable for their delicacy, in their ti'carment of the first. To such prisoners as they, by certain Fules, doom to death, they are insultingly cruel and ferocious beyond imagination ; and their women are most ingenious and artful in the science of tormenting. All this is mutual, and it is distressing to say, with truth, that it is too much like the practice of those who call themselves a more enlightened peo- ple. Had the Indians read Lucarj-js Pharsalia — lib. iii. 400, which contains the description of the Massilian Grove of the/ Gallic JJryids, wherein they would have found every tree reek-^ ing with the blood of human victims — or had they been ac- quainted with the British Druids, " who indeed seem to have exceeded, if possible, their heathen neighbours, in savage ferocity and boundless lust of sacrificial blood, they would have, indeed, been able to settle accounts with their wliite neighbours. The page of history trembles to relate the bale- ful orgies of the Druids, wliich their frantic superstition cele- brated, when enclosing men, women and children, in one vast wicker image, in the form of a man, and filling it with every kind of combustible, they set fire to the huge colossus. While the dreadful holocaust was offering to their sanguinary gods^ the groans and shrieks of the consuming victims were drowned amidst shouts of barbarous triumph, and the air was rent with the wild dissonance of martial music." — 1 vol. of Indian An- tiquities. Or had the Indians read of the emperor^^laxi- minian putting to death the Theban legion of six thousand, six hundred and sixty-six christian soldiers, who had served \ him faithfully, because they refused to do sacrifice to the heathen gods, and persecute their brother christians — Caves primitive christ. S31 — or had they been acquainted with the X 15 it A STAR IN THE ^VEST. tortures of the martyrs for Christ, for many centuries — or the European practice of burning heretics* — or had they heard of the Waldenses and Albigenscs — of St. Bartholomews: night, or the Irish massacre. Tiiey might be ignorant of the bloody torments of the Inquisition, the tortures of Amboyna, 01' of a Frencli Republican Baptism — or they may never have been informed of the district of La Vendee — of the Convent of Carmes, or of the proceedings in France on the 12th Au- gust—or of the more than diabolical, cowardly murder, by the enlightened citizens of Pennsylvania, fi'om the county of Washington, when a whole to^n of chmtian Indians, consist- ing of about nijiety,.^ouls2 5i€j», women and diiW were butchered in cold blood, at Muskingum, in the year 1733 f and who had been our tried friends during the whole revolu- tionary war. If the Indians had known these facts, and writ- ten the history of the civilized white people, they might have roused the feelings of a tender conscience in their favour. But whoever reads the history of the eulogized heroes of ancient days, will find them not much better, in this respect. Does Achille-s behaviour to Hectors dead body, appear less savage or revengeful ? Do the Carthagenians or Phoenicians, burning their own children alive in sacrifice, or the bloody massacres and tortures of the southern Indians, by the learned and civilized Spaniards, claim any great preference in pohit of humanity and the finer feelings of the enlightened sons of science, and of the pretenders to religious knowledge. * Will any one again laugh at the strong observation of an eminent divine, * that man iu a state of natui-e, was half Uevil and half brute' — Clarkcs' Com. 131. VfiiQ will not adore the God of heaven with gratitude and thanksgiving, for the light of the gosi)el, whicln has not only brought life and immortality to light, but wrough' so wonderful a change among the present nations of the earth. A STAR IN THE WEST, 155 But let us come nearer home. Who set them the example ^f cruelty and harbarity, even to those whom they invaded and plundered of their property — deprived of their lands, and rcn- , dered their whole country a scene of horror, confusion and f distress, Wynne, in his history of America, tells us, ** that the New-England people, in an early day, as we have already \^ seen, made an attack upon the Pequod Indians, and drove ' eight hundred of them, with about two hundred of their women and children, into a swamp — a foa: arisina', tlic men escaped, except a few, who were either killed or wounded. But the helpless women and children were obliged to surren- der at discretion. I'he sachem's wife, who some time before, had rescued the Weathcrsfield maidens, and returned them home, was among them. She made two requests, which arose from a tenderness and virtue not common among savages. 1st. That lier chastity might remain unviolated. 2d. That her children miglit not be taken from her. The amiable sweet- ness of her countenance, and tlie modest dignity of her deport- ment, were worthy of the character she supported for inno- cence and justice, and were sufficient to shew the Europeans, that even barbarous nations, sometimes produce instances of heroic virtue. It is not said by the historian, whether her requests were granted or not, but that tlie women and chil- dren were dispersed through the neighbouring colonies, the male infants excepted, who were sent to the Bermudas" — 1 vol. 66. Indeed, had the Indians, on their part, been able to answer in writing, they might have formed a contrast be- tween themselves and their mortal enemies, the civilized sub- jects of Great-Britain. They might have recapitulated their conduct in the persecution of Indians^ witches and quakers in 156 A STAR IN THE WEST. New-England — Indians and Mgroes in New- York, and tlie cruelty with which the aborigines were treated in Virginia. These inA^aders of a country, (in the peaceable possession of a free and happy people, entirely independent, as the deer of of the forests) made war upon them, with all the advantage of fire-arms and the military knowledge of Europe, in the most barbarous manner — not observing any rules of nations, or tlie principles of modern warfare, much less the benign in- junctions of the gospel. They soon taught the Indians by their fatal examples, to retaliate witli tlie most inveterate malice and diabolical cruelty. The civilized Europeans, thougli flying from the persecution of the old world, did not hesitate to deny their professed religion of peace and good will to men, by murdering men, women and children — selling captives as slaves — cutting off the heads, and quartering the bodies of those who were killed, nobly fighting for their liber- ty and their country, in self defence, and setting them up at various places, in ignoble triumpli at their success. Philip, an independent sovereign of the Pequods, who disdained to submit, but died fighting at the head of his men, had his head I cut off and carried on a pole with great rejoicings, to New- \ Plymouth, where, W^vjiiie J^ys, his skull is to be seen to this 1 day .—Vide 1 vol. 106 to 108. I This conduct produced greater violence and barbarity on the part of the other nations of Indians in the neighbourhood, often joined by French Europeans who acted, at times, worse than the native Indians, and by this means, a total disregard of promises and pledged faith on both sides, became common. Ibid. 1^—6. A STAR IN THE \VRST. 157 I do not quote these instances of inhuman conduct to justify the Indians, but only to shew that they were not the only savages, and that the blame, as is too common, ought not to fall all on one side, because they were vanquished, but should produce some commiseration and principles of christian be- nevolence towards these highly injured and suffering sons of the wilderness. In the beginning of the revolutionary war, the Americans were constantly styled by their invaders as rebels; and had we been conquered, I have little doubt but that we should have been treated much as the Indians have been, with the difference of having been hanged, instead of being scalped and beheaded. But as we proved successful, by the good providence of God, we are now glorious asserters of liberty and the freedom of man. The conduct of the Israelites themselves, while in a state of civilization, and under the government of a king, and with the prophets of God to direct and teach them, did not discover a much better spirit than these supposed Israelites, wTetched and forlorn, in the wilderness of America, have done. " When Ahaz, king of Judah, had sinned against God, he delivered him into tlie hand of the king of Assyria ,• and he . was also delivered into the hand of Pekah, king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter, and slew in Judah one hundretl and twenty thousand in one day, who were all valiant men — 2 Chron. xxviii. 5. And the children of Israel carried away captive, of their brethren, two hundred thousand women, sons and daughters ; took also much spoil from them, and brought t!ie spoil to Samaria. But a prophet of the Lord was there, whose name was Oded, and he went out before the host that came into Samaria, and said unto tliem, "behold, because the 158 A STAR IN THE WEST. Lord Gocl of your fathers was wroth with Judah, and hath delivered tlieni into your hands, and ye have slain them in a rage, that reaclieth up to heaven — And now ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem, for bond- men and bond-women unto you ; but are these not Mith you, even with you, sins against tlie Lord your God ? Now hear me, therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren ; for the fierce wrath of the Lord is upon you." Here we cannot have tlie same hopes of tracing the present practices of the natives of the woods to any certain source, as is in the case of their languages. When a people change fi-om a settled, to a wandering state, especially, if thereby they be totally removed from any connection or intercoui^e with civilized countries, they must necessarily accommodate their actions to their then pressing wants and necessities. Their practices must change with their circumstances. Not so their language; for although it may gi-eatly alter, and often degenerate for want of cultivation, or by separating into parties, far removed from each other ;. yet the roots and principles of the language, may in remote ages, be traced in the different dialects, so as to afford tolerable proof of the original language. If a people, before their emigration, had any knowledge of the arts and sciences, although this might, and indeed would lead them, even in a wandering state, to discover more inge- nuity and method in providing for their wants, yet in after ages, as they separated from each other and colonized into distant parts, tliey would loose this knowledge, and finally, know notliing of them but by tradition, except so far as should A STAR IN THE WEST. 159 fall within their means and absolute wants ; which in the first case must be few, and in the other many and pressing. So that we may reasonably conclude, that the first wanderers would leave much greater evidence of their original, as well as of their knowledge of the mechanical arts, than their pos- terity could possibly do. And further, that the nearer to the place of their first permanent settlement, the greater would be the remains of those arts. However, we will endeavour to search into, and enumerate those few customs that we have any account of, which pre- vailed with them when the Europeans first arrived among them, and some of which they still retain. We do not mean to take up the silly and ridiculous stories published by many w^riters on this subject, who either had particular, and often wicked ends to answer by their publica- tions, or they founded their naiTatives on information received on the most transient acquaintance of a few hours, with the vicious and worthless among tlie Indians along our frontiei^ ; nor shall we trust to accounts related by ignorant tradei^, who did not comprehend either the idiom of their language, or the strong metaphorical and figurative mode of expressing themselves. This has led to the most false and absurd ac- counts of both Indian manners and language. To give one instance of this, though among the best of them, the following fact is extracted from an account given of the Mohawks in 1664, by a reverend gentleman who ought to have known better, and must have had an education, and known the prin- ciples of grammar;^ " This nation, says he, has a very heavy language, and I find great difficulty in learning it, so as to speak and preach to them fluently. There are no christian}?? 160 A STAR IN THE WEST. who understand their language thoroughly. AVhen I am among them, I ask them how things are called. One will tell me a word in the infinitive mood, another in the indica- tive. One in the fiist, another in the second person. One in the present, another in the preterperfect tense ; so that I stand sometimes and look ; hut do not know how to put it down. And as they have their declensions and conjugations, so tliey liave their increases, like the Greeks; and I am sometimes, as if I was distracted, and cannot tell wliat to do, and there is no person to set me riglit. I asked the commissa- ry of the (Dutch West-India company) what this meant, and he answered lie did not know, hut imagined they changed their language every two or three years." He had been con- nected with them twenty years. The Indians are perfect republicans, tliey will admit of no inequality among them but what arises from age, or great qualifications for either council or war. Although this is the case in peace, yet in war they observe great discipline, and perfect subordination to their beloved man wlio carries the holy ark, and to their officers, who are appointed on account of the experience they have had of tlieir prowess in war, and good conduct in the management and surprising of an enemy, or saving their men by a timely retreat; but this subordina- tion ends with the campaign. As the Israelites were divided into tribes, and had a chief over them, and always marched under ensigns of some ani- mal peculiar to each tribe, so the Indian nations are univei^- ally divided into tribes, under a sachem or king, chosen by the people from the wisest and bravest among them. He has neither influence or distinction, but from his ^^1sdom and pru- A STAR IN THE WEST. 161 deuce. He is assisted by a council of old, wise and beloved men, as they call their priests and councillors. Notliing is determined (of a public nature) but in this council, where every one has an equal voice. The cliief or sachem, sits in the middle, and tlie council on eacli Jiand, forming a semi-cir- cle, as the high priest of the Jews did in the Sanhedrim of tliat nation. Mr. Penn, when he first arrived in Pennsylvania, in the year 1683, and made a treaty with them, makes the following observations, in a letter he then wrote to liis friends in Eng- land. ^^ Every king has his council, and that consists of all the old and v/ise men of liis nation, which perhaps are two hundred people. Nothing of moment is undertaken, be it war, peace, selling of land, or trafiic, without advising with them. 'Tis admirable to consider how powerful the chiefs are, and yet hov/ they move by the breath of the people. I have had occasion to be in council w-ith them upon treaties for land, and to adjust the terms of trade. Their order is thus; the king sits in the middle of an half moon, and hath his council, the old and the wise on each hand. Behind them, at a little dis- tance, sit the young fry, in the same figure. Having con- sulted and resolved their business, the king ordered one of them to speak to me. He came to me, and in the name of his king, saluted me. Then took me by the hand, and told me that he was ordered by his king to speak to me ; and that now it was not he, but the king who spoke, because what he sho'dd say was the king's mind. During the time this person was speaking, not a man of them was observed to w hisper or smile. The old were grave — the young reverend in their deportment. They spoke little, but fervently and with ele- 162 A STAU IN THE WEST. gaiice. He will deserve the name of 7vise, who out-wits them in any treaty about a thing they understand. At every sen- tence fliey shout, and say amen, in their way." Mr. Smith, in his history of New-Jersey, confirms this gen- eral statement. " They are grave even to sadness, upon any common, and more so upon serious occasions — observant of those in company, and respectful to the aged — of a temper cool and deliberate — never in haste to speak, hut wait, for a certainty, that the person who spake before them, had finish- ished all he had to say. They seemed to hold European vivacity in contempt, because they found such as came among them, apt to interrupt each other, and frequently speak alto- gether. Their behaviour in public councils was strictly de- cent and instructive. Every one in his turn, was heard, ac- cording to rank of years or wisdom, or services to his country. Not a word, whisper or murmur, was heard while any one spoke : no interruption to commend or condemn : the younger sort were totally silent. Those denominated kings, wer^ sachems distinguished by their wisdom and good conduct. The respect paid them was voluntary, and not exacted or looked for, nor the omission regarded. The sachems direct- ed in their councils, and had the chief disposition of their lands" — page 142, 144. Every nation of Indians have certain customs, which they observe in their public transactions with other nations, and in their private affairs among themselves, which it is scandalous for any one among them not to observe. And these always draw after them, either public or private resentment, when ever they are broken. Although these customs may, in their detail, differ in one nation, when compared with another; yet A STAR I^ Tim WEST. 163 it IS easy to discern that tliCy liave all had one origin. This is also apparent from every nation understanding tliem, Mr. Colden says " their great men, botli sachems and captains. are generally poorer than the common people ; for they affect to give away, and distribute all the presents or plunder they get in their treaties, or in war, so as to leave nothing to them- selves. There is not a man in the ministry of the Five Na- tions (of whom Mr. Colden was writing) who has gained his office otherwise than by merit. There is not the least salary, or any sort of profit annexed to any office, to tempt the covet- ous or the sordid ; but on the contrar}^, every un\vorthy action is unavoidably attended with the forfeiture of their commis- sion ; for their authority is only tlie esteem of the people, and ceases the moment that esteem is lost. An old Mohawk sachem, in a poor blanket and a dirty shirt, may be seen issu- ing his orders, with as arbitrary an authority as a Roman die- tator." As every nation, as before observed, has its peculiar stand- ard or symbol, as an eagle, a bear, a wolf or an otter, so has each tribe the like badge, from which it is denominated. When they encamp, on a march, they always cut the repre- sentation of their ensign or symbol, on the trees, by which it may be known who have been there. The sachem of each tribe is a necessary party in all conveyances and treaties, to which he affixes the mark of his tribe, as a corporation does that of the public seal. If you go from nation to nation, you will not find one who doth not lineally distinguish himself by his respective family. As the family or tribe of the eagle, jmnihcr, (which is their lion) iyger, huffalOf (their ox or bull) — and also tlie hcaVf de^r. 161. A STAR IN THE WEST. racoon, &c. &c. So among the Jews, was the lion of the tribe of Judah — Ban was known by a seiyent — Issachar by an ass, and Benjamin by a wolf. But the Indians, as the Jews, pay no religious respect for any of these animals, or for any other whatever. They reckon time after the manner of the Hebrews. They divide the year into spring, summer, autumn, or the falling of the leaf, and winter. Korali is tlieir word for winter with the Cherokee Indians, as it is with the Hebrews. They number the years by any of these four periods, for they have no name for a year. And they subdivide these, and count the year by lunar months, or moons, like the Israelites, who also counted by moons. They call the sun and moon by the same word, with the addition of day and night, as the day sun, or moon — ^the night sun, or moon. They count the day by three sensible differences of the sun, like the Hebrews — as the sun coming out — mid-day, and the sun is dead, or sun- set. Midnight is half way between the sun going in and coming out of the water — also by mid-night and cock-crowing. They begin their ecclesiastical year at the first appearance of the first new moon of the vernal equinox, according to the ecclesiastical year of Moses. They pay great regard to the first appearance of every new moon. They name the various seasons of the year from the planting and ripening of the fruits. The green eared moon is the most beloved or sacred, when the first fruits become sanctified, by being annually offered up ; and from this period they count their beloved or holy things. The number, and regular periods of the Indian public re- ligious feasts, (as will be seen hereafter) is a good historical A STAR IN THE WEST. 165 proof that they counted time, and observed a weekly Sabbath, lon.i^ after their arrival on the American continent, as this is applicable to all the nations. Till the seventy years captivity commenced, according to Dr. Prideaux, the Israelites had only numeral names for the solar and lunar montlis, except two called Abib and Ethanaim. The former signifies a green car of corn, and the latter robust and valiant. And by the first name the Indians term tlieir passover, as an explicative, and which the trading people call the green corn-dance. These two months were equinoctial. AMb^ or the present J^isan of the Jews, was the sixth month of the civil, and first of the ecclesiastical year, answering to our March or April ; and Ethanaim, which began the civil year, was the sixth of the ecclesiastical, the same as our September and October. Mr. Bartram says, while he was at Attassc, in the Creek liation, on a Sabbath day, he observed a great solemnity in the town, and a remarkable silence and retiredness of the red inhabitants. Few of them were to be seen — the doors of their dwellings were shut, and if a child chanced to stray out, it was quickly drawn in doors again. He asked the meaning of this, and was immediately answered, that it being the white people's sabbath, the Indians kept it religiously sacred to the great spirit. The writer of this being present on the Lord's day, at the worship of seven different nations, who happened (accidentally) to be at the seat of government to- gether, he was pleased to sec tlieir orderly conduct. They were addressed by an old sachem, apparently with great en- ergy and address.. An interpreter being present, he asked him to explain what the speaker had said. The intrepreter answered that the substance of what he delivered, was a 166 A STAR I^' THE WEST. wanu representation to bis audience, of the love the greai spirit had always manifested towai'ds the Indians, more than to any other people. That tliey were in a special manner, under his government and immediate direction. That it was. therefoi-e, the least return they could make for so much good- ness, gratefully to acknowledge his favour, aBd to he obedient to his laws — to do his will, and to avoid every thing that was evil, and of course displeasing to him. Just before the service began, the \NTiter of this observed an Indian standing at the window with tlie intrepreter, look- ing into a small field adjoining the house, where a great many white childi*en were playing with tlie Indian children, and making a considerable noise. The Indian sp(.»ke much in earnest, and seemed rather displeased. The interpreter an- swered him with gi'eat apparent interest. On being asked the subject of their convei^ation, he said the Indian was lamenting the sad state of those white cliildren, whom he called poor destitute orphans. The interpreter asked why he thought tliom orphans? For he believed it was not tnie. Tlic Indian, with great earnestness, replied, is not this tlie day on which you told nie tlie wliite people worehipped tlie great spiiit? If so, surely these children, if they had parents, or any persons to take care of tliem, would not be suffered to be out there, playing and making such a noise. Xol no! they have lost their fathei-s and their motliei^s. and have no one to take care of them. Allien tlie Indians travel, tliey always count the time by sleeps, whicli is a very ancient custom, and perhaps may have been derived from the Mosaic method of counting time, mak- ing: the cvenins: and the moniins: to be the fii*st dav, Sao, A STAR IN THE WEST. 167 They Iiave also an ancient custom of setting apart 'certain houses and towns, as places of refuge, to which a criminal, and even a captive may fly, and be safe from the avenger of blood, if he can but enter it. ^jLr. Bartram says, " we arrived at the Apalaehuela town, in the Creek nation. This is esteemed the mother town, sacred to peace. No captives are put to death, or hum^i blood spilt hcre.'^ The Chcrokees, according to Adair, though now exceed- ingly corrupt, still observe the law of rcfiige, so inviolably, that tliey allow their beloved town the privilege of protecting a wilful murderer; but they seldom allow him to return home from it in safety. The town of refuge called Choate^ is situate on a large stream of tlie Missisippi, five miles above where fort Loudon formerly stood. Here some years ago, a brave Englishman was protected, after killing an Indian warrior, in defence of his property. He told Adair, that after some months stay there, lie intended returning to his liouse in the neiglibour- hood ; but the chiefs told him it would prove fatal to him. So he was obliged to continue there, till he satisfied the friends of the deceased, by presents to their full satisfaction. In the upper country of the Muskoge, there was an old beloved town called Koosah, now reduced to a small ruinous village, wliicli is still a place of safety for those who kill undesignedly. In almost every Indian nation, there are several peaceable towns, which are called old beloved, holy or white towns. They seem to have been formerly towns of refuge, for it is not within the memory of their oldest people, that ever human 168 A STAR IX THE WEST. blood was shed in them ; although they often force persons from them, and put them to death elsewhere. It may be thouglit improper here, to say much of the war- like abilities and military knowledge of the Indians, as it is very popular, especially with Europeans, to despise them as warriors, by wliicli means thousands of Europeans and Americans liave lost their lives. But as it may shew tliat they are not quite so ignorant as strangers to them have thought tiiem, a slioi't account of their military conduct, may illucidate our general subject. I am assisted by^^col^ Sjnitlj^who lived long with them, and often fought against them, in what may be said on this occa- sion. How ever despised, they are, perhaps, as well versed in the art of that kind of war, calculated for their circumstances, and are as strict disciplinarians in it, as any ti'oops in Europe ; and w henever opposed by not more than two or three to one Indian, they have been generally victorious, or come off w itli small loss, while they have made their opponents repent tlieir rashness and ignorance of war on their plan. And indeed, they were always victorious over European troops, till sad experience taught foreign officers to pay more respect to the, advice of ximcrican officers, w ho, by adopting the Indian prin- ciples of war, knew^ how to meet them with advantage. It is not sufficient for an army to be well disciplined on their own principles, without considering those of the enemy they are to contend with. Braddock, Boquet, and several others of great celebrity in their own country, have been defeated or sur- prised, by a (comparatively) small number of these inhabit- ants of the wilderness, and greatly suffered from despising A STAR IN THE WEST. 1G9 what they thouglit untutored savages ; and to save the honor and military character of those who commanded, have been led to give \ery false reports of tlie combats. The following facts will give force to these observations — "In col. Boquet's last campaign of 176i, I saw, (says C(A, Smitli) the official return miide by the British officers, of the { number of Indians that were in arms agaitist us in that year,' which amounted to thirty thousand. As I was then a lieuten- ant in the British service, I told them I was of opinion, that there were not above one thousand in arms against us, as they were divided by Broadstreet's army, being then at Lake Erie. The British officers hooted at me, and said that they could not make England sensible of the difficulties they labour- ed under in fighting them; and it was expected that their troops could fight the undisciplined savages in America, five to one, as they did the East-Indians, and therefore my report would not answer their purpose, as they could not give an honorable account of the war, but by augmenting their num- bers.'^ Sniith was of the opinion, that from Braddock's defeat, unr \ til the time of his writing, there never were more tlian three 1 thousand Indians, at any time in arms against us, west of Fo^J 1 Pitt, and frequently not more than half of that number According to the Indians' own account, during the whole of Braddock's war, or from 1755 to 1758, they killed and took fifty of our people for one that they lost. In the war of 1763, they killed, comparatively, few of our people, and lost more of theirs, as the frontier inhabitants, especially the Virginians, had learned something of their method of war; yet even in Z 170 A STAR IX THE WEST. this war, according to their account (which Smith helieved to he true) they killed and took ten of our people for one they lost. The Indians, though few in number, put the goverament to immense expense of blood and treasure, in the war from 1756 to 1791. The following campaigns in the western country, will be proof of tliis. General Braddock's in the year 1755 — eol. Armstrong's against the Cattaugau town, on the Alleghany, in 1757 — gen, Forbes' in 1758 — ^gen. Stanwix's in 1759 — gen. Monckton's in 1760 — col. Boquet's in 1761 — and again in 1763, when he fought the battle of Brushy-Run, and lost above one hundred men ; but by taking the advice and assistance of the Virginia volunteers, finally drove the Indians — col. Armstrong's up the west brancli of Susquehannah in the same year — gen. Broad- street's up Lake Erie in 1764 — col. Boquet's at Muskingum, at the same time — lord Dunmore's in 1774 — gen. M*Intosh's in 1778, and again in 1780 — col. Bowman's in 1779 — ^gen. Clark's in 1782 — and against the Wabash Indians in 1786— gen. Logan's against tlie Shawanese in the same year, and col. Harmer's in 1790 — ^gen. Wilkinson's in 1791 — gen. St. Clair's in 1791, and gen. Wayne's in 1794, which in all are twenty-three campaigns, besides smaller expeditions, such as the French-Creek expedition, colonels Edward's, Loughrie's, &;c. All these were exclusive of the numbers of men who were internally employed as scouting parties, in erecting forts, guarding stations, &c. &c. When we take the foregoing account into consideration, may we not reasonably conclude, that the Indians are the best dis- ciplined troops in the world, especially when we consider, that A STAR IN THE WEST. 171 the ammunition and arms that tlioy arc ohligcd to use, are of tlie worst sort, without bayonets or cartouch boxes. No arti- ficial means of carrying either baggage or provision, whilfe their enemies have every warlike implement, and other re- sources, to tlie utmost of their desire. Is not that tlie best discipline, that has the greatest tendency to annoy an enemy, and save their own men ? It is apprehended tliat the Indian discipline is better calculated to answer their purpose in the Avoods of America, than the British discipline in the plains of Flanders. British discipline, in the woods, is the way to liave men slaughtered, with scarcely any chance to defend themselves. Pnvates. The Indians sum up their art of war thus — " The business of the private warrior is to be under command, or punctually to obey orders — to learn to march a-breast in scattered order, so as to be in readiness to surround the enemy, or to prevent being surrounded — to be good marksmen, and active in the use of their musket or rifle— to practice runnings — to learn to endure hunger or hardships with patience and fortitude — to tell the truth at all times to their officers, more especially when sent out to spy the enemy." Concerning Officers* They say that it would be absurd to appoint a man to an office, whose skill and courage had never been tried — ^that all officers should be advanced only according to merit — that no single man sliould have the absolute command of an army — that a council of officers should determine when and how an attack is to be made — that it is the duty of officers to lay plans, and t« take every advantage of tlie enemy— to ambush 172 A STAR IN THE WEST. and surprise them, and to prevent the like to themselves. It is the duty of officers to prepare and deliver speeches to the men, in order to animate and encourage them, and on a inarch to prevent the men, at any time, getting into an hud- dle, because if the enemy s^lould surround them in that posi- tion, they would be greatly exposed to the enemy's fire. It is likewise their business, at all times, to endeavour to annoy the enemy, and save their own men; and tlierefore ought never to bring on an attack without considerable advantage,^ or without what appeared to them to insure victory, and that with a loss of but few men. And if at any time they should be mistaken in this, and are likely to lose many men in gain- ing the victory, it is their duty to retreat, and wait for a bet- ter opportunity of defeating their enemy, without the danger of losing so many men." Their conduct proves that they act on these principles. This is the statement given by those who are experimen- tally acquainted with them, and as long as the British officers despised both Indians and Americans, who had studied their art of war, and formed tliemselvcs on the same plan, they were constantly beaten by those soldiers of nature, though seldom one fourth of the number of the British. But the Brit- ish officers had one advantage of them. • That was the art of drawing up and reporting to their superiors, plans of their bat- tles, and exaggerated accounts of their great success, and the immense loss of the Indians, which were never thought of till long after the battle was over, and often while they were smarting under their severe defeat or surprise. The writer of this could give some instances, if it would an- answer any ^ood end, that came under his own knowledge. A STAR IN THE WEST. 17S When the Indians determine on war or hunting, tliey hare stated preparatory, religious ceremonies, for purification, par- ticularly by fasting, as the Israelites had. Father Charlevoix gives an account of this custom in his time. In case of an intention of going to war, he who is to command does not commence the raising of soldiers, till he has fasted several days, during which he is smeared with black- has no conversation with any one — invokes by day and night, his tutelar spirit^ and above all, is very careful to observe his dreams. The fast being over, he assembles his friends, and with a string of wampum in his hands, he speaks to them after this manner. Brethren ! tlie great spirit authorizes my senti^ ments, and inspires m.e with what I ought to do.* The blood of is not wiped away— his body is not covered, and I will acquit myself of this duty towards him," &;c. Mi\_JiMCeiizie in some measure, confirms this account, though among different nations. ^^ If the tribes feel them- / selves called upon to go to war, the elders convene the people in order to obtain the general opinion. If it be for war, the chief publishes his intention to smoke in the sacred stem (a pipe) at a certain time. To tliis solemnity, meditation and fasting are required as preparatory ceremonials. When the people are thus assembled, and the meeting sanctified by tlic * This shews the mistakes committed hy writers who do not Intimately under- stand the idiom of the Indian languages. Above it is said, "^'that the warrior in- voked his tutelar s]>irit," but by this address, it is plain that it was the great spirit. So the translator of Charlevoix, calls a string of wampum, of which the war-belts are made, a collar of beads. Great allowance should be made for the ignorance of both travellers and writers. The secrecy of Indinns, in keeping all their religions rites from the knowledge of white people, lest they should defile them by their presence, adds mu-h to their difficulty. And Charlevoix being a religious TJowoan, Catholic, easily slid into the idea of an attendant spirit. 17* A STAR IN THE WEST. custom of smoking (this may be in imitation of t!ie smoke ol the incense offered on the altar of the Jews) the chief en- larges on the causes which have called them together, and the necessity of the measures proposed on the occasion. He then invites them who are willing to follow him, to smoke out of the sacred stem, which is considered as a token of enrolment.*' A sacred feast then takes place, and after much ceremony, usual on the occasion, " the chief turning to the east, makes a speech to e^xplain more fully the design of their meeting, then concludes with an acknowledgment for past mercies received, 2nd a prayer for the continuance of them, from the master of life. He then sits down, and the whole company declare their approbation and thanks by uttering the word Ho /" (in a very hoarse, guttural sound, being the third syllable of the beloved name, << with an emphatic prolongation of tlie last letter. The chief then takes up the pipe, and holds it to the mouth of the officiating person," (like a priest of the Jews, with the in- cense) " who after smoking three whiffs, utters a short prayer, and then goes round with it from east to west, to every per- son present." The ceremony then being ended, " he returns the company thanks for their attendance, and wishes them, as well as the whole tribe, health and long life." Do not tlicse practices remind the reader of the many direc- tions in the Jewish ritual, commanding the strict purification, or sanctifying individuals about to undertake great business, \ or to enter on important offices. Adair, who had greater opportunities of knowing the real character of the Indians to tlie southward, than any man that has ever written on the subject, gives the following account. ^« Before i\\(^ Indians go to war, they have many preparatory A STAR IX THE WEST. 175 ceremonies of purification and fasting, like what is recorded utilie Israelites. When the leader hegins to heat up for vol- unteers, he goes three times round his dark winter house, contrary to the course of the sun, sounding the warwhoop, singing the war song, and heating a drum.* He addresses the ci'oud, who come ahout him, and after much ceremony, lie proceeds to wlioop again for the warriors to come and join him, and sanctify themselves for success against the common enemy, according to their ancient religious law. A nuniher soon join him in his winter house, where they live separate from all others, and purify themselves for the space of three days and three nights, exclusive of the first broken day. On each day they observe a strict fast till sunset, watching the young men very narrowly (who have not been initiated in war titles) lest unusual hunger should tempt them to violate it, to the supposed danger of all their lives in tlie war, by de- stroying the power of their purifying, beloved physic, whicli they drink plentifully during that time. They are such strict observers of their law of purification, and think it so essential in obtaining health and success in war, as not to allow tlie best beloved trader that ever lived among them, knowingly, to enter the beloved ground appropriated to the duty of being sanctified for war, much less to associate with the camp in the woods, at such a time, though he is united witii them in the same war design. They oblige him to walk and encamp sepa- rately by himself, as an impure, dangerous animal, till tlie leader hath purified him, according to the usual time and meth- od, with the consecrated things of the ark." With the Ho- * The Indians have something in imitation of a drum., made of a wet deer skia «lrawn over a large gourd or frame of wood. ±76 A STXR IN THE WEST. brews, the ark o^Berith, (the purifier) was a small wooden chest, as has already been shewn in the first chapter, of three feet nine inches in length, and two feet three inches broad, and two feet three inches in height, and overlaid with pure gold. Tlie Indian ark is of a very simple construction, and it is only the intention and application of it, that makes it wor- thy of notice, for it is made with pieces of wood, securely fastened together in the form of a square. The middle of three of the sides extend a little out, but the fourth side is flat, for the convenience of the person's back who carries it. This ark has a cover, and the wliole is made impenetrably close with hickory splinters. It is about half the dimensions of the Jewish ark, and may properly be called the Hebrew ark im- itated. The leader and a beloved waiter carry it by turns. In contains several consecrated vessels, made by beloved, superanuated women, and of such various antiquated forms, as would have puzzled Adam to have given significant names to each. Tliese two carriers are purified longer tlian the rest, that the first may be fit to act in the religious office of a priest of war, and the other to carry the awful, sacre d ark , all thQjyliile they are engaged in the act of fighting. « And it came to pass, when the ark set forwai"d, that Moses said, rise up Lord, and let thine enemies be scattei'ed ; and let them that hate thee, flee before thee. And when it rested he said, return Lord unto the many thousands of Israel" — Numbers x. 35, 36. " But they presumed to go up unto the hill top; nevertheless, the ark of the covenant of the Lord and Moses, departed not out of the camp. Then the Amale- kites came down and the Canaanites who dwelt on that hill, and smote them, and discomfited them even unto Hormah'"— ibid xiv. 45, A STAR IN ofllE Wli.ST. 177 <^ And David said unto them, ye are the chief of the fathers frf the Levites; sanctify yourselves both ye and your brethren, that ye may bring up the ark of the Lord God of Israel unto the place that I have prepared for it"— ^1 Cliron. xv. 12. The IletissUf or beloved waiter, feeds each of the warriors by an exact stated rule, giving them even the water they drink, out of his own hands, lest by intemperance they should spoil the supposed communicative power of their holy things, and occasion fatal disasters to flie war camp. They never place the ark on the ground, nor sit on the bare earth, while they ai-e carrying it against the enemy. On hilly ground, where stones are jdenty, they place it on them ', but on land, where stones are not to be had, they use short logs, always resting themselves in like manner. The former is a strong imitation of the pedestal on which the Jewish ark was placed, a stone rising three fingers breadth above the floor. Tliey have as strong faith in tlie power and holiness of their ark, as ever the Israelites had of therrs, ascribing the superi- or success of the party to their stricter adherence to the law, than the other. This ark is deemed so sacred and dangerous to be touched, either by their own sanctified warriors, or the spoiling enemy, tliat they will not touch it on any account. It is not to be meddled with by any but the war chieftain and hi»s waiter, who are consecrated for the purpose, under the pen- alty of incurring great evil. Nor would the most inveterate enemy among their nations, touch it in the woods for the same reason, which is agreeable to the religious opinion and cus- toms of the Hebrews, respecting the sacredness of their ark, as in the ease of Uzzah and the Philistines. 2A • 178 A STAR IN THE WEST. A gentleman who was at the Ohio in the year 1756, as- sured the WTiter that he saw a stranger there, very importu- nate to view the inside of the Cherokee ark, which was cov- ered with a dressed deer skin, and placed on a couple of shoi't blocks of wood. An Indian sentinel w^atched it, armed with a hickory bow, and brass pointed barbed arrow ; and he w as faitliful to his trust; for finding the Stranger obtruding, with apparent determination to pollute the supposed sacred vehicle, he drew his arrow to the head, and would have shot him through the body, had he not suddenly withdrawn. The leader virtually acts tlie part of a priest of war pro tempore, in imitation of tlte Israelites, fighting under the divine military banner of old. i The Indians will not cohabit with w^omen while they are out at war; they religiously abstain from every kind of inter- /course, even with their own wives, for the space of three days £ and nights, before they go out to war ; and so after they re- / turn home, because they are to sanctify themselves. So Josliua commanded the Israelites, the night before they marched, to sanctify themselves by washing their clothes^ avoiding all impurities, and abstaining from all matrimonial intercourse. When the Indians return home victorious over an enemy, they sing the triumphal song to F. 0, He, wak, ascribing the victory to him, like a religious custom of the Israelites, who were commanded ahvays to attribute their success in war to Jehovah, and not to their swords aiid arrows. The Indian method of making peace, carries the face of great antiquity, "^lien the applicants arrive ne^ the town, they send a messenger a head, to inform the enemy of their A STAR IN THE AVEST. iTft amicable intentions. He carries a swan's wing in Lis hand, painted with streaks of wliitc clay, as an expressive emblem of his peaceful embassy. The next day, when they ha^s^e made their friendly parade, by firing off their guns and whooping, they enter tlie beloved square. Their chief, who is a-head In this, the Indians profess the same thing precisely. This is the exact form of their government, which seems unac- countable, were it not derived from the same orignal source, and is the only reason that can be assigned for so extraordina- ry a fact. The Indians are exceedingly intoxicated with religious pride, and hold the white people in inexplicable contempt— the common name they give us in their set speeches, literally means, nothings ; but in their war speeches, ottuck ookproose^ the accursed people. But they flatter themselves with tlie name ffottuk-ore-too-paie, the beloved people. This is agree- able to the Hebrew epithet Ammi, during the theocracy of Is- rael. When their high priest (if we may be allowed the term, for their most beloved man) addresses the people, he calls them, " the beloved or holy people." These addresses are full of flourishes on the happiness of their country, calling it a land flowing with milk and honey. When any of their beloved people die, they soften the thoughts of death, by saying, he is onhj gone to sleep with their beloved forefathers, and usually mention a common proverb among them, ^'neitak intahah,** the days appointed, or allow- ed him, were finished. And this is their firm belief, for they aflirm that there is a fixed time and place, when and where every one must die, without any possibility of averting it^ They frequently say, << such a one was weighed on the path, and made to be light." They always ascribe life and death to God's unerring and particular providence. Contrary to the usage of all the ancient heathen world, they not only name God by several strong compounded appel* rations, expressive of many of his 'divine attributes, but like- 19% A STAR IN THE WiSST. wise say yah at the beginning of tbeir religious danees, \^ith a bowing posture of body — then they sing y, y, y, ho, ho, ho, he, he, and repeat those sacred notes (but not the whole name) on every religious occasion. The religious attendants calling to Yah, to enable them humbly to supplicate, seems to point to the Hebrew custom of pronouncing Jah, which signifies the divine essence. It is well known, what sacred regard the Jews had to the great four lettered name, scarcely ever to mention it in the whole, but once a year, when the high priest went into the holy sanctuary on the day of expiation of sins. Might not the Indians, have copied from them this sacred in- vocation, and also their religious forbearance in never men- tioning the whole name, but in their sacred songs of praise. Their method of invoking the great spirit in solemn hymns, with that reverend deportment, and spending a full breath on each of the first tw^o syllables or letters of the awful divine name, has a surprising analogy to the Jewish custom, and such as no other nation or people, even with the advantage of written records, have retained. Charlevoix, speaking of the northern Indians, observes, that the greatest part of their feasts, their songs and their dances, appeared to him, to have had their rise from religion, and yet preserve some traces of it. I have met with some persons, says he, who could not help thinking that our In- dians were descended from the Jews ; and found in every thing, some affinity between them and the people of God. There is indeed a resemblance in some things, as not to use knives^at certain meals, and not to break the bones of the beast that they eat at the these times, (and we may add, that they never eat the part under the lower joint of the thigh, A STAR IN THE WliST. 195 but always throw it away.) The separation of their women, at certain periods. Some persons have heard them, or thought they heard them, pronounce the word, hallalujahf in their songs. The feast tliey make, at the return of their hunters, and of w^hicli they must leave notliing, has also hecn taken for a hurnt oifering, or for the remains of the passover of the Israelites : and the rather, they say, hecause when any one family cannot compass his portion, he may get the assistance of his neighhour, as was practised hy the people of God, when a family was not sufficient to eat the whole paschal lamb. The Israelites of old w^ere ordered by Mosos to fix in the tabernacle (as Solomon did afterwards in the temple, all by command of God) Cherubim over the mercy seat. The cur- tains also which lined the walls and the veil of the temple, had tlie like figures on them. The Cherubim are said to have represented the names, yo-he-wah-elohim, in redeeming lost mankind, and means the similitude of the great and mighty one, whose emblems in the congregational standards, were, »< the buU, the lion, the man and the cagle.^' So Ezekiel in- forms us the Cherubim were uniform and had these four com- pounded animal emblems. Every one had four faces (ap- pearances, habits or forms.)— x chap. 14, 20, 22. Each of the Cherubim, according to the prophet, had the head and face of a man ; the likeness of an eagle about the shouldei-s, with expanded wings ; their necks, manes and breasts re- sembled those of a lion, and their feet those of a bull or calf; the soles of their feet, were like a calf's foot. Ezek. i. i, 5, 6. "And I looked and behold a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud and a fire hifolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber* s I 196 A STAR IN THE WEST; put of the midst of the fire— also out of the midst thereof, the likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appear- ance ; — they had the likeness of a man, and every one had four faces, and every one had four wings," &c. &;c. — 10th ver. *' As for the likeness of their faces, tliey four had the face of a man and the face of a lion on the right side ; and they four had the face of an ox on the left side ; and they four also had the face of an eagle-— vide ver. 11. These are the terrestial cheruhira, and the psalmist represents them as the chariot of divine majesty, and displays liis transcendant and glorious title of King of Kings. Psalms xviii. 7, 11 — « God sitteth between and ridcth upon the cherubim" as a divine chariot — ibid. xcix. 1. So the American Indians, particularly the Cherokees and Choktaws, have some very humble representation of these cherubimical figures, in their places of worship, or beloved square ; where, through a strong religious principle, they dance almost every winter's-night, always in a bowing pos- ture, and frequently singing, halleluyah, yo, he, wah. They j have in these places of worship, which Adair says he has seen, two white painted eagles, carved out of poplar wood, with their wings stretched out, and raised five feet from the ground, standing in the corner, close to the red and white im- perial seats ; and on the inner side of each of the notched pieces of wood, where the eagles stand, the Indians frequent- ly paint with a white chalky clay, the figure of a man, with buffalo's horns,^ and that of a panther, the nearest animal in America, to that of a lion, with the same colour. These ♦ It was an ancient custom amongst the eastern nations, to use horns as an em- V.em of power, which the Indians always do. A STAR IN THE WEST. 197 figures they paint a-fresh at the first fruit offering, or the an- nual expiation of sins. Yet it has never been known that the Indians ever substituted the eagle, panther, or the simili- tude of any thing whatever, as objects of divine adoration, in the room of the great invisible divine essence. Nay, they often give large rewards for killing an eagle, and they kill the panther wherever they find him. The ideas which a peoi)le form of tlie supreme deity, will direct to the nature of their religious worship. Among the south- ern Indians, Ish-to-Iioolo is an appellation for God. It points at the greatness, purity and goodness of the creator, in form- ing man. It is derived as is said from IshtOf great, which you find in all the prophetical writings, attributed to God. Also from the present tense of the infinitive mood of the active verb ahoolOf " I love," and from the preter tense of the pas- sive verb haolOf that is sanctifying, sanctified, divine or holy. Women set apart, they term hoolo^ that is, sanctifying them- selves to Ish'to-hoolo. So Netakhoolo signifies a sanctified or holy day. So Okka hodo, water sanctified. Thus Ish-io-JioolOy when applied to God, in its true radical meaning, imports the great beloved holy causCf which is exceedingly comprehensive and more expressive of tlie true nature of God, tlian the He- brew name ddonai, which may be applicable to a human be- ing. When they apply the epithet, compounded, to any of their own religious men, it signifies, the great holy^ belovedf sandijied man of the fioly out. They make the divine name point yet more strongly to the supreme author of nature. For as abba, signifies father, so, to distinguish God, as the king of kings, by his attributes, from their own Minggo Ishto, or great chief, they frequently 198 A STAR IN THE WEST. name God Minggo Ishto Mba, Ishto Mba, Mnggo Mba, &c. and when they strive to move the passions, Ishto JIoolo Mba, They liave another more sacred appellative, which with them is the mysterious essential name of God. The tctragrammana- ton of the Hebrews, or the great four lettered name already mentioned, F. 0. jQTe, wah. This they, like the Hebrews, never mention altogether in common speech. Of the time and place, when and where they mention it, they are very particular, and always witli a solemn air. The Indians have among them orders of men answering to our prophets and priests. In the Muskohge language, HitcJi Lalage, signifies cunning men, or persons prescient of futurity, much the same with the Hebrew seer. But the Indians in general call their pretended prophets, Loa-che, men resem- bling the holy fire, or elohim. Their tradition says, that their forefathers were possessed of an extraordinary divine spirit, by which they foretold things future, and conti'ded the com- mon course of nature ; and this they transmitted to their off- spring, pro\ided they obeyed the sacred laws annexed to it. They believe that by the communication of the same divine fire, working in their Loa-che, they can yet effect the like. But tliey say it is out of the reach of JV*a7Mi Ookproo, or bad people, either to comprehend or perform such things, because the holy spirit of fire will not co-operate with or actuate Hot- inch OoJcproo, the accui^ed people. <' A sachem of the Min^ tribe, being observed to look at the great comet which appear- ed the first day of October, one thousand six hundred and eighty, was asked, what he thought w^as the meaning of that prodigious appearance ? answered gravely, <* It signifies that we Indians shall melt away, and this country be inhabited by A STAR IN THE WEST. 199 another people." — Smith's New-Jersey, 136, in a note. How this Indian came by Ins knowledge, without the learned Wins- ton's astronomical tables, or whether he had any knowledge, is not so material. He will, however, be allowed as gx)od a right to pretend to it, when the event is considered, as the other had in his conjectures concerning the cause of Noah's flood. At all events, this Indian must have reasoned well, and had pretty clear conceptions of the effects that would nat- urally follow such causes. Mr. Beatty gives much the same account of their prophets among the Delawai'e nations or tribes, above forty-five years ago. They consult the prophets upon any extraordinary occa- sion — as in great or uncommon sickness, or mortality, &e. This, he says, seems to be in imitation of the Jews of old, en- quiring of their prophets. Ishto Hoolo is the name of all their great beloved men, and the pontifical office descends by inheri- tance to the eldest. It cannot be expected but that the dress of the old Indian high-priest, or rather, their great beloved man, or the first and oldest among the beloved men, sliould be different from that of the high-priest of the Jews. The poverty and distressed con- dition of the Indians, renders such a conformity impossible ; but notwithstanding the traces of agreement are really aston- ishing, considering their circumstances, and their having no means of knowing what it was, but by tradition, being deprived of all records relative to it. Before the Indian Archi-magus, or high-priest, officiates in making the supposed holy fire, for the yearly atonement for sin, as will soon be shewn, he clothes himself with a white garment, resembling the ephod of the Jews, being made of ^00 X STAR IN THE WEST. a finely dressed deer or doe skin, and is a waistcoat without sleeves. When he enters on that solemn duty, a beloved at- tendant spreads a white dressed buckskin=^ on the white seat, which stands close to the supposed holiest division of their place of worship, and then puts some white beads on it, that arc offered by the people. Then the Archi-magus wraps ix)und his shoulders a consecrated skin of the same, sort, which reaching across under his arms, he ties behind his back, with two knots on his legs, in the form of a figure of eight. Instead of going barefoot, he wears a new pair of white buckskin moc- asins, made by himself, and stiched with the sinews of the animal. He paints the upper part of them across the toes, with a few streaks of red, made of the red root, which is their symbol of holy things, as the vermilion is of war. These shoes he never wears at any other time, and leaves them with the other parts of his pontifical dress, when the service is over, in the beloved place. In resemblance of the sacred breast-plate, the American priest wears a breast-plate, made of a white conck-shell, with two holes bored in tlie middle of it, through which he puts the ends of an otter skin strap, and fastens a buckhorn white button to the outside of each, as if in imitation of the precious stones of urim and thumira, which miraculously blazoned on the high- priest's breast, the unerring words of the divine oracle. In- stead of the plate of gold which he wore on his forehead, with the words holy, or separated to God, the Indian wears around his temples either a wreath of swan's feathers, or a long piece of swanskin doubled, so as only the fine snowy down appears * When the high -priest of the Jews went into the holy of holies, on the day of expiation, he clothed himself in white ; and when the service was orer, he iCft those clothes in the tabernacle.-- Levit. xvi. 4-33. A STAR IN THE WEST, l©i on each side. And in likeness of the tiara of the former, the latter wears on the crown of his head a tuft of white feathers, which they call yaterah, hut the meaning of tlie word is not known. He also fastens a number of blunted wild turkey cocks' spurs towards the toes of his mocasins, as if in resem- jblancc of the bells which the Jewish high-priest wore on his coat of blue. Bai-tram assures us, *^ that there is in every town or tribe, an high-priest, usually nick-named by the white people, the juggler or conjurer, besides several of inferior rank. But that the oldest high priest or seer presides always in spiritual things, and is a person of great consequence. He maintains and exercises great influence in the state, particularly in mil- itary affairs ; their senate or great council never determining on an expedition without his council and assistance. These people believe most firmly, that their seer or high priest has communion with powerful invisible spirits, who they suppose have some share in the rule and government of human affairs, as well as in that of the elements. He further adds, that these Indians are by no means idolaters, unless their pujffing the tobacco smoke towards the sun, and rejoicing at the ap» pearance of the new moon, may be termed so.*" So far from idolatry are they that they have no images among them, nor any religious rite or ceremony relating to them, that I could ever perceive, << They adore the great spirit, the giver and taker away of the breath of life, with the most profound and respectful hem- * It is rather supposed that they use the smoke of the sacred stem or pipe, as the Jews did their incense— and as to the new moon, as they reckpn their time by ir, they are as careful ^ibierrer* of it, as the Jews were 5202 A STAR IN THE AVESf. age. They believe in a future state, vv here the spirit cxist», which they call the world of spirits, where they enjoy differ- ent degrees of tranquility and comforts agreeably to their life spent here. They hold their beloved man or priest in great respect, and pay stiict obedience to what he directs." Thesxj religious beloved men, are also supposed to be in great favour with the deity, and able to pixxjure rain when they please. In this respect also, we may observe a great conformity to the practice of the Jews. Their records infore^ us, that in the moon Abib or Nisan, they prayed for the spring or latter rain, to be so seasonable and sufficient as to give them a good harvest; and the Indians have a tradition, that their fore-fathers sought for, and obtained such seasonable rains, as gave them plentiful crops continually ; and they now seek them, in a manner agreeable to a shadow of this tradi- tion. I la the year 17i7, a Natchez warrior told Adair, that while I one of their prophets was using his divine invocations for rain, [ he was killed by thunder on the spot ; upon which account the I spirit of praphecy ever after subsided among them, and he \ became the last of their reputed propliets. They believed I tliat the hoty qririt of fire had killed him with some of his an- gry darting lire, for wilful impurity ; and by his threatening voice, forbad them to renew the like attempt; and justly con- cluded, that if they all lived well, they should fare well and have proper seasons. This opinion coincides with that of the Hebrews, wlio esteemed thunder-struck individuals as under the displeasure of heaven, and they also observed and enforc- ed such rules of external purity as none of the nations obscrv- ed, except the Hebrews. A STAR IN THE WEST. 203 As the Jewish prophets had oracuJar answers to their pray- ers, so the Indian prophets, who invoke yo-he-ivah and medi- ate with the supreme holy fire, that he may give seasonahle rains, have a transparent stone of supposed great power in assisting to bring down the rain, when it is put in a basin of water agreeably to a reputed divine virtue impressed on one of the like sort, in times of old, which communicates itcireu- larh'. This stone would suffer great injury, as they assert, were it even seen by their own laity ; but if by foreigners, it w ould be utterly despoiled of its divine communicative power. Tliis looks something like a tradition of the blazing stones of Urim and Thumim. As the Jew^s had a sanctum sanctorum, or most holy place in their tabernacle and temple, so have all the Indian nations, particularly the Mnskohge nation. It is par- titioned off by a mud wall, about breast high, between the white seat, which always stands to the left hand of the red painted war seat. There they deposit their consecrated ves- sels and supposed holy utensils, none of the laity daring to approach that sacred place for fear of particular damage to themselves, and a general hurt to the people, from the sup- posed divinity of the place. According to Mr* Baii;ram, the great or public squaiT. of the southern towns, generally stands alone, in the centre and highest part of the town. It consists of four square or cubical buildings of one story high — uniform and of the same dimen- sions, so situated as to form an exact tetragon, encompassing an area of half an acre of ground, more or less, according to the strength and size of the town, or will of the inhabitants. One of tliese buildings is the council-house, where all public 204 A STAK IN THE WEST, business is done. Another of these buildings differs from the rest — It is closely shut up on three sides, and has a partition wall run through it, longitudinally from end to end, dividing it into two apartments, the back part is dark, having only three small arched apertures or holes opening into it from the front apartment, and are but just sufficient for a man to go in at. This secluded place, appears to be designed as a sanchiary or sacred part of the temple, as it is said among them, to be death for any person, but the Mico, or high priest, to enter into it, and none are ever admitted, unless by permission of the priests, who guard it night and day. Here are deposited all the sacred tilings, as the physic-pot, rattles, chaplets, ea- gle's tail, calumet or sacred stem, the pipe of peace, &c. But children and females are never admitted. At this time the people of the town were fasting, taking medicine, and praying to avert a grievous calamity of sick- ness which then afflicted them. They fasted seven or eight days, during whicli they neither eat or drank any thing, but a meagre gruel made of corn flour and water, at the same time drinking their black drink or physic, which acts as a severe emetic. A STAR IN THE WEST. 301^ CHAPTER VII. T'heir Public Worship and Religious Opinims, THE Indians, in general, keep the following religious fasts and festivals — 1. Their Feast of First Fruits, and after it, on the evening of the same day, one something like the Passover. 2. The Hunter's Feast, like that of Pentecost. 3. The Feast of Harvest and day of expiation of sin. 4. A daily Sacrifice. 5. A Feast of Love. 1st. Their Feast of First Fruits and Passover. Mr. Penn, wlio found them perfectly in a state of nature, and wholly a stranger to their manners and characters, and who could not have had any knowledge of them but from what he saw and heard for some months he remained with them, on his first visit to their country, informs his friends in England, in one of his first letters, in 1683, *' that he considered these poor people as under a dark night in tilings relating to religion ; yet that they believed in a god, and immortality, without the help of metaphysics, for they informed him tliat tliere was a great king who made them, who dwelled in a glorious country to the southward of them ; and that the souls of the good wOl go thither, where they shall live again. Their worship con- sists of two parts — sacrifice and cantico. The first is with 206 A STAR IN THE WEST. their fivst fruits. The first and fattest buck they kill goeth to the fire, where he is all burnt with a doleful ditty of him who performs the ceremony, but with such marvellous ferven- cy and labour of body, that he will even sweat to a foam. The other part is their cantico, performed by round dances —sometimes words — sometimes songs — then shouts — two are in the middle, who begin, and by singing and druming on a board, direct tlic chorus. This is done with equal earnest- ness and labour, but with great appearance of joy. In the fall when the corn cometh in, they begin to feast one another. There have been two great festivals already, to which all come, who will. Mr. Penn was at one himself. — " Their en- tertainment was at a great seat by a spring, under some sha- dy trees. It consisted of twenty bucks, with hot cakes made of new corn, with both wheat and beans, which they make up in a square form, in the leaves of the corn, and then bake them in the ashes— tliey then fall to dancing ; But all who go to this feast must take a small present in their money, it might be but six pence, whicli is made of the bone of a fish. The black is with them as gold, and the white as silver — they call it wampmu^* Afterwards speaking of their agree- ment in rites with the Hebrews, he says that "they reckon by moons — they offer their first fruits — they have a kind of Feast of Tabernacles — they are said to lay their altars upon twelve stones — they mourn a year — ^they have a separation of \womcn; with many other things that do not now occur. / From Mr. Adair, the following account, or rather abstract, fof his account of the feast and fast of what may be called their I Passover, and Feast of First Fruits, is made. A STAK IN TIIE WEST. :iU7 On the day appointed (which was among the Jews, generally in the spring, answering to our March and April, when their barley was ripe, being the first month of tlieir ecclesiastical, and the seventh of their civil year, and among the Indians, as soon as their first spring produce comes in) while the sanc- tified new fruits arc dressing, six old beloved women come to their temple, or sacred wigw am of worship, and dance the beloved dance with joyful hearts. They observe a solemn procession as they enter the holy ground, or beloved square, carrying in one hand a bundle of small branches of various green trees ; when they are joined by the same number of beloved old men, who carry a cane in one hand, adorned with white feathers, having green boughs in the other hand. Their heads ai'e dressed with w'hite plumes, and the women in their finest clothes and anointed with bear's grease or oil, having also small tortoise shells and white pebbles fastened to a piece of white dressed deer skin, which is tied to eadi of their legs. The eldest of the beloved men, leads the sacred dance at the head of the innermost row, which of course is next the holy fire. He begins tlie dance, after once going round the holy fire, in solemn and religious silence. He then in the next circle, invokes yah, after their usual manner, on a bass key and with a short accent. In anotlier circle, he sings ho, ho, which is repeated by all the religious procession, till they finish that circle. Then in another round, they repeat he, he, in like manner, in regidar notes, and keeping time in the dance. Another circle is continued in like manner, with repeating the word ivaJi, xvah (making in the whole, the di- vine and holy name of yaJi, ho, he, waL) A little after this is finished, which takes considerable tiHiC, they begin again. 2B8 A STAR IN THE WEST. going fresh rounds, singing hal-hal'k'le-lU'lU'yah'yah, in like manner^ and frequently the whole train strike up hallelu, hal- klu, haUeluyahf halleluyahf with great earnestness, fervour and joy, while each strikes the ground with right and left feet al- ternately, very quick, but well timed. Then a kind of hol- low sounding drum, joins the sacred choir, which excites the old female singers to chant forth their grateful hymns and praises to the divine spirit, and to redouble their quick, joyful steps, in imitation of the leader of tlie beloved men, at theii* head. This appears very similar to the dances of the Hebrews, and may we not reasonably suppose, that they formerly under- stood the psalms and divine hymns, at least those which be- gin or end with hallehfjah ; otherwise how comes it to pass, that all the inhabitants of the extensive regions of North and South America, have and retain these very expressive He- brew words, and repeat them so distinctly, applying them after the manner of the Hebrews, in their religious acclama- tions. On other religious occasions, and at their Feast of Love, they sing ale-yOf ak-yo, which is the divine name by the attribute of omnipotence. They likewise sing he-wah, he-wah, which is the immortal soul, drawn from the divine essential name, as deriving its faculties from yo-he-wah. These words of their religious dances, they never repeat at any other time, which has greatly contributed to the loss of their meaning ; for it is believed they have grown so corrupt, as not now to understand either the spiritual or literal meaning of what they sing, any farther than by allusion to the name of the great spirit. A STAR IN THE WEST. 209 In these circuitous dances, they frequently also sing on a bass key, aluJie^ aluhe, aluwah, aluwah. Also sJiilu-yOf sldln- yo, shilu-he, shihi-he, shilu-wahf shilU'-wah, and shilu-hah, shiliL'hah,^ They transpose them also several ways, but with the very same notes. The tlirec terminations make up the four lettered divine name* Hah is a note of glad- ness and joy. The word preceding it, shilu, seems to ex- press the predicted human and divine Sliiloh, who was to be the purifier and peace maker. They continue their grate- ful divine hymns for the space of about fifteen minutes, and then break up. As they degenerate, they lengthen their dances, and shorten the time of their fasts and purifications ; insomuch, that they have so exceedingly corrupted their prim- itive rites and customs, within the space of tlie last tliirty years, (now about eighty years) that, at the same rate of de- clension, there will not long be a possibility of tracing their origin, but by their dialects and war customs. At the end of this notable religious dance, the old beloved women return home to hasten the feast of the new sanctified fruits. In the mean time, every one at the temple drinks plentifully of the cussena and other bitter liquids, to cleanse their sinful bodies, as they suppose. After which, they go to some convenient deep water, and there, according to the ceremonial law of the Hebrews, they wasli away their sins with water. They then return with great joy, in solemn procession, singing their notes of praise, till they again enter their holy ground, to eat of the new delicious fruits, which are brought to the outside of the ♦ Cnulen, in his Concordance, says — " All christian commentators agree, that the word Shiloh ought to be understood of theMessiah, of Jesus Christ. Jerome translates it, by qui met bendus est— He who is to be sent; and manifestly reads Shi* biach, sent, instead of Shiloh." 2E CIO A STAR IN THE AVBST. square by tlie old beloved women. They all behave so mod- estly, and are passessed of such au extraordinary constancy and equanimity in pui-suit of their religious mysteries, that they do not shew the least outward emotion of pleasure at the fii*st sight of the sanctified new fruits. If one of them should act in a contrary maimer, they would say to him che-hakset- Kanaha-^— You resemble such as were beat in Kanaha. — Formerly, on the north side of the Susquehannah river, in Pennsylvania, were some old Indian towns, called Kanaa, and now about eighty years ago, there was a remnant of a nation^ or a subdivided tribe of Indians, called Kanaai, wliich greatly resembles the Hebrew name Canaan. } Mr. Smith, ill his History of New-Jersey^t speaking of tlie I Indians in the year 1681, says — *• Very little can be said as I to their religion. They are thought to believe in a god and immortality, and seemed to aim at public woi*ship. When they did this, they sometimes sat in several circles, one witliin anotlier. The action consisted of singing, jumping, shouting and dancing; but mostly performed rather as something handed down fix)m their ancestors, than from any knowledge or enquiry into the serious parts of its origin. They said that the great king who made them, dwelt in a glorious country to the southward, and that the spirits of the best should go there and live again. Their most solemn worsliip was the sacrifice of the fii'st fruits, in which they burnt the first and fattest buck, and feasted together on wliat else they had col- lected. But in this sacrifice broke no bones of any creature they eat. When done, they gathered the bones and bmied them very cai'e fully : these have siuce been fi'equently ploughed up." — page liO. A STAR IN THE WEST. 211 Among the Indians on the northwest side of the Oliio, the Feast of the First Fruits is thus described by the Rev. Dr. Charles Beatty, who was an eye witness of the ceremony : Before they make use of any of the first or spring fruits of the ground, twelve oS their old men meet, when a deer and some of the first fruits are provided. The deer is divided into twelve parts, according to the number of tlie men, and the €orn beaten in a mortar a)i Daniel vii. 9 and 10, Acts ii. 3. God also appealed sur- rounded by a flame of fire at the burning bush. And when descending on Mount Sinai, the mountain appeared enveloped in flaming fire — Exodus iii. 2— .xix. 18. The people who have lived so long apart from the rest of mankind, are not to be wondered at, if they have forgotten the meaning and end ©f the sacrifices. They are rather to be pitied for seeming to believe, like the ignorant part of the Israelites of old, that the virtue is either in the form of offering the sacrifice, or in the divinity, who they imagine resides on earth, in tiic sacred 216 A STAR m THE WEST. annual fire : likewise, for having forgotten that the blessing was not in the outward sign, but in the thing signifred or typified by that sign. The Feast of Harvest and Bay of Expiation of 8in, We shall now proceed to their most solemn and important feast and fast, answerable to the Jewish Feast of Harvest and Day of Expiation of Sin. The Indians formerly observed this grand festival of the annual expiation of sin, and tlie offering of the first fruits of the harvest, at the beginning of the first new moon in which their corn became full eared, as we learn from Adair. But for many years past, they are regulated by the season of their harvest. Yet they are as skilful in observing the revolutions of the moon, as ever the Israelites were, at least till the end of the first temple. For during that period, instead of mea- suring time by astronomical calculations, they knew it only by the phases of the moon. In like manner the Indians annually observed their festi- vals and Mdak-Fa-ah, or days of afflicting themselves before the great spirit, at a prefixed time of a certain moon. According to Charlevoix, the harvest among the JVatchez, on the Missisippi, is in common. The great chief fixes the day for the beginning of the festival of the harvest, which lasts three days, spent in sports and feasting. Each private person contributes something of his hunting, his fishing, and his other provisions, as maize, beans and melons. The great chief presides at the feast — all the sachems are round him, in a respectful posture. The last day, the chief makes a A Star in the west. S17 speech to the assembly. He exhorts every one to he exact in the performance of his duties, especially to have a great veneration for the spirit which resides in the temple, and to be careful in instructing their children* The fathers of families never fail to bring to the temple the first produce of their harvest, and of every tiling that they gather, and they do the same by all the presents that are made to their nation. They expose thfem at the door of the temple, the keeper of wliich, after presenting them to the spirit, carries them to the king, who distributes them to whom he pleases. The seeds are in like manner offered be- fore the temple, with great ceremony. But the offerings which are made of bread and flour every new moon, are for the use of the keepers of the temple. As the offerings of the fruits of the harvest precede a long strict fast of two nights and a day, they gormandize such a prodigious quantity of strong food, as to enable them to keep inviolate the succeeding fast. The feast lasts only from niorn-^ ing to sunset. As we have already seen, this feast with tlie Hebrews be- gan in the month Tizri, wliich was tlie first month of the civil year, answerable to our September alid Octobei*. The feast took place previous to the great day of expiation, which was tlie tenth day of the month. So the Indian corn being gen- erally full eared and fit to eat about this time, they are not far from the very time directed in the Mosaic appointment for keeping it^ The feast being over, some of their people are carefully employed in putting their temple in proper order for the annual expiation, while others are painting the white cabin % F 518 A STAR IK THE WEST. and the supposed holiest with white clay ; for it is a sacred and peaceable place, and white is its emblem. Others of an inferior order are covering all the seats of the beloved square with new matrasses, made out of fine splinters of long canes, tied together with flags. Several are busy in sweeping the temple, clearing it of every supposed polluted thing, and car- rying out the ashes from the hearth, which, perhaps, had not been cleaned but a few times since the last year's annual offering. Every thing being thus prepared, the chief beloved man, or high-priest, orders some of his religious attendants to . dig up the old hearth or altar, and to sweep out the remains, that by chance miglit cither be left or dropped down. He then puts a few roots of the button-snake root, with some green leaves of an uncommon small sort of tobacco, and a lit- tle of the new fruits, at the bottom of the fire-place, which he orders to be covered up with white marley clay, and wetted over with clean water. Immediately the magi or priests, order a thick arbor to be made over the altar with green branches of the various young trees, whicli the warriors had designedly chosen and laid down on the outside of the supposed holy ground. The women in the interim are busy at home, clear- ing out their houses, putting out all the old fire, renewing the old hearths, and cleansing all their culinary vessels, that they may be fit to receive the pretended holy fire, and the sancti- fied new fruits, according to the purity of the law, lest by an improper conduct, they should incur damage in life, health, or future crops, Sic. It is fresh in the memory of tiie old traders, as we are as- sured by those wlio have lived long with them, that formerly none of those numerous nations of Indians would eat, or even A STAR IN THE WEST. gl9 liandle, any pai't of the new liarvcst, till some of it liad been offered up at the yearly festival by the beloved man or high- priest, or those of his appointment at their plantations,* al- though the light harvest of the past year should almost have forced them to give their women and children of the ripening fruits to sustain life. But they are visibly degenerating more and more, both ia this and every other religious observance, except what con- cerns war ; yet their magi and old warriors live contentedly on such harsh food as nature afibrds them ia the woods^ rather tlian transgress the divine precept given to their forefathers. Having every thing in order for the sacred solemnity, the I'eligious waiters carry off the remains of the feast, and lay them on the outside of the square. Others, of ajs inferior order, carefully sweep out the smallest crumbs, for fear of polluting the first fruit offering ; and before simset, the tem- ple must be cleared, even of every kind of vessel or utensil that had contained any thing, or had been used for any kind of provision during the past year. Now one of the w aiters proclaims with a kmd voice, for all the warriore and beloved men, w iiom the purity of their law admits, to come and enter the beloved square and observe the fast* He also exhoiis the women and cMldrmy wiih those vjJm have not been initiated hi war, \io keep apart^ acccirdiBg to the law. Four centinels are now placed, one at each comer of the holy square, to keep out every living creature as impure, * VkleLuke, -vi. 1, relating to the second sabbath, bot not the seTenth-day sal>- Vath, it was the day of crffering up the first fruits, before vilmh it vas »ot lawful ta eat ef the harvest. 220 A STAR IN THE WEST. except the religious order, and the warriors who are not known to have violated the law of the first fruit offering, and that of maiTiage, since the last year's expiation. They ob- serve the fast till the rising of the second sun ; and he they ever so hungry in that sacred interval, the healthy warriors deem the duty so awful, and disobedience so inexpressibly vi- cious, that no temptation would induce them to violate it. — They at the same time drink plentifully of a decoction of the button-snake root, in order to vomit and cleanse their sinful bodies. When we consider their earnest invocations of the divine essence in this solemnity — that they never apply tliis root only on religious occasions — that they frequently drink it to such excess as to impair their health ; and take into consideration its well known property of curing the bite of the rattle snake, must not it be concluded, that this has some reference to the cure of the bite of the old serpent in Eden, or to tlie serpent lifted up in the wilderness. In the general fast, the children, and men of weak consti- tutions, are allowed to eat, as soon as they are certain that the sun has begun to decline from his meridian altitude. This seems to be founded on the principle of mercy before sacrifice — and the snake root used by those in the temple, and the bitter green tobacco, which is eaten by the women and those too wicked to be admitted to the fast held therein, seem to point to eating of the paschal lamb with bitter herbs. Being great lovers of ripe fruit, and as yet only tantalized with the sight of them, this may, with justice, be said to be a fast to afflict their souls, and to be a sufficient trial of their religious principles. At the end of this solemn fast, the wo- A STAR IN THE WEST. 221 men, by the voice of a crier, bring to the outside of the holy square, a plentiful variety of the old year's food newly dressed, which they lay down and immediately return home. The waiters then go, and reaching their hands over the holy ground, they bring in the provisions and set them down be- fore the famished multitude. They think it wholly out of order to show any joy or gladness for the end of their reli- gious duties. They are as strict observers of their set forms, as the Israelites were of those they received from divine appointment. As soon as the sun is visibly declining from the meridian, the third day of the fast, the chief beloved man orders a religious attendant to cry aloud to the crowded town, that the holy fire is to be brought out for the sacred altar — commanding every person to stay within his house, as becomes the beloved people, without doing the least bad thing ; and to be sure to extinguish Qverj spark of the old fire, otherwise the divine fire will bite them severely. Now every thing is hushed. Nothing but silence all around. The great beloved man, and his beloved waiter, rising up with a reverend carriage, steady countenance, and composed be- haviour, go into the beloved place, or holiest, to bring them out the beloved fire. The former takes a piece of dry poplar, willow, or white-oak, and having cut a hole, but not so deep as to reach through it 5 he then sharpens another piece, and placing that in the hole, and both between his knees, he drills it briskly for several minutes, till it begins to smoke — or, by rubbing two pieces together for a quarter of an hour, he col- lects, by friction, the hidden fire, which they all consider as proceeding from the holy spirit of fire. 2^ A STAE IN THE WEST. They then cherish it with fine chips, till it glows into a flame, hj using a fan of the unsullied wing of a swan. On this the beloved man brings out the fire, in an old earthen vessel, and lays it on the altar, which is under the arbor, thick weaved on the top with green boughs.* They rejoice exceedingly at this appearance of the reputed holy fire, as it fe supposed to atone for all their past crimes, except murder. Although the people without, may well know what is doing "within, yet by order, a crier informs them of the glad tidings, and orders a beloved old woman to pull a basket full of the new ripened fruits, and bring them to the beloved square. As she is prepared for the occasion, she readily obeys, and soon lays it down at the corner thereof. Then the fire-maker rises from his white seat, and walks northward three times round the holy fire with a slow pace, and in a sedate and grave manner, stopping now and then, and saying some old ceremonial words Viith a low voice and a rapidity of expression, which none un- derstand but a few of the beloved old men, who equally secrete their religious mysteries, that they may not be profaned. He then takes a little of each sort of the new fruits, rubs some beards oil over them, and offers them up, together with some flesh, to the bountiful spirit of fire, as a fruit offering and an annual oblation for sin. He likewise pours a little of a strong decoetion of the button-snake root, and of tlie cusseena, into the pretended holy fire. He tlien purifies the red ami white seats with those bitter liquids, and sits down. All culprits may now come forth from their hiding places, dressed in their finest clothes, to pay their thanks, at an awful distance, to the forgiv- * Evzn among the Romans, if the sacred fire at any time happened to be extin- gjoislied, it could only be lighted again at the rays of the sua A STAR IN THE WEST. 233 ing divine fire. Orders are now given to call tlie women to come for the sacred fire— They gladly obey. The great be- loved man, or high-priest, addresses tlie warriors and women ; giving all the particular positive injunctions and negative pre- cepts they yet retain of the ancient law. He uses very sharp language to the women. He then addresses the whole multi- tude. He enumerates tlie crimes they have committed, great and small, and bids them look at the holy fire which has for- given them. He presses on his audience, by the great motives of temporal good and the fear of temporal evil, the necessity of a careful observance of the ancient law, assuring them that the holy fire will enable their prophets, the rain-makers, to pro- cure them plentiful harvests, and^ive their war leaders vic- tory over their enemies. He then orders some of the fire to be laid down outside of the holy ground, for all the houses of the various associated towns, which sometimes lay sevei'al miles apart.^ If any are sick at home, or unable to come out, they are allowed one of the old consecrated conch shells full of their sanctifying bitter cusseena, carried to them by a beloved old * Dr. Hyde says, that the thu'd state of the Persian reh'gion commenced, m hen, in imitation of the lire preserved upon the altar in the temple at Jerusalem, they kept also a perpetual fire upon an altar. This gave occasion to the common opin- ion, that the ancient Persians worshipped fire ; but Dr. Hyde justifies them from, that imputation. He owns that they regarded this fire a& a thing sacred, and pait! it a kind of service ; but he denies that they ever paid to it a proper adoration. Oae of their priests said, that they did not pay any divine worship to mithra, which is the sun ; or to the moon, or the stars, but only turned towards the sun when thev prayed, because the nature of it nearly resembled that of fire. They regarded it as an image of God, and some said God resided in it, and othere, that it will be ll>e. seat of the blessed. On the twenty-fourth iNIarch all the inhabitants of a parish in Persia extinguish the fire in their houses, and go to light it again by tlie fire of the priest, each paying him about six shillings and three pencR, which serves for hh support- They must have taken this custom from tlie Jews. 224 A STAR IN THE WEST* man. This is something like the second Passover of the Jews. At the conclusion, the beloved man orders one of his religious waiters to proclaim to all the people that the sacred annual solemnity is now ended, and every kind of evil avert- ed from the beloved people, according to the old straight be- loved speech. They are then commanded to paint themselves, and go along with him, according to ancient custom. They immediately fly about to grapple up a kind of chalkey clay to paint themselves white. They soon appear, all over, as white as the clay can make them. Then they follow on, in an orderly slow procession, to purify themselves in running water. The beloved man, or high-priest, heads the holy train — -his waiter next — the beloved men according to tlieir seniority — and the warriors according to their reputed merit. The women follow in the same orderly manner, with all the children who can walk, ranged according to their height. — The very little ones, are carried in the mothers arms. In this manner they move along, singing halleluyah to F. 0, He-wah, till they get to the water, when the Iiigh-priest jumps into it, and all the train follow him."^ Having thus purified them- selves, and washed away their sins, as they suppose and verily believe, they consider themselves as out of the reach of tem- poral evil, for their past vicious conduct. They now return * The Indian Moraen never perform their religious ahlutionsin presence of the men, hut purify themselves, not at appointed times, with the men, but at their dis- cretion. Th-ey are also entirely excluded from their temples by ancient custom, except the six old beloved women, who are permitted to sing, dance, and rejoice at their annual expiation for sin ; but they must retire before the other solemni ties begin. So the Hebrew women performed their ablutions, separated from the men, by themselves. They also worshipped apart from the men, lest they should at* tract each others attention in divine worsl)ip. A STAR IN THE WEST. ^25 to the centre of the holy ground, where having made a few circles, dancing round the altar, tliey finish their annual great festival, and depart in joy and peace. Mr. Bartram, who visited the southern Indians in 1778, gives an account of the same feast, but in another nation. He says that the Feast of First Fruits is their principal festival. This seems to end the old and beigin the new ecclesiastical year. It commences when their new crops are amved to ma- turity This is their most solemn celebration.* When a town celebrates the busk, or first fall fruits, having previously provided themselves with new clothes, new pots, pans, and other household utensils and furniture, they collect all their worn out clothes and other despicable things, sweep and clean their houses, squares, and the whole town, of their filth, which, with all the remaining grain and other old provi- sions, they cast together in one common heap, and consume it with fire. After taking medicine^ and fasting for tliree days, all the fire in the town is extinguished. During this fast, they abstain from the gratification of every appetite and passion whatever. A genei'al amnesty is proclaimed. All malefac- tors may return to their town, and they are absolved from their crimes, which are now forgotten, and they are restored to favour. On the fourth morning, the high -priest, or chief beloved man, by rubbing dry wood together, produces new fire in the public square, from whence every habitation in the town is supplied with the new and pure flame. Then the wo- men go forth to the harvest fields and bring from thence new ■* This is plainly the great feast on the day of expiation, and that of harvest, V hen they offer up their fall fruits, and not tlie spring first fruit feast, and shouKl have been called tlie new civil year. 226 A STAR IN THE WEST. corn and fruits, wliich bcinj^ prepared in the best manner, in various dishes, and drink withal, is brouglit with solemnity to the square, wlierc the people are assembled, appareled in their new clothes and decorations. The men having regaled them- selves, the remainder is carried off and distributed among the families of the town. The women and children solace them- selves in their separate families, and in the evening repair to the public square, where they dance, sing and rejoice, during tlie whole night, observing a proper and exemplary decorum. This continues three days, and the four following days they receive visits and rejoice with their friends from neighbouring towns, who have also purified and prepai-ed themselves. The Rev. Mr. Brainerd, in liis journal says, he visited the Indians on the 20th of September, 1745, at the Juniata, near the Susquehannah, in Pennsylvania. This is the first month of their civil year, and the usual time of the feast of fruits, or harvest. It ought to be noted, that Mr. Brainerd, though an excellent man, was at this time wholly unacquainted with the Indian language, and indeed with their customs and manners. These Indians in particular, w^re a set of the lowest grade ; the most worthless, of the nations wholly ruined by the exam- ple and temptations of the white people. Mr. Brainerd's interpreter was a common Indian, greatly attached to the habits of his countrymen, and much in their interest. He says he found the Indians almost universally busy in making prep- arations for a great sacrifice and dance. In the evening they met together, to the number of about one hundred, and danced round a large fire, having prepared ten fat deer for the sacri- fice. They burned the fat of the inwards in the fire, while they were dancing, and sometimes raised the flame to a pro- A STAR IN THK WEST. 227 digious hciglit, at the same time yclliiij^ and slioutiiig in snch u manner that they might easily be heard two miles off. Tiiey continued their sacred dance nearly all night; after wl»ich, they eat the flesh of the sacrifice, and then retired each to his lodging. As Mr. Brainerd ackno\N ledges, that he dared not go among them, he could give a very imperfect account of their pi-oceedings, as he must have received it fiom the inter- preter. The Feast of lite Daihj Sacrifice. The next remarkable feasts they religiously observe, are those of the Daily Sacrifice and some occasional ones. The Hebrews, it is well known, offered daily sacrifices of a lamb every morning and evening, and except the skin and entrails, it was burnt to ashes. The Indians have a very humble imitation of this rite. — The women always throw a small piece of the fattest of the meat into the fire, before they begin to 'eat. At times they view it with pleasing attention, and pretend to draw omens from it. This they will do, though they are quite alone, and not seen by any one. Those who have been adopted by them, and fully considered as belonging to their nation, say, that the Indian men observe the Daily Sacrifice both at home and in the woods, with new^ killed venison. They also draw their new killed venison, before they dress it, several times through tlie smoke and flame of fire, both by way of an offering as a sacrifice, and to consume the blood, which, with them, as with the Hebrews, would be a 228 A &TAK IX THE WEST. most lioiTid abomination to cat. They also sacrifice^ while in the woods, the melt, or a large fat piece of the first buck they kill. They imagine that their temples have such a typical holi- ness, beyond any other place, that if they offered up the an- nual sacrifice elsewhere, it would not atone for the people, but rather bring down the anger of Ish-to-hoolo Aba, and utterly spoil the power of theii' holy place and holy things. They who sacrifice in the woods, do it only on particular occasions, allowed by their laws and customs. Their Feast of Love, ^c. Every spring season, one town or more, of the Missisippi Floridians, keep a solemn Feast of Love, to renew their old friendships. They call this annual feast Hottuck Jimpa, HeeU tla Tanaa, that is, <^ the people eat, dance and walk, as twined together." The short name of the feast is, '^ Hottuk ImpaTiaaf^* that is, ^* eating by a' strong religious and social principle.'^ Impanaa signifies, as I am informed, several threads or strands twisted together. They assemble three nights before the feast. On the fourth night they eat together. During the interme- diate space, the young men and women dance in circles, from the evening till the morning. "Wlien they meet at night, it is professed to be to gladden and unite their hearts before Y. 0. He. wah. The.y sing Y. 0. He. wah. shoo — Y. 0. He. wah. shoo— Y. O. He. wah. shee— Y. O4 He. wah. shee— Y. O.He. wah. shai — Y. 0. He. wah. shai — with great energy. The first word is nearly in the Hebrew characters, the name of Joshua or Saviour. A STAK 11^ THE WEST. 229 CHAPTER VIII. Or Miscellanemis Facts omitted, THE writer of these sheets was himself present at a religious dance of six or seven nations, accidentally meeting together, and having been hospitably entertained by the governor and inhabitants, they gave this dance to the governor and such as he should invite, by way of shewing their gratitude. The writer was invited, with a very large company of gen- tlemen and ladies. The following is an exact account of what passed ; to every circumstance of which he was critically at- tentive. After the company had assembled in a very large room, the oldest sachem of the Senecas, and a beloved man, entered, and took their place in the middle of the room, having something in imitation of a small drum, on which the old sachem beat time at the dance. Soon after, between twenty and thirty In- dians came in, wrapped in their blankets. These made a very solemn and slow procession round the room, keeping the most profound silence, the sachem sounding his drum to direct their motion. The second round, they began to sing on a bass key y, y, y, till they completed the circle, dancing the whole time, to the sound of the drum, in a very solemn and serious manner. Tlie third round, their ardor increased to such a degree, while they danced with a quicker step, and sang he-Iw-hef so as to make them very warm, and they began 230 A STAR IN THE WEST. to perspire freely, and to loosen their blankets. The fourth round they sang ho, ho, ho, with great earnestness, and by dancing with greater violence, their perspiration increased, and tlicy cast off tlieir blankets entirely, which caused some confusion. The next and last round put them in a mere frenzy, twisting their bodies, and wreathing like so many snakes, and making as many antic gestures as a parcel of monkies, singing the whole time, in the most energetic man- ner, wah'Wah-wah, They kept time in tlieir dancing, as well as any person could do, who had been taught by a master. Each round took them between ten -and fifteen minutes. They then witlidrew in indian file, with great silence, except the two with the drum. Tlie company had supposed that they were invited to a war-dance. The writer, desirous of ascer- taining the nature of the dance, went to the interpreter, and asked him if what they had seen was intended as a war- dance ; he seemed much displeased, and in a pettish manner, answered, a war-dance, no! Indians never entertain civil people with a war-dance. It was a religious dance. In a sliort time, a considerable bustle being heard at the door, the company came to order, when the Indians re-entered in indian file, and danced one round — then a second, singing, in a more lively manner, hal-haUhal till they finished the round. They then gave us a third round, striking up the word, le-le-le. On the next round, it was tlie word lu-hi-lu, dancing naked, with all their might, having again thrown off their blankets. Dur- ing the fifth immd, was sung the syllable yah-yah-yah. Then all joining, as it were, in a general, but very lively and joy- ous chorus, they sang hal-le-lu-yah, dwelling on each syllable with a very long breath, in the most pleasing manner. I A STAR IN THE WEST» 231 , There could be no deception in all tliis — the writer was near them— paid great attention — and every tWng was obvi- ous to the senses, and discovered great fervor and zeal in the performers. Their pronunciation was very guttural and son- orous, but distinct and clear. The compiler of these facts, rode in the stage to Elizabeth- Town, sometime about the year 1789, with an Indian sachem from the Creek or Chikkesah nation, and his retinue, who was going, under the care of col. Butler, to New- York, to establish or renew" a peace with the United States. He was a strong, tall, well proportioned man, of great gravity in his appearance, and all his behaviour. He was well dressed, and a much better demeanor in his whole conduct, than any Indian the writer had ever seen. Neither he nor one of his attendants could speak Englisli. From the extraordinary respect paid him by his attemlants, he was certainly a sachem of high reputation. At dinner, though hard pressed by some of the gentlemen at table, he could not be persuaded to drink more than three glasses of wine, and he would not taste bran- dy. When in Philadelphia, he drank tea in company with a number of ladies, among whom was a l^Iiss P — e, who painted minature pictures very well. She being prepared for it, took his face with a strong likeness, witliout his perceiving it. When it was finished, she gave it to the interpreter, who put it into the hands of the chief. He appeared in perfect aston- ishment ; he looked wildly about him, and spoke to the inter- preter in Indian, in a very empliatical manner, asking liin> (as he said) where that had come from, and what was tlic meaning of it. The interpreter introduced the young lady to him, and told him that she had done it while sitting in the 5S^ A STAJR IN THE WEST. room. He expressed himself very much gratified with it, offered to return it to her, hut she desired the interpreter to inform him that she wished to present it to him. He made great acknowledgments for the favour, saying, that he was a poor Indian, and had nothing to give her in return ; but that he often spoke to the great spirit, and the next time he did, he would remember her. When the stage drove up to the tavern at Frankfort, tlie stage-driver got out to get a dram, the horses took fright and ranaway with the stage and overset it, by which the chief, received a large and very severe cut on his forehead ; and Gol. Butler, was also wounded, but all the rest got off unhurt. Tlie chief jealous that it was done to injure him, seemed terri- fied and alarmed. But when he observed that col. Butler was also hurt, and that it was an accident, he seemed imme- diately to become calm and easy — A surgeon soon came in, and sewed up the wound, in a manner that must have given the chief great pain ; but he would not acknowledge it, neith- er did he discover the least symptom of it. As soon as he was dressed, he arose up and addressed col. Butler, which the in- terpreter explained, saying, "never mind this brother — it will soon be all well. This is the work of the evil spirit — ^lie knows we are going to effect a work of peace — he hates peace and loves war — never mind it — let us go on and accomplish our business — we will disappoint him." The writer of tliese sheets, many years ago, was one of the corresponding members of a society in Scotland, for promoting the gospel among the Indians. To further this great work, they educated two young men of very serious and religious dispositions, and who were desirous of undertaking the mis- A STAR IN THE WEST. 233 3ion, for this special purpose — when they were ordained and ready to depart, we wrote a letter in the Indian style, to the Delaware nation, then residing on the nortli-west of the Ohio, informing that we had, hy tlie goodness of the great spirit, been favoured with a knowledge of Jiis will, as to the worship he required of his creatures, and the means he would bless to promote the happiness of man, both in this life and that which was to come. That thus enjoying so much happiness our- selves, we could not but think of our red brethren in the wil- derness, and wished to communicate the glad tidings to them, that they might be partakers with us. We had therefore sent them two ministers of the gospel, who would teach them these great things, and earnestly recommended them to their care- ful attention. With proper passports the missionaries set off and arrived in safety at one of their principal towns. The chiefs of the nation were called together, who answer- ed them that they would take it into consideration, and in the mean time they might instruct their women, but they should not speak to the men. They spent fourteen days in council, and then dismissed them very courteously, with an answer to us. This answer made great acknowledgments for the favour we had done them. They rejoiced exceedingly at our happi- ness in thus being favoured by the great spirit, and felt very grateful that we had condescended to remember our breth- ren in the wilderness. But they could not help recollecting that we had a people among us, who, because they differed from us in colour, we had made slaves of, and made them suf- fer great hardships and lead miserable lives. Now, they could not see any reason, if a people being black, entitled us thus to deal with thera^ why a red colour would not equally justify the 2 H 23* A STAR IN THE WEST. same treatment. They therefore had determined to wait, to see whetlier all the hlack people amongst us were made thus happy and joyful, before they could put confidence in our promises ; for they thought a people who had suffered so much and so long by our means, should be entitled to our first at- tention ; that therefore they had sent back the two missiona- ries, with many thanks, promising that when they saw the black people among us restored to freedom and happiness, they would gladly receive our missionaries. This is what in any other case, would be caUed close reasoning, and is too mortifying a fact to make further observations upon. The Indians to the northward, are said, by Mr. Colden, a laborious, sensible writer, in the times of their rejoicings, to repeat yo-ha-han, which, if true, evinces that their corrup- tion advances in proportion as they ai'e distant from South- America. But Mr. Colden, was an utter stranger to their language and manners, and might have mistaken their pro- nunciation-— or if he wTote from information of othei's, he has not been accurate, ^c. It was a material, or rather an essential mistake to write yO'ha-han, as it is confounding their two religious words to- gether. Mr. Adair was assured by Sir William Johnson, who had the management of Indian affairs for many yeai's under the British government, as well as by the Rev. Mr. Ogilvie, a missionary with the Moliawks, that the northern Indians, always pronounced the words of their songs, y-ho- Ae, a or ah, and so Mr. Colden altered them in the second edition of his history. He also says, when the northern In- dians, at a treaty or conference would give their assent, they answered y. o. hah — The speaker called out, y. o. hah, the A STAR IN THE -WEST. 2S6 rest answered in a sound, wliicli could not be expressed in English letters, but seemed to consist of two words, remark- ably distinguished in their cadence. The sachem of each na- tion, at the close of their chief's speech, called out severally, y, 0, hah. Charlevoix, in his history of Canada, says> that Father Grillon often told him, that after having laboured some time in the missions in Canada, lie returned to France and went to China. One day as he was travelling through Tartary, he met a Huron woman, wliom he had formerly known in Can- ada. She told him, that having been taken in war, she had been conducted from nation to nation, till she arrived at the place where she then was. There was another missionary, passing by the way of Nantz> on his return from China, wlio related the like story of a wo- man he had seen from Florida, in America. She informed him, that she had been taken by certain Indians, and given to those of a distant country ; and by these again to another na- tion, till she had been thus successively passed from country to country 5 had travelled regions exceedingly cold, and at last found herself in Tartary, and had there married a Tartar, who had passed with the conquerors into China, and there settled. The Cherokees had an honourable title among them, called "the deer-killer of the great spirit, for his people.^' Every town had one solemnly appointed, who killed deer for the holy feasts. Thus Nimrod is said to have been " a mighty hunter before the Lord " — Gen. x. 9. The Indian nations, in the coldest weather, and wiien the ground is covered with snow, practice their religious ablution!^* 2^6 A 3TAK IN THE WEST. Men and children turn out of their warm houses, singing their usual sacred notes, at the dawn of day, V, 0. Ilc-wah, and thus they skip along, singing till they get to the river, when they instantaneously plunge into it. The Hehrews also had various washings and anointings. They generally, after bathing, anointed themselves with oil. Tlieir kings, prophets and priests, were anointed with oil, and the Saviour himself is described as " the Jlnolnted,^^ The In- dian priests and prophets, or beloved men, are always initiated by unction. The Chickesaws some time ago set apart some of their old men. They first obliged them to sweat themselves for the space of three days and nights, in a small hut made for the purpose, at a distance from the town, for fear of pollu- tion, and from a strong desire they all have of secreting their religions mysteries. They eat nothing but green tobacco leaves, and drink only of button-snake wood tea, to cleanse their bodies, and prepare them to serve in tlie beloved, holy office. After wliich, their priestly garments are put on, with the ornaments before described, and then bear's oil is poured upon their heads. Like tlie Jews, both men and women fre- quently anoint themselves with bear's oil. It may not be amiss to mention, that Indians nerer prostrate themselves, nor bow their bodies to eacli other, by w^ay of sa- lute or homage, except when they are making or renewing peace with strangers, who come in the name of Yah ; then they bow their bodies in that religious solemnity. Also in their religious dances, for tlien they sing their hymns address- ed to F. 0. He-wdlu The Indians would not eat either the Mexican hog, or of the sea-cow, or the turtle, as Gumilla and Edwards inform us ; A STAR IN THE WEST. 257 but they lield them in tlio greatest abhorrence. Neither would they eat the eel ; nor of many animals and birds they deemed impure. It was foretold by Moses, that the Israelites should " walk in the stubbornness of their own htarts, to add drunkenness to thirst,^' God, by his prophet, threatens them in the severest manner for this abominable crime : ^' Wo to the proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim, And to the fading flower of their glorious beauty | To those that are at the head of the rich valley, that are stupified with wine ! Behold the mighty One ! the exceedingly strong One ♦ Like a storm of hail, like a destructive tempest ; Like a rapid flood of mighty waters pouring down ; He shall dash them to the ground with his hand. They shall be ti-odden under foot. The proud crown of the drunkards of Ephraim. In that day shall Jehovah, God of Hosts, become a beauteous crown. And a glorious diadem to the remnant of his people : But even these have erred through wine, and through strong drink they have reeled ; The priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink ; They are overwhelmed with wine, they have reeled through strong drink ; They have erred in vision, they have stumbled in judg- ment. For all their tables are fujl of vomit ; Of filthiness, so that no place is free." f Isaiah xxviiL 1-8. — LowtKs traiislatloiu 238 A STAR IN THE AVEST. This is one of the most terrible predictions denounced against them, and has been most awfully verified, should it turn out that the Indians in trutli are of the lost ten tribes of Israel. Among all their vices, tliis seems the most predominant, and destroys every power of soul and body. It is not of this na- tion or that — of one tribe or another — or of one rank or the other; but it is universal, among men, women and children. In sliort, it is one, among a great number, of the unnatural returns made them by the Europeans of every nation, for the Indian's kindness at first, and their giving up their lands after- wards, the bringing in ardent spirits among them for lucre of gain, and by this means have reduced their numbers, and driven them into the wilderness. They have themselves long seen their misery in this respect, and have long been struggling to get rid of it; but all in vain, till of late years, many men of virtue and of real religion, have united wdth tliem, to aid them, without which it seems impossible that they can withstand this all-conquering enemy. They will make laws against it — they will determine to expel all spiritous liquors from their towns, and they w^ill with philosophical firmness, destroy large quantities of it, brought in by the traders by stealth. But if they once taste it, all the reasoning of the most beloved man will not prevent them drinking as long as a drop lasts, and generally tliey transform themselves into the likeness of mad foaming bears. Mr. Colden says, " there is one vice which the Indians have fallen into since their acquaintance with the christians, and of which they could not have been guilty before that time, that is drunkenness. It is strange how all the Indian nations, and almost every person among them, male and female, are infatu- A STAR IN THE WEST. 239 ated with the love of strong drink. They know no bounds to their desires, while they can swallow it down, and then, in- deed, the greatest men amongst them scarcely desei've the name of a brute." They complained heavily to the Rev. Mr. Brainerd, that before the coming of the English they knew of no such thing as strong drink. That the English had, by these means, made them quari'cl with, and kill one another, and in a word, brought them to the practice of all those vices, that then pre- vailed among tliem. In an address, or rather an answer, made by the Delaware Indians in 1768, they say, " brothers! you have spoken to us against getting drunk. What you have said is very agreeable to our minds. We see it is a thing that is very bad, and it is a great grief to us that rum or any kind of stix)ng liquor should be brought among us, as we wish the chain of friendship, which now unites us and our brethren the Englisli together, may remain strong. Brothers ! the fault is not all in us. It begins with our brothers, the white people. For if they will bring us rum, some of our people will buy it; it is for that purpose it is brought. But if none was brought, then we could not buy it. Brothers! we beseech you, be faithful and desire our brothers, the white people, to bring no more of it to us. Shew this belt to them for this purpose. Shew it to the great man of the fort (meaning the commandant at Fort Pitt) and to our brothers on the way as you return, and to the great men in Philadelphia, and in other places, from which rum may be brought, and intreat them not. to bring any more." There is a very early record in the histoiy of New-Jersey, to the credit of both Indians and white inhabitants of that 240 A STAR IN TUB WEST. day. At a conference held with them, when eight kingti xiv sachems were present, tlie Indian speaker said, " strong liquors were sold to us by the Swedes and by the Dutch. These people had no eyes. They did not see that it was hurtful to us. Nevertheless, if people will sell it to us, we are so in love with it we cannot forbear. But now, there is a people come to live among us that have eyes. They see it to be for our hurt. They arc willing to deny themselves the profit for our good. This people have eyes. We are glad such people have come. Wc must put it down by mutual con- sent. We give these four belts of wampum to be witnesses of this agreement we make with you, and would have you to tell it to your children." Several nominal prophets have lately risen among them, and have become very popular, by taking advantage of their su- perstition, and declaring themselves messengers from heaven. Whatever they may be in reality, they have done some good. The Onondagoes, greatly addicted to drunkenness, have, by the influence of the brother of Corn-Planter, a Seneca chief, been prevailed on to give up the use of spiiitous liquors, and to become comparatively moral. Another of these propliets among the Shawanese and north-western Indians, has been equally successful. All the promises of a God of truth, to his faithful servants, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, must be strictly fulfilled, as well as the threatnings of his abused- justice. God did make a solemn and special promise to Abraham, which was after- wards repeated to Isaac and Jacob, in very strong and ex- pressive terms. And God said, " by myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, for because thou hast done this thing, and A STAR IN THE WEST. 241 hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in blessing, I will bless thee, and in multiplying, I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sand upon the sea shore, and thy seed shall possess tlie gates of his enemies" — Gen. xxii. 16, 17. Yet this was on condition of their observing the com- mandments that he had given them, for in case of disobedience, the threatnings were as explicit as the blessings. *» Jehovah hath sent a word against Jacob, and it hat)i lighted upon Israel — because tlie people all of them, carry themselves haughtily ; Ephraim and the inhabitants of Sa- maria, and Jehovah, God of Hosts, they have not sought.*' Yet his mercy will not finally forsake them. For " it shall come to pass in that day, no more shall the remnant of Israel, and the escaped of the house of Jacob, lean upon him who smote them, but shall lean upon Jehovah, the holy one of Israel, in truth. A remnant shall return, even a remnant of Jacob unto the mighty God, for though thy people Israel be as the sand of the sea, yet a remnant of them only shall return: the consummation decided shall overflow with strict justice" — Lowth's Isaiah, x. 23. The learned Dr. Bagot, Dean of Christ's Church, Oxford, translates the last clause of the verse thus, ** the accomplislnnent determined, overflows with justice ; for it is accomplished, and that which is deter- mined, the Lord of Hosts doth in the midst of the land" — vidft towth's notes on Isaiah, page 81. Hosea also repeats the affecting fate of Israel. *< And the Lord said unto him, I will cause to cease, the kingdom of the house of Israel, for I will no more have mercy on the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away. Yet the num- ber of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, 2 I i2^2 A STAR IN THE WEST. which cannot be measured or numbered; and it shaD come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, ye are not my people, there it sliall be said unto them, ye are the sons of the living God, Then shall the children of Judah, and the chil dren of Israel be gathered together, and shall appoint them- selves one head, and they shall come up out of the land, for great shall be the day of Jezreel." And St. John says, " and the sixth angel poured out his vial on the great nver Euphrates, and tlie waters thereof were dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be pre- pared." The Indian nations will answer, in a great measure, the description here given. That they have long been confined to wander in the wilderness of America, and that the con- sumption decreed has been awfully executed on them, cannot be denied. That they have been despised, and considered as barbarians, and children of the devil, is too true. We have already enumerated one hundred and ninety na- tions within our scanty means of knowledge, and though many of them are destroyed and done away, for the consump- tion was decreed, yet if we look at the maps of travellers, and attend to the account given of the nations from Green- land to Mexico, and from thence to the nation of the Dog- ribbed Indians ; thence to the Southern ocean, and along its coast northward to the Lake of the Woods, and thence to Hudson's Bay and Greenland, and estimate in addition, the nations of the interior, what nation or people in the world, can so literally answer to the strong figures, of tlie stars of heaven, and the sands of the sea. A STAR IN THE WEST. ^3 Again, the tribes of Judali and Benjamin, attended by a few of the Israelites among them, scattered throughout Asia, Africa and Europe, iiave no pretensions to any king among them. But the Indians have a king to every tribe, and as we have seen, the Natchez had once five hundred kings in that one nation. Now if part of the nations to the north-west, should again return over the straits of Kamschatka, and pafes on from the north-eastern extremity of Asia, by the way between the Euxine and the Caspian sea, through ancient Media, whicli formerly extended west to the river Halys, on the Black or Euxine sea'^ and Asia Minor, into Palestine, then they must pass through the territory of tlie Grand Porte. Therefore that government must necessarily be destroyed, to make way for these kings from the east, as it is not likely that despotic power would consent to their passing through in peace, to deprive her of the region of Palestine. Another remarkable circumstance attending the foregoing account is, that before the Babylonish captivity, the Jews had but one temple for public worship, whither the males assem- bled three times in the year. The Samaritans, after the cap- tivity, observed the same at Samaria, the capital of their kingdom. The ten tribes were carried captives into the north-west parts of Assyria, before the Babylonish captivity, and therefore had no idea of but one place of worship for a nation. • The difl'erent empires of the Lydians and the Med es, were divided by the river Haly's (which has two branches,) which rising in a mountain of Armenia, passing through Celicia, leavitig in its progress the Matenians on the right, and Phrygia on the left; then stretching towards the north, it separates the Cappado- cian Syrians from Paphiagonia, which is on the left of the stream. Thus the river Ilalys separates all the lower parts of Asia from the srea, which flows opposite to Cyprus, as far as the Euxine, a space over which an active man could not travel iu less than five days — 1 Heredotna 112, 113. 244> A STAR IN THE WEST. The Indians have also but one temple, or beloved square for a nation, whither their males also assemble three times in the year, to wit : — at the Feast of First Fruits, generally tlie latter end of March and April, it being the beginning of their ecclesiastical year : at the end of which they have another, in imitation of the Passover. The feast for success in hunting, about the time of Pentecost, called the Hunter's Feast; and their great feast for the Expiation of Sin, which is about 'the time of the ripening of their Indian corn and other fall fruit. These form a coincidence of circumstances in important and peculiar establishments, that could not, without a miracle, be occasioned by chance or accident. And though if considered individually, or each by itself, might be said, not to be con- clusive evidence, yet taken altogether and compared with many other peculiarities of the Jewish people, they carry strong conviction to the understanding, that these wandering nations have some how or other had intimate connection with those once people of Godo A STAR IX THE WEST. CHAPTER IX. TJie testimony of those who had an opportunity of judging^ from the appearance and conduct of the Indians at the first discorvery of America, as well as of some who have seen them since, in a state of nature, AND first, that of Spanish authors. And here proper allow- ance must be made for the prevailing intentions of the first Spanish visitors, in their coming to America, which (with some few exceptions) were principally from the most covetous desires of amassing wealth, and obtaining immense riches at all risques, and by every means. Also it must be remember- ed, how few concerned themselves about the religious state of the natives, if they could but get their property ; neither did they give themselves any trouble to know their history, their origin, customs, or future expectations; but their gold, their silver, their lands, and their furs, were the whole objects of their attention. We thank God, tliere were some favourable exceptions. The learned world are by this time pretty well acquainted with the degree of confidence that ought to be put in the Spanish historians in general, further than their accounts are confirmed and supported by after labours of historians of char- acter among other nations. Few of them conversed with the natives, in such a manner as to gain their confidence, or obtain any intimate knowledge 2i6 A STAR IN THE WEST. of their customs and manners, with any tolerable degree of certainty. They did not treat them as friends, but as the most inveterate enemies, and despised, hated and murdered them, witiiout remorse or compunction, in return for their kindness and respect. And to excuse their own ignorance, and to cast a mantle over their most shocking, barbarous, cool and premeditated murders, they artfully described them as an abominable swarm of idolatrous cannibals, offering human sacrifices to their false deities, and eating the un- natural victims. Notwithstanding, from even many of these partial accounts, we can trace a near agreement between tlie civil and martial customs, the religious worship, traditions, dress, ornaments, and other particulars of the ancient Peru- vians and Mexicans, and those of the Indians of North- America. Jlcosta tells us, that the Mexicans had no proper name for God, yet that they allowed a supreme oinnipatence and prorvi- dcjice. His capacity was not sufficient to discover the former, however, the latter means that very being, and agrees with the religious opinion of their North-American brethren. Lope% de Gamara, tells us that the Americans were so de- vout as to offer to the sun and earth, a small quantity of every kind of meat and drink, before any of themselves tasted of it, and that they sacrificed a part of their corn, fruits, kc. in like manner. Is not this a confused Spanish account of the imitation of the Jewish daily sacrifice, which we have before seen our more northern Indians, in the constant habit of offering to the supreme holy spirit of fire, whom they invoke in tlieir sacred A STAR IN THE WEST. 2^7 song of K Ho. Ile-wahf and loudly ascribe to him, hal-le-lu- wahf for his continued goodness to them. The Spanish writers say, that when Cortes approached Mexico, Montezuma shut himself up, and continued for the space of eight days, in prayer and fasting; but to blacken him, and excuse their own diabolical conduct, they assert, that he offered human sacrifices at the same time, to abominable and frightful idols. These prayers and fastings, w^rc doubt- less the same with those of the northern Indians, who on par- ticular occasions, seek to sanctify themselves, and regain the favour of the deity. Yet these same authors tell us, that they found there, a temple called Teucalli, or the house of the great spirit, and a person belonging to it, called Chacalmua, that is, a minister of holy things. They likewise speak of the hearth of the great spirit — the continual fire of the great spirit — the holy ark, &c. Acosta says, that the Peruvians held a very extraordinary feast, called F/w, which they prepared themselves for by fast- ing two days, not accompanying with their wives, or eating salt meat or garlic, or drinking chicca during that period. That they assembled altogether in one place, and did not allow any stranger or beast to approach them. That they had clothes and ornaments which they wore only at that great festival. That they went silently and sedately in procession, with their heads veiled and drums beating ; and that this con- tinued one day and night. But the next day they danced and feasted, and for two days successively, their prayers and praises were heard. This appears no other than our northern Indians' great festival to atone for sin, according to the Mosaic system. 248 A STAR IN THE WEST. Lencus tells you, that he was present at the triennial feast of the Charibbeans, where a multitude of men, women and children, were assembled. That they soon divided themselves into three orders, a part from each other, the women and children being strictly commanded to stay within, and attend diligently to the singing. That the men sang in one house, he-he-he, while the others, in their separate houses, answered by a repetition of the like notes. Thus they continued a quar- ter of an hour, dancing in three rings, with rattles. They also tell us, that the high-priesU or beloved man^ was anointed with holy oil, and dressed with pontifical ornaments peculiar to himself, when lie officiated in his sacred function. Ribault Landon describing the annual festival of the Flori- dians, says, that the day before it began, the women swept out a great circuit of ground, where it was observed with solemnity. That when the main body of the people entered the holy ground, they all placed themselves in good order, decked in their best apparel, wlien three beloved men, ov priests, with different painting and gestures, followed them, playing on musical instruments, and singing with solemn voices, the others answering them. And when they made three circles, the men ran off to the woods, and the women staid weeping behind, cutting their arms with muscle shells, and throwing the blood towards the sun. And when the men returned, the three days were finished. This is no other than the northern Indians' Passover, oi* the Feast of Love, badly told, attended with their universal custom of bleeding themselves after great exercise, which the Spaniards foolishly supposed they offered up to the sun. A STAR IN THE >VEST. •^49 These Spanish writers also assure us, that the Mexicans had a feast and month, which they called Hueitozolti, when the indian corn was ripe. Every man at that time hringing an handful to he offered at the temple, with a kind of drink made out of the same grains. This is no other than the first fruit offering of the northern Indians. Don Antonio de llUoa informs us, that some of the South- American natives cut the lohes of their ears, and fasten small weights to tliem, in order to lengthen them ; and others cut holes in their upper and under lips, in which they hang pieces of shells, rings, &c.* This also agrees with the practice of every nation of the northern Indians. Mr. Bartram says, " their ears are lacerated, separating the border or cartilagenous limb, which is first bound round, very close and tight, with leather strings or thongs, and anoint- ed with fresh bear's oil, until healed. The weight of the lead which they hang to it, extends the cartilage, wliich after being craped or bound round with brass or silver wire, extends it semi circularly, like a bow or crescent, and it is then very elastic. It is then decorated with a plume of white herons feathers. I Jicosta says, that the clothes of the South- Americans are I shaped like those of the ancient Jews, being a square little cloak, over a little coat. Lad, in his description of South- America, as well as Escar* botas, assures us, that he often heard the South-Americans repeat the word hallelujah. And Malvenda says tliat the na- * Mr. Bruce in his travels, speaking of a sect of christians called Reramout, says, " their women pierce their ears, and apply weights to make them hang down and enlarge the holes, into which they put ear-rings almost as big as shackles, in the »me manner as do the Bedowise, in Syria and Palestine" — i vol. p. '275. 3 K 250 A STAll IN THE WEST. , lives of St. Michael had tomb-stones with several ancient Hebrew characters upon them, as « w/i?/ is God gone awmj?^^ and <^ he is dead, God knows." Tlie Michuans, one of the original nations of Mexico, held, according to the Abhe Clavigero's declaration, this tradition, that " there was once a great deluge, and Tepzi, as they call Noah, in order to save himself from being drowned, embarked in a ship formed like an ark, with his wife, his children, and many different animals, and several seeds and fruits. As the waters abated, he sent out the bird, which bears the name of aurttf whicli remained eating dead bodies. He then sent out other birds, which did not return, except the little bird called \ the Jlower sucker^ which brought a small branch with it" — I Panoplist for June 1813, page 9. From this family of Tepziy I ttie Michuccans all believed they derived their origin. Both ^ Malvenda and Acosta affirm that the natives observed a year ? of jubilee, according to the usage of the Israelites. Emanual de Moraez, a Portuguese historian, in his history of Brazil, says, " America has been whoUy peopled hy the Carthagenians and Israelites. As to the last, he says nothing but circumcision is wanting to constitute a perfect resemblance between them and the Brazilians.'' And we have seen, that some of the nations practice it to this day. Monsieur Poiitrinconrt says, that at an early day, when th© j Canada Indians saluted him, they said ho-ho-ho, ^ I Mr. Edwards, in his history of the West-Indies, says, " that the striking conformity of the prejudices and customs of the Charibbee Indians, to the practices of the Jews, has not escaped the notice of historians, as Gumella, JDu Tertre^ and others." A STAR IN THE WEST. 251 Adair, who was the most careful observer of the Indians' \ whole "economy, both public and private, and had the best op- portunity of knowing it, without much danger of deception, beyond any other writer, gives his opinion in these words. <•' It is a very difficult thing to divest ourselves of prejudices and favourite opinions, and I expect to be censured for op- posing commonly received sentiments* But truth is my ob- ject, and from the most exact observations I could make in the long time I traded among the Indian Americans, I was forced to believe them to be lineallydescended from the Israelites." The Rev, Mr. BecUty says, " I have before hinted tliat I have taken great pains to searcli into the usages and customs of the Indians, in order to see what ground there was for sup- posing them to be part of the ten tribes of the ^Jews, and I must own, to my no small surprise, that a number of their customs appear so much to resemble those of the Jews, that it is a great question with me, whether we can expect to find among the ten tribes (wherever tliey are) at this day, all things considered, more of the footsteps of their ancestors than among the different Indian tribes. It is not forgotten that the Indians are charged, as a barbamus, revengeful, cruel and tblood thirsty race — deceitful, ungrateful, and ever ready for murder and rapine. Most of this will not be disputed. They are educated from their infancy to make war in this cruel manner. They scalp their fallen enemy, and most crueUy torment and burn some of those whom they take prisoners. This they think lawful, and often plead the will of the great spirit for it. It is their habitual custom, and tliey make war on these principles. But they have their virtues too. They pay the greatest respect to female prisoners, and are never 252 A STAR IN THE WEST, known to offer tliem the least indecency. "Whenever they de- termine to spare their enemies, which is often done, they not only make them free, hut they adopt them into their families, and make them a part of their nation, with all the privileges of a native Indian. This is an instance of mildness and gen- erosity known to very few savages in the world, but rather resembles the Romans. They are geneix)us, hospitable, kind and faithful to their friends or strangers, in as great a degree as they ai'e vindic- tive and barbarous to their enemies in war. Col. Smith, in his journal mentions, « that he went a great distance hunting Avith his patron Tontileaugo, along the shore of Lake Erie. Here we staid several days on account of the high winds, which raised the lake in great billows. Tonti- leaugo went out to hunt. When he was gone a Wiandot came to the camp — I gave him a shoulder of venison well roasted. He received it gladly — told me he was hungry, and thanked me for my kindness. When my patron came home, I told him what I had done— he answered, it was very well, and supposed I had given him also sugar and bears oil to eat with his venison — I told him I did not, as both were down in the canoe, and I did not go for them. He replied, you have behaved just like a Dutchman. Do you not know, that when strangers come to our camp, we ought always to give them the best that we have. I acknowledged my fault. He said that lie would excuse this as I was but young; but I must learn to behave like a warrior, and do great things, and never be found in such little actions." — Page 25, 26. Smithy'm his history of New-Jersey, informs us, ^< that the ( Indians lon^ remembered kindnesses families or individuals A STAR IN THE WEST. 253 had shewn them. This also must undoiihtedly he allowed, that the original and more incorrupt among tliem, very seldom for- got to be grateful, where real benefits had been received. And notwithstanding the stains of perfidy and cruelty, which lat- terly, in 1754, and since, have disgraced the Indians on the frontiers of these provinces, (but which the writer well knows had been produced by the wicked and iinjust oppression of these sons of nature, by the white people) even these, by the uninterrupted intercourse of seventy years, had, on many oc- casions, given irrefragable proofs of liberality of sentiment, hospitality of action and impressions, that seemed to promise a continuation of better things. Witness their first reception of the English — their selling their lands to them afterwards— their former undeviating candor at treaties in Pennsylvania, and other incidents." — Page 144. But however guilty these unhappy wandering nations may have been, neither Europeans or Americans ought to com- plain so heavily of Indian cruelties, particularly in scalping their enemies, which is one of tlieir most habitual cruelties, and in which they glory. They are too fully justified in this horrible practice, by the encouragement and example of those who call themselves civilized^ and even cliristians. Herodotus informs us that the Scythians scalped their enemies, and used them as troghies of victory. Poljbius says, in the war with the Mercenaries, Gisco, the Carthagenian general, and seven hundred prisoners were scalped alive, Varrus, the Roman general, caused two thousand Jews, whom he had taken pris- oners, to be crucified at one time — ^Josephus, 4 vol. chap, iii, page 12. 254. A STAR IN THE >VEST. Under tlic mild government of Great-Britain, and that of France, premiums liave been promised and given to the In- dians, by their governors and generals, for the scalps of their enemies. Nay, even in America, acts of assembly have been passed, giving rewards to tlie civilized inhabitants, for scalps Sand prisoners, even so higli as one hundred pounds for an Indian scalp — 2d Golden, 120. If it should be said the gov- ernment of Great-Britain ought not to be charged witli this, ' it is answered that government not only knew of all this, but during our revolutionary war, the British secretary of state, in the House of Lords, supjwrted its policy and necessity, as , they ought to use every means that God and nature had put I into their hands. — Belsham. They had in their service at that time, at least fifteen hundred Indian warriors. Mr. Belsliam says, that in the revolutionary war with I America, the son of Sir William Johnson, ^< held a great war " feast with the Indians, chiefly Iroquois, when he invited them fo banquet upon a Bostonian and to drink his blood." And though I doubt not but this was mere hyperbolical language, yet did it not countenance and encourage the Indians in their customary cruelty and vindictive rage ?* * But are the United States, with all their boasted freedom and pliilanthropy, fVee from blame on this subject ? The following is an extract from a report from Brigadier General Clayborne, to the Secretary of War, since these sheets have l>een prepared for the press, even so late as 1st January, 1814. " Sir, on the 13th ultimo, I marched a detachment from this post, Avilh a view of destroying the towns of the inimical Creek Indians, on the Ahibama, sibove the mouth of the Cahaba. After having marched about eighty miles, I was within thirty miks of a town new- ly erected on ground called holy, occupied by a large body of the enemy." «* About noon of the 23d, the right column, commanded by col. Joseph Carson, came in view of the town called Eckanachaeu, (or holy ground) and was vigo- rously attacked" — "Thirty of the enemy were killed, and judging from eveiy ap» pearance, many were wounded.'* ** In the town Me found a large quantity of pro- visions, and immense property of various kinds, which .the enemy, flying prccipi- A STAR IN THE WEST. 2oJ In ±79i, the six nations, including a late addition of those of Grand River in Canada, the Stockbridge and Brotherton Indians, consisted of about six thousand souls. They now do tately, were obliged to leave behind, and which togetlier with two hundred houses were destroyed. They had barely time to reniove their women and children across the Alabama, which runs near where the town stood. The next day was occupied in destroying a town consisting of sixty houses, eight miles higher up the river." "The town first destroyed, was built since the commencement of hostili- ties, and was established as a place of security for the inhabitants of several villa- ges." ' Three principal prophets resided there — United States Gazette, 15th Feb- ruaF)', 1814. In Nile's Register, of September 26, 1812, we find this pleasing flight of the imagination of the fiiends of the war. "Imagination (says the Reg- ister) looks forward to the moment, when all the southern Indians [meaning as well in Florida as in Georgia] shall be pushed across the Missisippi." And again in the same paper *' fortunately this nation [meaning the Creeks in Georgia] have supplied us with a pretext for dismembering their country." Now the southern Indians had not at that time taken up the hatchet against the United States. In proof of this, we have the assertion of Governor Mitchel, who in his speech to the legislature of Georgia, October 1812, (the next month after the above publication in the Register) said, "as yet those [Indians] within the United States lines, pro- fess peace and friendship." Shortly after this speech the war with the southern Indians was commenced. The radical cause of it is more than broadly hinted at in the letter of the Governor of St. Augustine, to Governor Mitchel, dated Decem- ber 12, 1812— He, along with other warm expostulations, regarding the conspira- cy of the people of Georgia, to expel or destroy the Indians, has the following; **The Indians are to be insulted, threatened and driven from their lands ; if they resist, nothing less than extermination is to be their fate ; but you deceive your- self sir, if you think the world is blind to your motives ; it is not long since the state of Georgia had a slice of Indian lands, and the fever is again at its height." Accordingly, in 1813, Nile's Register sounded the tocsin for their extermination. "All these pleasing prospects, says he, are clouded by blood, and forever blasted by that treacherous people [meaning the Creeks] for whom we have done so much, so that mercy itself seems to demand their extermination. And afterwards, " the fighting continued, with some severity, about five hours, but we continued to destroy many of them, "that is after the fighting was over," who had concealed themselves under the bank of the i-iver, until we were prevented by night. This morning we killed sixteen, who had been concealed."— Poulson's Daily Adverti- ser, June 24, 1814. Yet we are the people who remonstrate with zealous warmth and loud recrimi- nation against the barbarism of the British army, in wantonly burning our towns and injuring the defenceless inhabitants, contrary to the rules of civilized warfare — a strange warfare it must be— Civilized warf^ire, what a contradiction in exj)re8s terms. Alas ! what has not our nation to answer for at the bar of retributive j^ns- tice. The capitol of Washington, in flames, instructs on this occasioa. 256 A STAR IN THE >VEST. not exceed half that numher. They have not reserved to them now, above two hundred thousand acres of land out of their immense territory of at least one thousand miles long, and five hundred miles hroad. — Clinton 48, 53. The famous capt. Cook, in his visit to the coast of America, in the south seas, without any reference to this great question, barely gives you the facts that appeared to him during the \e- ry short intercourse he had with them — 2 vol. 266, 283. He says that " the inhabitants met them, singing in slow and then quicker time, accompanying their notes with beat- ing time in concert, with their paddles, and regular motions of their hands, and other expressive gestures. At the end of each song, they remained silent, and then began again pro- nouncing ho-ho-ahf forcibly as a chorus. The ship's crew list- ened with great admiration — the natives behaved well. << The people of Nootka Sound, keep the exactest concert in their songs, by great numbers together — they are slow and solemn — their variations are numerous and expressive, and the cadence or melody powerfully soothing — ^their music was sometimes varied from its predominant solemnity of air, and sung in a more gay and lively strain— they have a weapon made of stone, not unlike the American tomahawk, they call it Taaweesh and Tsusknah Page 310. Their manufactures and mechanic arts are far more exten- sive and ingenious than the savages of the South Sea Islands, whether we regard the design or the execution. Their flaii- nel and woollen garments, made of the bark of a pine tree beaten into an hempen %tate, with various figures artificially inserted into them, with great taste, and of different colours of exquisite brightness. They are also famous for^jgamting I I A STAR IN THE WEST. 257 and carving— ibid 304. Their common dress is a flannel gar- ment or mantle, ornamented on the upper edge by a narrow strip of fur, and at the latter edge by fringes or tassels. Over this, which reaches below the knees, is worn a small cloak of the same substance, likewise fringed at the lower part. Every reader must be reminded by this of the fringes and tassels of the Jews on tlieir garments. In Prince William's Sound, the common dress is a kind of frock or robe, reaching to the knees, and sometimes to the ankles, made of the skins of animals^ and in one or two in- stances they had woollen garments. All are ornamented with tassels or fringes. A few had a cape or collar, and some a hood. This bears a great resemblance to the dress of the Grecnlanders, as described by Crantz — ibid 367—8. The reader will find in Crant^^ many striking instances, in which the Grecnlanders and Americans of this pan of America re- semble each other, besides those mentioned by capt. Coook" — . vol. 1, 136, 138. Father Joseph Gumella, in his account of the nations bor- dering on the Oronoko, relates that the Charibbee Indians of the continent, punished their women caught in adultery, like the ancient Jews, by stoning them to death before the assem- bly of the people — ^Edward's West-Indies, 1 vol. 39, in a note. 2L A STAK IN THE WEST. 259 CHAPTER X. The. Indians have a system ofmoraliiy avion-g them, that is very striking, — They have teachers to instruct them in it — of which they Imve thought very highly, till of late years, they begin to doiibt its efficacy, WE are indebted to Dobson's Enpjclapedia for the following testimony in favour of Indian morality — vol. 1, page 557. It is the advice given from a father to a son, it is believed, taken from a Spanish author. «« jNIy son, who art come into the light from the womb, we know not how long heaven will grant to us the enjoyment of tliat precious gem, whicli we possess in thee. But however short the period, endeavour to live exactly — praying to the great spirit continually to assist thee. H^ created thee — tliou art his property. He is thy father, and loves thee still more tlian I do. Repose in him thy thoughts, and day and night direct thy sighs to him. Reverence and salute thy elders, and hold no one in contempt* To the poor and distressed be not dumb, but rather use words of comfort." " Mock not, my son, the aged or the imperfect. Scorn not liim who you see fall into some folly or transgression, nor make him reproaches ; and beware lest thou fall into the same er- ror, which offends thee in another. Go not where thou art not called, nor interfere in that which does not concern thee." <• No more, my son. Enougli has been said in discharge of the duties of a father. With these councils I wish to fortify I 260 A STAR IN THE WEST. thy mind. Refuse them not, nor act in contradiction to them ; for on them, thy life and all thy happiness depend.'^ Mr. Beatty, when among the Indians on the Ohio, address- ed them. In answer, the speaker said, " that they believed that there was a great spirit above, and desired to serve him in the best manner they could. That they thought of him at their rising up, and lying down ; and hoped he would look upon them, and be kind to them, and do them good." In the even- ing several came to their lodging. Among these was one called Neolin, a young man, who used for some time past to speak to his brethren, the Indians, about their wicked ways. He had taken great pains with them, and so far as Mr. Beatty could learn, he had been the means of reforming a number of them. He was informed by a captive, who had been adopted into Neolin's family, that he frequently used to boil a quantity of bitter roots, till the water became very strong — that he drank plentifully of this liquor, and made his family and relatives drink of it. That it proved a severe emetic. The end of which, as Neolin said, was to cleanse them from their inward sins." The following is an account of their evening entertainment at Altasse, one of the Creek towns, in the year 1778. The writer, after describing the council house, where the Indians met, says, « the assembly being now seated in order, and the house illuminated by their mystical cane fire in the middle ; two middle aged men came in together, each having a very large conck shell, full of black drink, advancing with slow, uniform and steady steps, their eyes and countenances lifted up, and singing very low, but sweetly, till they came within six or eight steps of the king's and white people's seats, when A STAR IN THE WEST. 261 tliey stopped, and each rested his shell on a little table ; but soon taking it up again, advanced, and each presented his shell, one to the king, and the other to the chief of the white people I and as soon as he raised it to his mouth, they uttered or sang two notes, each of which continued as long as he had breath, and as long as these notes continued, so long must the person drink, or at leavSt keep the shell to his mouth. These long notes are very solemn, and at once strike the imagination with a religious awe and liomage to the Supreme Being, sound- ing somewhat like a-hoo-o-jah and a-lu-yaJu After this manner the. whole assembly wovp. trented, as long as the drink and light continued to hold out. As soon as the drink began, to- bacco and pipes were brought in. The king or chief smoked, first in the great pipe, a few whiffs, blowing it off ceremonious- ly, first towards the sun, or as it is generally supposed, to the great spirit, for it is puffed upwards ; next towards the four cardinal points ; then towards the white people in the house. Then the great pipe is taken from the hand of tlie king, and presented to the chief white man, and then to the great war chief, from whence it is circulated through the ranks of head men and warriors ; and then returned to the chief. After this, each one filled his pipe from his ow n, or his neighbour's poiteh. Here all classes of citizens resort every niglit in the summer or moderate season. The women and children are not allow- ed, or very seldom, to enter the public square." In this same year, the son of the Spanish governor of St. Augustine, in East Florida, with two of his companions, were brought m prisoners, they being then at war with that prov- ince. They were all condemned to be burned. The English traders in the town petitioned the Indians in their behidf, ex- 363 A STAK IN THE WEST. pressing their wishes to obtain »their pardon, offering a great ransom, acquainting tliem at the same time with their rank. Upon this, the head men, or chiefs, of the whole nation, were convened ; and after solemn and mature deliberation, returned the traders their final answer, in the following address : " Brothers and friends — we have been considering upon this business concerning the captives, and that mider the eye and fear of the great spirit. You know that these people ai'e our cruel enemies — they save no lives of us red men, who fall in their power. You say that the youth is the son of the Spanish governor — we believe it. We are sorry tliat he has fallen into our hands, but he is our enemy. The two young men, his friends, are equally our enemies. We are sorry to see them here. But we know no difference in their flesh and blood. They are equally our enemies. If we save one, we must save all three. But vve cannot do this. The red men require their blood to appease the spiiits of their slain relatives. They have entrusted us with the guardianship of our laws and rights— we cannot betray them. However, we have a sa- cred prescription relative to this affair, which allows us to ex- tend mercy to a certain degree. A third is to be saved by lot. The great spirit allows us to put it to that decision. He is no respecter of persons.^ The lots were cast. The governor's son and one of his friends were taken and burnt. This must certainly appear to some as the act of barba- rians, but how far is it removed from the pi'actice of tfe^ Jews, when they so vociferously called out, crucify him, crucify him ? And Pilate said ye have a custom that I should release a prisoner to you at the feast, but tliey cried more bitterly, not this man, but Barabbas. A STAR IX THE WEST. 263 A minister preaching to a congregation of christian Indians, west of the Delaware, oh served a stranger Indian, listening with great attention. After the service, the minister enquir- ed who he was ? It appeared on enquiry, that he lived three hundred miles to tlie westward — that he had just arrived and gave this account of himself. " That his elder brother living in his house, had been many days and nights in great per- plexity, wishing to learn to know the great spirit, till at length he resolved to retire into the woods, supposing that he should succeed better in a state of separation from all mankind. Having spent many weeks alone in great affliction, he thought he saw a man of majestic appearance, who informed him tliat there were Indians living to the south-east, who were acquaint- ed with the great spirit and the way to everlasting life ; add- ing that he sliould go home and tell his people, what he had seen and heard. For this reason, as soon as he heard his brother speak, he determined to travel in search of tlie peo- ple he had described, till he found them ; and since he had heard what had been said that day, the words had been wel- come to his heart." A missionary made a journey to the Shawanese country, the most savage of the Indian nations. He stopped at the first village he came to, and lodged witli one of the chief men. He informed the chief of his business, and opened some truths of the gospel to him by means of an interpreter who ac- companied him. The chief paid great attention, and after sometime told him, that he was convinced that the mis- sionary's doctrines were true, pointing out the right road. That the Shawanese had been long striving to find out the vay of life -, but that he must own, with regret, that all their 264 A STAR IN THE WEST. labour and researches had been in vain. That they, tliere- fore, had lost all courage, not knowing what they should do further, to obtain happiness. The chief accompanied the missionary to the next village and persuaded him to lodge with a heathen teacher. The missionary then preached to him, and told him that he had brought hini the words of eternal lite. I'his the In- dian said was what they wanted, and they would hear him with pleasure. After some days, the heathen teacher said, I have not been able to sleep all night, for I am continually meditating upon your words, and will now open to you my whole heart. I believe what you say is the truth. A year ago I became convinced, that we are altogether sinful crea- tures, and that none of our good works can save us ; but I did not know what to do to get relief. I have therefore always comforted my people, that some body would come and shew us the true way to happiness, for we are not in the right way. And even but the day before you came, I desired my people to have a little patience, and that some teacher would certain- ly come. Now you are come, and I verily believe tliat the great spirit has sent you to make known his word to us." Monsieur Be Lapoterie, a French author, speaking of the Cherokces and other southern Indians, gives this account of them : ^' These Indians look upon the end of life, to be living happily ; and for this purpose their whole customs are calcu- lated to prevent avarice, which they think embitters life. Nothing is a more severe reflection among them than to say, that a vian loves his own. To prevent the use and propaga- tion of such a vice, upon the death of an Indian, they burn all that belongs to the deceased, that there may be no tempta- A STAR IN THE WEST. 263 tioii fur tlie parent to hoard up a superfluity of arms or domcs-^ tic conveniences for liis children. They cultivate no more land than is necessary for their plentiful subsistence and hos- pitality to strans^crs. At the feast of expiation, tlicy also burn all the fruits of the earth and grain left of the past year's crops. Mr. Brainerd informs us, that at about one hundred and thirty miles from our settlements, he met with an Indian, who was said to be a devout and zealous reformer. He was dres- sed in a hideous and ten-ifick manner. He had a house con- secrated to religious purposes. Mr. Brainerd discoursed with him about Christianity, and some of the discourse he seemed to like, but some of it he wholly rejected. He said that God had taught him his religion, and that he would never turn from it; but wanted to find some who would heartijy join him in it, for the Indians had grown very degenerate and corrupt. He said he had thoughts of leaving all his friends and travel- ling abroad in order to find some who would join with him, for he believed that the great spirit had good people some wlicre, wlio felt as he did. He said that he had not always felt as he then did, but had formerly been like the rest of the Indians, until about four or five years before that time. Then he said, that his heart was very much distressed, so that he could not live among the Indians, but got away into the woods and liv- ed for some months. At length he said the great spirit had comforted his heart and shewed him wliat he should do ; and since that time he had known tlie great spirit and tried to serve him, and loved all men, be they who they may, so as he never did before. He treated Mr. Brainerd with uncommon courtesy, and seemed to be hearty in it ^66 A STAR IN THE AVE ST. The other Indians said, that he liad opposed their drink- ing strong liquor witli all his power, and if at any time he could not dissuade them from it, he would leave them and go crying into the woods. It w^as manifest that he had a set of religious notions of his own, that he had looked into for him- self, and had not taken for granted upon hare tradition ; and lie relished or disrelislicd, whatever was spoken of a religious nature, according as it agreed or disagreed with his standard. He w wdd sometimes say, now, that 1 like, so the great spirit has tauglit me, &c. Some of his sentiments seemed very just; yet he utterly denied the existence of an evil spirit, and declared there was no such a being known among the Indians of old times, whose religion he supposed he was attempting to revive. He also said that departed souls went southward, and tliat the difference between the good and bad was, that the former were admitted into a beautiful town with spiritual walls, or walls agreeably to the nature of souls. The latter would forever hover round those walls, and in vain attempt to get in. He seemed to be sincere, honest and conscientious in his awn way, and according to his own religious notions, which was more than could be said of most otlier pagans Mr. Brain- erd had seen. He was considered and derided by the other Indians as a precise zealot, who made an unnecessary noise about religious mattei's, but in Mr. Braincrd's opinion, there was something in liis temper and disposition that looked more like true religion, than any thing he had observed among oth- er heatlien Indians. Smith, in his history of New^-Jersey, gives the following extract from a letter on this subject, from an Indian interpre- ter, tlie wtU known Conrad Wiser — li5. A STAU IN THE AVKST. 267 ** I MTite this to i^ivc an account of wliat I have observed amongst the Indians, in relation to their belief and confidence in a divine being, according to th*^. observations I have made from the year 1714, in the time of my youth to this day. Jf by the word relig-ioiu is meant an assent to certain creeds, or the observation of a set of religious duties, as appointed pray- ers, singing, preaching, ba])tism, ike, or even heathenish wor- ship, tlien it may be said, the Five Nations have no religion : but if by religion we mean, an attraction of the soul to God, whence proceeds a confidence in and an hunger after the knowledge of liim, then this pecple must be allowed to have some religion among them, notwithstanding tlieir wsome times savage deportment ; for we find among them some ti^its of a confidence in God alone, and even some times, though but seldom, a vocal calling upon him. In the year 1737, I was sent fi)r the first time to Ononda- go, at the desire of the governor of Virginia. I sat out the lat- ter end of February, for a journey of five hundred English miles, through a wilderness where tliere \\ as neither road nor path; there were with me a Dutchman and three Indians." He then gives a most fearful account of the distresses to which they were driven — particularly on the side of a mountain wliere the snow was so hard, tliat tliey were obliged to make holes in it with their hatchets to put their feet in, to keep them from sliding down the mountain. At length one of the In- dians slipped and went down the mountain, but on his way was stopped by the string of his pack hitching fast to a stump of a small tree. They were obliged then to go down into the valley, when they looked up and saw " that if the Indian had slipped fi>?ir oi' five paces further he would have fallen ovei- a 268 A STAR IN THE WEST, rock, one hundred feet perpendicular, upon craggy pieces of rock below. The Indian was astonished and turned quite pale — .tlien witli out-stretched arms, and great earnestness, spoke these words, / thank the great Lord and Governor of this world thai he has had mercy upon me, and has been willing iJiat J should live longer; whieli words I at that time sat down in my journal. This happened on the 25th March, 1737." On the 9th April following, he was reduced so low tliat he gave up all hopes of ever getting to his journey's end. He stepped aside and sat down under a tree, expecting there to die. His companions soon missed him — they came back and found him sitting there, ** I to)d them that I would go no further, but would die there.*' They remained silent awhile* at last the old Indian said, my dear comjjanwnf thou hast hith- erto encouraged us, wilt thou now quite give up ? Remember that evil days are better than good daij^,Jor when we suj^ermvch, we da not sin ; and sin will be drove out of us by svffeiing ; but good days cause men to sin, and God cannot extend his mercy to tJiem, bid contrarywisc, when it goeth evil with ns, God hath compas* sion on us. These words made me ashamed ; I rose up and travelled on as well as I could." " Two years ago I was sent by the governor to Shamoken, on account of the unhappy death of John Armstrong," after he had perftn^med his er- rand, which was to make peace by the punishment of the mur- " derer. The Indians made a great feast for him ; and after they had done, the chief addressed liis people, and exhorted them to thankfulness to God— then began to sing with an aw» jful solemnity, but without expressing words, tlie others ac- companied him with their voices. After tliey had done, the same Indian, with great earnestness said, thanks / thanks! he A STAR IN THE WEST. 260 to thee, thou great Lord of the world, in that tliou hast again caus- ed the S2in to shine and hast dispersed the dark cloud. The Indians arc ihineJ'^ The old king Ockaiiickonf who died in 1681, in Burlington, New- Jersey, just before his death, sent for his brother's son, wliom he had appointed to be king after liim ; he addressed him thus, " My brothei^'s son, this day I deliver my heart into your bosom — mind me. I would have you love what is good, and keep good company , refuse what is evil, and by all means avoid bad company." *' Brother's son! I would have you cleanse your ears, that you may hear both good and evil ; and then join with the good and refuse tlie evil ; and where you see evil, do not join with it, but join to tliat wliich is good," *« Brother's son ! I advise you to be plain and fair, with all, both Indians and christians, as I have been. I am very weak, otherwise I would have spoken more." After he stopped, Mr. Budd, one of the proprietors of West-Jersey, said to ]jim, •"« there is a great God, who created all things ; that he had given man an undeistanding of wliat was good and bad ; and after this life rewarded tlie good with blessings, and the bad according to tlieir doings." The king answered, <^ it is venj true. It is so. There are two ways, a broad and a straight waif ; there are two paths, a broad and a straight path ; the worst and the greatest number go hi the broad, the best and fewest, hi the straight path.^' — Smith's history New-Jersey, li9. The Indians originally skewed great integrity in their dealings, especially with one another. Col. Smith informs us that going a hunting to a very great distance, and having got many skins and furs by the way, 270 A STAR IN THE M'ElfiT. very inconvenient to carry, tliey stretched them on scaffolds and left them till their retiim. When they returned some considerable time after, they found tlieir skins and furs all safe. " Tliough this was a pub- lic place and Indians often passing and our skins hanging np to view, yet there WTre none stolen, and it is seldom that In- dians do steal any tiling iVom one another ; and they say they never did, until the wliitc people came among them, and learn- ed some of them to lie, cheat and steal.*' — Page 42. He further informs us that being in the w^oods in the month of February, there fell a snow^ and tlien came a severe frost that when tliey w^alked caused tliem to make a noise by break- ing thi'ough the crust, and so frightened the deer that they could get notliing to eat. He hunted two days without food, and then returned fatigued, faint and weary. He related his want of success. Tontileaugo asked him if he was not hun- gry — he said he was — he ordered his little son to bring liim something to eat. He brougljt Idm a kettle with some bones and brotli, made from tliose of a fox and wild cat that the ra- vens and turkey buzzards had picked, and which lay about the camp. He speedily finished Ids repast and was greatly refreslied. Tontileaugo gave him a pipe and tobacco^ — and when he had done smoking, lie said that he had something of importance to tell him — Smith said he was ready to hear. He said he had deferred his speech, because few^ men were in a right humor to hear good talk when they are extremely Iningry, as they are then generally fretful and discomposed ; but as you appear now to enjoy calmness and serenity of mind, I will now^ communicate the thoughts of my heart, and those things which I know to be true. Brother ! — As you have A STAR IN THE AVEST. 271 lived with the wliite people, you have not had the same ad- vantage of knowing that the great being above, feeds his peo- ple and gives tliem tlieir meat in due season, as we Indians have, who are frequently out of provisions, and yet are won- derfully supplied, and that so frequently, that it is evidently the hand of the great Owaneeyo, (this in their language sig- nifies the owner and ruler of all things) that doeth this. Wiiereas the white people have large stocks of tame cattle that they can kill when they please, and also their barns and cribs filled with grain, and tiierefore have not tlie same oppor- tunity of seeing and knowing that they are supported by the ruler of heaven and earth. Brother ! I know that you are now afraid that we will all perish with hunger ; but you have no just reason to fear this. Brother ! I Iiave been young but am now old ! I have frequently been under the like circum- stances that we now are, and that, sometime or other, in al- most every year of my life; yet I have hitherto been supjwrt- ed and my wants supplied in times of need. Brother ! Owan- eeyo ! sometimes suffers us to be in want, in order to teach us our dcpendance upon him, and to let us know that we are to love and serve him ; and likewise to know the worth of the favours that we receive and to make us more thankful.*' Was not this one of tlie great ends designed by a gracious God, in leading the Israelites through the wilderness for for- ty years — vide Lowth's Isaiah, xli. 17, &c. — vide 2Du Pratz, 172, for account of great spirit. " Brother ! be assured that you will be supplied with food and that just in the right time : but you must continue diligent in the use of means — go to sleep and rise early in the morning and go a hunting — be strong and exert yourself like a man, aud the great spirit w ill direct 2725 A STAR IS THE WEST. your way." The next morning, Smith rose early and set off. He travelled near twelve miles and ^^ as just despairing, when lie came across a herd of buffaloes and killed a large cow. He loaded himself with the beef, and returned to his camp and found his patron, late in the evening in good spirits and humor. The old Indian tlianked him for his exertion and commanded his son to cook it — which he did, but eating some, himself almost raw. They put some on to boil, and when Smith was hurrying to take itoffliis patron calmly said, let it be done enough, as if he had not wanted a meal. He pre- vented his son from eating but a little at a time, saying it would liurt him, but that he might sup a few spoonsful of the broth. AVhen they were all refreshed, Tontileaugo delivered a speech upon the necessity and pleasure of receiving the ne- cessary supports of life with thankfulness, knowing that Oxva- necyo is the great giver. Sometime after they set off for home, Tontileaugo on the w^ay, made himself a sweat-house and went into it, and put himself in a most violent perspira- tion for about fifteen minutes, singing aloud. This he did in order to purify himself before he would address the Supreme Being. He then began to burn tobacco and to pray — ^He be- gan each petition with Oh ! Oh ! Oli ! Oh ! — He began his address in tlie following manner. O great being I I thank thee that I have obtained the use of my legs again — (he had been ill with the I'heumatism) that I am now able to walk about and kill turkeys, &;c. without feeling exquisite pain and misery. I know that thou art a hearer and a lielper, and therefore I will call upon tliee. Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh ! — ^grant that my knees and ankles may be right well, and tliat I may be able not only to walk, but to run and A STAR IN THE WEST* 278 to jump logs, as I did last fall. Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! grant that on this voyage we may frequently kill bears, as they may be cix)ssing the Sciota and Sandusky. Oh ! Oh ! Oh ! Oh ! grant that rain may come to raise the Ollentangy about two or three feet> tliat we may cross in safety down to Sciota> \vithout danger of our canoe being wrecked on the rocks* And now, gixat being I thou knowest how matters stand — • thou knowest that I am a great lover of tobacco, though I know not when I may ^Qi any more, I now make a present o£ t]»e last I have unto thee, as a free burnt offering; therefore I expect thou wilt hear and grant these requests, and I thy servant will return thee thanks and love thee for thy gifts." During this time Smith was greatly affected with his pray- ers, until he came to the burning of tlie tobacco, and as he knew that his patron was a great lover of it, when he saw him cast the last of it into the fire, it excited in him a kind of meriment, and lie insensibly smiled. The Indian observed him laughing, which displeased him and occasioned the follow- ing address — " Brother ! — I have somewhat to say to you and I hope you will not be offended, when I tell you of your faults. You know that when you were reading your books in town, I would not let the boys or any one disturb you 5 but now when I was praying, I saw^ you laughing* I do not think tliat you look upon praying as a foolisli thing. I believe you pray yourself. But perhaps you may think my mode or mannci' of praying, foolish. If so you ought in a friendly manner to instruct me, and not make sport of sacred thing?." Smith acknowledged his error. On this the Indian handed him his pipe to smoke in token of fiiendship, though lie had nothing to smoke but red willow bark. Smith then told liim 2 N 27* A STAR IN THE WEST. sometliing of the method of reconciliation witli an offended God, as revealed in his biblcj that he had with him. The In- dian said, << that he liked that story better than that of the French priest's ; but that he thought he was now too old to begin to learn a new religion ; he should therefore continue to worship God in the way that he had been taught, and that if future happiness was to be had in his way of worship, he ex- pected he would obtain it ; and if it was inconsistent with the honor of the great spirit to accept of him in his own way of worship, he hoped that Owaneeyo would accept of him in the way Smith had mentioned, or in some other way, though he might now be ignorant of the channel through whicli favour or mercy might be conveyed. — ^Page 54^, 55. He added, that he believed that Owaneetjo w ould hear and help every one who sincerely waited upon him. Here we see, notwithstanding the just views tliis Indian entertained of Providence, yet though he acknowledged his guilt, he expected to appease the deity and procure his favour by burning a little tobacco. Thus the Indian agreed with revelation in this, that sacrifice is necessary, or that some kind of atonement is to be made in order to remove guilt and reconcile the sinner to God. This, accompanied with numberless otlier witnesses, is sufficient evidence of the truth of the scriptures." At another time Tontileaugo informed him that there were a great many of the Caughnawagas and Wiandots, a kind of half Roman Catholics ; but as for himself, he said, that the priest and he could not agree; as the priest held notions that contradicted both sense and reason ; and had the assur- ance to tell him, that the book of God taught them those fool- A STAR IN THE WEST. 273 ish absurdities ; but he could not believe tlie great and good spirit ever taught them any such nonsense. And therefore he concluded that the Indian's old religion was better than this new way of worshipping God. A STAH IN THE WEST. 277 CHAPTER XI. Separation of the Indian Wamen» THE last remarkable fact to be mentioned is, the constant practice of the Indian nations, in tlie separation of their wo- men, on certain occasions. The southern Indians oblige their women, in their lunar retreats, to build small huts, at a considerable distance from their dwelling houses, as they imagine to be sufficient, where they are obliged to stay, at the risque of their lives. Sliould they be known to violate this ancient law, they must answer for every misfortune that the people should meet with. Among the Indians on tlie north-west of the Ohio, the con- duct of tlie women seems perfectly agreeable (as far as cir- cumstances will permit) to the law of Moses. A young woman, at the first change in her circumstances, immediately separates herself from the rest, in a hut made at some distance from the dwelling-houses, and remains there, during the whole time of her malady, or seven days. The person who brings her victuals, is very careful not to touch her, and so cautious is she herself of touching her own food with her hands, that she makes use of a sliarpened stick, in- stead of a fork, with which to take up her venison, and a small ladle or spoon for her other food. When the seven days are ended, she bathes herself in water, washes all her clothes and cleanses the vessels she has made use of. Such as are 378 A STAR IN THE WEST. made of wood, she scalds and cleans with lye made of wood ashes, and such as are made of earth or iron, she purifies by putting into the fire. She then returns to her father's house and is after this looked upon fit for marriage ; but not before. A Miiskoghe woman, delivered of a child, is separated in like manner for three moons, or eighty -four days. Crossweek- sung (the once Indian town in New-Jersey,) signifies, iJie house of separation. By the Levitical Law, a woman was to be separated and unclean forty days for a man diild, and eighty days for a female child ; from which law alone it appeal^ that the Indians could have adopted this extraordinary custom, as they must have done all their numerous laws of purity— and more espe- cially as some of the nations observe the like distinction be- tween male and female children. The young women, at our people's first coming among them were very modest and shame-faced— both young and old women would be highly offended at indecent expressions, unless corrupted by drink : They were very neat and clean- ly except in some instances when they neglected themselves. Smith 138. A STAR IX THE WEST. 279 CHAPTER XIL The Cmiclusion, HAVING thus gone throu.j?h with a collection of facts, that has taken much time, great attention and strict enquiry, in order to prevent the writer from being deceived himself; or his being the innocent cause of deceiving othei-s ; he is now brouglit to draw some conclusions from the whole taken togeth- er. On a subject like this, where there is so much to hope, and so much to fear, he would use great modesty and diffi- dence. He would avoid all dogmatical assertions, or unrea- sonable confidence in any thing that he has collected, or any observations he has made, as he considers this a subject for the exercise of wisdom, research, enquiry and mature reflec- tion. But nevertheless, while he uses every necessary pre- caution, and wishes peifcct freedom of inquiry on the best evidence, yet he earnestly solicits tlie reader to keep in mind that his principal design, in these his labours, has been to in- vite and tempt the learned and the industrious, as far as they can obtain opportunities, to enquire further into this impor- tant and useful subject. What could possibly bring greater declarative glory to God, or tend more essentially to affect and rouse the nations of the earth, with a deeper sense of the certainty of the prophetic declarations of the holy scriptures, and thus call their attention to the truth of diNine revelation. 280 A STAR IN THE WEST. than a full discovery, that these wandering nations of Indians are the long lost tribes of Israel ; but kept under the special protection of Almighty God, though despised by all mankind^ for more than two thousand years, separated from and unknown to the civilized world ? Thus wonderfully brought to the knowl- edge of their fellow men, they may be miraculously prepared for instruction, and stand ready, at the appointed time, when God shall raise the signal to the nations of Europe, to be res- tored to the land and country of their fathers, and to Mount Zion the city of David, their great king and head, and this in direct, positive and literal fulfilment of the numerous promises of tlie God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, their pious progeni- tors and founders, near four thousand years agx). ^yould not such an event be the most ample mean of pub- lishing the all important fiicts of both the Old and New Testa- ment to all the nations of the earth, and thereby lead all men to the acknowledgment, that the God of Israel, is a God of truth and righteousness, and that whom he loves, he loves unto the end ? They would be convinced that his all seeing eye had been open upon them in alltlieir wanderings; under all their suffering, and that he had never forsaken tliem ; but had shewn his watcliful providence over them, and that in the latter day, " it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills ; and all nations shall flow unto it And many people shall go and say, come ye, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord ; to the house of the God of Jacob *, and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths : for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Laid from Jerusalem.'* — Isaiah ii. chap. 1, 3. A STAR IN TJIE WEST. 281 St. Paul certainly entertained some such views of this ex- traordinary event, wlien he so pathetically sets forth this glo- rious issue of the providence of God. — Speaking of Israel, « I say tiicn, have they stumhlcd, tliat tlicy sliould fall ? God forbid, hut ratlier, througli their fall, salvation is come unto tlic gentiles to provoke them to jealousy. Now if the fall of them he the riches of the world, and the diminishing of them, the riches of the gentiles, how much more their fulness. For if the casting away of them, he tlie reconciling of the world, whatsJiaU the receiving oftJiein be, hut life from the dead.^'^^ The writer will not determine with any degree of positive- ness on the fact, tliat tliese aborigines of our country are, past all doubt, the descendants of Jacob, as he wishes to leave eve- ry man to draw the conclusion from the facts themselves. But he thinks he may without impeachment of his integrity or prudence, or any charge of over credulity, say, that were a people to be found, with demonstrative evidence that their descent was from Jacob, it could hardly be expected, at this time, that their languages, manners, customs and habits, with tlieir religious rites, should discover greater similarity to those of the ancient Jews and of their divine law, without superna- tural revelation, or some miraculous interposition, than the present nations of American Indians have done, and still do, to every industrious and intelligent enquirer. This is not the first time, that the idea has been advanced, of the possibility of these tribes emigrating to America, over the straits of Kamschatka, and preserving tlie indelible marks of the children of Abraham, as has been already shewn in tine * Kom.chap. xi. II, 15. 5^0 282 A STAK IN THE AVEST, foregoing pages. In addition to which, many of the first Eu- ropean visitants, in a very early day, drew this conclusion from personal observation, of the then agj^earance of things and persons. Mons. De Guignes, who w^rotc so long ago, in one of his mcmcars, speaking of the discoveries made of Amer- ica, before the time of Columbus, says, "these researches, which of themselves give us great insight into the origin of the Americans, leads to the determination of the route of tlie colonies sent to the continent. He thinks the greater part of them passed thither by the most eastern extremities of Asia, where the two continents are only separated by a narrow strait, easy to cross. He reports instances of women, who from Canada and Florida, have travelled to Tartary without seeing the ocean." In this case they must have passed the straits on the ice. Let the foregoing facts, collected in these pages, however imperfectly and immethodically put together by one whose means of knowledge have been very scanty, be impartially examined without prejudice, and w^eighed in the scale of testi- mony, compared with the language, customs, manners, habits, religious prejudices and special traditions of the Hebrews, especially under the impression of their being related and con- firmed by so many authors, separated by birth, national maib- ners, distance of time, strong prejudices, religious jealousies, various means of knowledge and different modes of communi- cating the facts, fi'om Christopher Columbus, of glorious mem- ory, and first discoverer of America, down to Mr. Adair, who lived with them in social intercourse and great intimacy for more than forty years, and ISIr. M'Kenzic, a traveller of a late day, but the first who crossed from the Atlantic to the A STAR IN THE WEST. 2S3 Bouthern ocean — Portuguese, Spaniards, English, Frencli, Jew and Christian, men of learning — plain, illiterate travellers and sea-faring men, all — all comhining, without acquain- tance or knowledge of each other, to establish the material facts, sucli as they arc. Is it possible that tlie languages of «o many hundred nations of apparent savages, scattered over a territory of some thousands of miles in extent, living exclud- ed from all civilized society, without grammar, letters, arts or sciences, for two thousand years, should, by mere accident, bo so remarkable for peculiarities, known in no other language, but the HebrcAv — using the same words to signify the same things — having towns and places of the same name ? A gentleman of the first character of the city of New- York, well acquainted with the Indians in that state from his childhood, assured the writer of this, that when with them at a place call- ed Cohock or Oxvlflai, now degeneratwl to Cook-house, yet well known, they shewed him a mountain to the west, very high, and that appeared from Cohock, much as the Neversinks do from the sea, at first approaching the American coast, and told him the Indians called it Ararat Is there no weight of evidence, in finding peculiar customs among the Indians, of the same import as those enjoined on tlie ancient people of God, and held sacred by both ? Or in each people having three sacred feasts, religiously attended every yeai*, with peculiar and similar rites and dress, to which the males only should be admitted, and these held at certain periods and at one special place of worship in a nation, and conforming, with astonishing precision, to each other, while the women were wholly excluded by both people, and partic- tilarly that connected with one of them, each people should ^8* A STAR IN THE WEST. have anotlier of a very singular and extraordinary nature in the evening, being in part a sacrifice, in which not a bone of the animal, provided for the occasion, should be broken, nor a certain part of the thigh eaten — that if a family were not suf- ficient to eat the whole, a neighbour might be called in to par- take with them ; and if any should be still left it must religious- ly be burned in the fire before the rising of the next sun* That their houses and temple, at one of these feasts, were to be swept with the greatest care, and searched in every part, with religious scrupulosity, that no unhallowed thing should remain iinconsumed by fire. And that the altars for tlie sac- rifices were to be built of unhewn stone, or on stones on which a tool had not been suffered to come. That the entrails and fat of the sacrifice, were to be burned on the altar, and the body of the animal only to be eaten ? When all these are com- pared with the Hebrew divine law, given by God himself from heaven, we find every article rigidly commanded and enforced by sovereign autliority. Then examine their other religious feasts of different kinds, and reflect on their conformity, in a surprising manner, in limes, causes and effects, to the Hebrew rites and ceremonies, and what rational man, of sound judgment, but must, at least acknowledge, that there is great encouragement to the inqui- sitive mind, to proceed farther, and make these people the subject of attentive and unwearied inquiry. Add to all this, their general appearance — their customs and manners in pri- vate life— their com.munion with each other — their ceremo- nies and practices in society — their common religious and moral observations—- their belief in a future state^ — ►their reli- gious observation of and most sacred rcsped; to an ark in A ST AH IN THE WEST. SSB going to war, and even their cruelties and barbarous customs in the treatment of their enemies, and ought they not to be in- phided in the enumeration. The strong bearings that many of the foregoing traditions have on tlieir origin and descent — their manner of coming into this country and their future expectations, being so very sim- ilar to the experience of the Jews in their exodus fmm Egypt, should not be left out of the scale of testimony. Can it be probable — nay, if we judge from past experience, may we not ask with propriety, can it be possible, unless a miracle is acknowledged, tliat so many Indian words should be purely Hebrew, and the construction of what little Ave know of their language, founded on the same principles, if there never had been any intercommunion between the two people ? There can be but little doubt, were their language well known to the learned in Europe and America, but that many more important discoveries miglit be made, convincing to every judicious mind, that now lie ih utter oblivion. Let it now be asked — What, then, is tlie use that should be made of the facts that are thus brought to light, partial as they arc ? It is answered, Ouglit not the nations of Europe and America to make a solemn pause, and consider the Je\A s, <« now scattered and peeled, and expecting their Messiah," to use the phraseology of the bible, in a very different point of light, from that in wliich it has been customary to consider them ? This has been dark indeed. They have been treated by the civilized na- tions as the offscouring of the earth — despised, contemned and persecuted — abused, reviled, and cliarged with the most abom- inable crimes, without evidence, unheard, and contrary to all 286 A STAH IN THE WEST. probability. Nay, tliey have been treated like the wild beasts of the forest — have been proscribed, banished, murdered, or driven from one nation to another, but found safety in none. It is asserted by the best writers, that after the destruction of Jerusalem, in the time of Domitian, multitudes of Jews who had survived the sad catastrophe of the destruction of their city and temple, sought an asylum in various parts of the world. Many retired into Egypt, where a Jewish colony had resided from the time of Alexander — others fled to Cyrene — a large number removed to Babylon, and joined their bretli- ren, who had remained in that country ever since the captiv- ity — some took refuge in Persia, and other eastern countries. They became divided into eastern and western Jews. The western included Egypt, Judea, Italy, and other parts of the Roman empire. The eastern were settled in Babylon, Clial- dea, Assyria and Persia. This was about the second cen- tury ; but previous to the destruction of the temple, those Jews who resided in the eastern countries, sent presents to Jeru- salem ; repaired thither from time to time to pay their devo- tions, and acknowledge the supreme autliority of the high- priest. But after the ruin of their country, having no longer any bond of unity, which had before been formed by the high- priests and the temple, tliey elevated cliiefs to preside over them, wliom they styled princes of the captivity. — Mod. Univ. Hist. vol. 13, page 156. In the year 130, Adrian, the Roman emperor, having pro- voked the Jews almost to madness and desperation, they took arms, headed by one Coziba, who took tlie name of Barelio- ehebas, which signifies the son of a star, pretending to be the one prophesied of in that declaration of Balaam, " there shall A STAR IN THE WEST. 2«7 come a star out of Jacob," &c. After various and great suc- cesses, he was defeated and killed, and the town of Either, where he had taken refuge, obliged to surrender. There were slain in battle five hundred and eighty thousand, besides a vast number, wiio perished by sickness, fire, famine, and other calamities. Vast numbers were exposed to sale at the fair of Terebintliy at the price of horses, and dispersed over the face of the earth. In the year 1039, the sultan Gala Doullat, resolved to ex- tirpate the Jews. For this purpose he shut up their acade- mies, banished their professors, and slew the prince of the captivity, with his family. This persecution dispersed many into the desarts of Arabia, whilst others souglit an asylum in the west, Benjamin, of Tudela, found a prince of the cap- tivity in Persia, in the twelfth century. In the time of the Crusaders, fifteen hundred were burnt at Strasburgh, and thirteen hundred at Mayence. According to the Jewish historians, five thousand, (but according to the christian writers, the number was tliree times greater) were either slaughtered or drowned. It is also said, that upwards of twelve thousand were slain in Batavia. In the year 1238, during the reign of St. Louis, of France, two thousand five hundred were put to death by the most cruel tortures. In 1240, the celebrated council of Lyons passed a decree, enjoining all christian princes who had Jews in their domin- ions, under penalty of excommunication, to compel them ta refund to the crusaders all the money they had obtained by usury. This oppressed people were also prohibited from de- manding any debts due to them from the crusaders till their return. 288 A STAR IN THE WEST. Ill the time of Ferdinand, of Spain, and Pope Sixtus, the fourth, two thousand were put to death by the Inquisition. In 14^92, Ferdinand and Isabella banished eight hundred thou- sand Jews from Spain. In 13i9, a set of enthusiastic Catholics, called Flagellanti, incensed the populace against the Jews at ^letz, and slew twelve thousand of them — set lire to their houses, which were destroyed, with part of the town. — Basnage, 686. But as it may tend to greater certainty, and really so fully confirms what is suggested in holy writ, the following quota- tion from a Jewish author, complaining of their hard treat- ment, though long, will be excused. It is taken from a work entitled " An Appeal to the justice of kings and nations," cited in the transactions of the Parisian Sanhedrim, page 64^, and mentioned by Mr. Faber in his work on the prophecies. ^Vol. iii, 5B, 58. " Soon after the establisliment of Christianity, the Jewish nation, dispersed since the second destruction of its temple, had totally disappeared. By the light of tlie flames, which devoured the monuments of its ancient splendour, the con- querors beheld a million of victims dead, or expiring on their ruins. <« The hatred of the enemies of that unfortunate nation raged longer than the fire wiiich had consumed its temple : active and relentless, it still pursues and oppresses them in every part of the globe, over which they aiT< scattered. Their persecutors delight in their torments too much to seal their doom by a general decree of proscription, which at once would put an end to their burthensome and painful existence. It seems as if thev were allowed to survive the destruction of A STAR IN THE WEST. 289 their country, only to sec the most odious and calumnious im- putations laid to their cliarge, to stand as the constant ohject of the grossest and most shocking injustice, as a mark for the insulting finger of scorn, as a sport to the most inveterate hatred ; it seems as if their doom was incessantly to suit all the dark and hloody purposes which can be suggested by hu- man malignity, supported by ignorance and fanaticism. — > "Weighed down by taxes, and forced to contribute, more than christians, for the support of society, they had hardly any of the rights that it gives. If a destructive scourge happened to spread havoc among the inhabitants of a country, the Jews had poisoned the springs ; or these men cursed by heaven, had, nevertheless, incensed it by their prayers against the nation, which they were supposed to hate. Did sovereigns want pecuniary assistance to carry on their wars ? The Jews were compelled to give up those riches, in which they sought some consolation against the oppressing sense of their abject condition : as a reward for their sacrifices, they were expelled from the state, which they had supported ; and were after- wards recalled to be stript again. Compelled to wear exte- riorily the badges of their abject state, they were every where exposed to the insults of the vilest populace. ^' When, from his solitary retreat, an enthusiastic hermit preached the crusades to the nations of Europe, and a part of its inhabitants left their country to moisten with their blood the plains of Palestine, the knell of promiscuous massacre tolled before the alarm-bell of war. Millions of Jews were then murdered to glut the pious rage of the crusaders. It was by tearing the entrails of their brethren that these warriors sought to deserve the protection of heaven. Skulls of mett 2 P 390 A STAR IN THE WEST. and bleeding hearts were offered as liolo causts on the altars of that God, who lias no pleasure even in the blood of the inno- cent lamb ; and ministers of peace were thrown into an holy enthusiasm by these bloody sacrifices. It is thus that Basils Treves^ Coblentz and Cologiiy became human shambles. It is thus that upwards of four hundred thousand victims, of all ages, and of both sexes, lost their lives at Alexandria and Cesaria. And is it, after having experienced siich treatment, that they are reproached with tlieir vices ? Is it, after being for eighteen centuries the sport of contempt, that they are re- proached with being no longer alive to it ? Is it,^ after having so often glutted with their blood the tliirst of their persecutors, that they are held out as enemies to other nations I Is it, that when they have been bereft of all means to mollify the hearts of their tyrants, that indignation is roused, if now and then tliey cast a mournful look towards the ruins of their temple, towards their country, where formerly happiness crowned their peaceful days, free from the cares of ambition and riches ?** « By what crimes, have we, then, deserved this furious in- tolerance ? What is our guilt ? Is it in that generous constan- cy which we have manifested in defending the laws of our fathers ? But this constancy ought to have entitled us to the admiration of all nations, and it has only sharpened against ns the daggers (^ persecution. Bi'aving all kinds of torments, the pangs of death, the still more terrible pangs of life, we alone have v/ithstood the impetuous torrent of time, sweeping indiscriminately in its course, nations, i^ligions and countries. What is become of those celebrated empires, whose very name stiE excites our admiration by the ideas of splendid greatness A STAR IN THE WEST, 29Jl attached to them, and whose power embraced the whole sur- face of the known globe ? They are only remembered as mon- uments of the vanity of human greatness. Rome and Greece are no more ; their descendants, mixed with other nations, have lost even the traces of their origin ; while a population of a few millions of men, so often subjugated, stands the test of thirty revolving centuries, and the fiery orxleal of fifteen centuries of persecution ! We still preserve laws, which were given to us in the first days of the world, in the infancy of na- ture ! The last followers of a religion which had embraced the universe, have disappeared these fifteen centuries, and mir iemples are dill standing / We alone liave been spared by the indiscrimiiiating hand of time, like a -column left standing amidst the wreck of worlds and the ruin of nature.^' While this picture gives another awful trait of the human character^ and proves the degenerate state (^ man in his best natural state, and interests every feeling heart in the suffer- ings of this remarkable people. It also holds up, in a striking view, the threatnings of God's word and the literal fulfilment of them. — It further shews, in the most unanswerable manner, the Jews themselves being both witnesses and judges, the truth of the divine scriptures, and their strange blindness, un- til the end shall come, and the veil shall be taken from theii eyes. Christians ai^e assured by unerring truth, that it has been the obstinacy and idolatry of the tribes of Judah and Israel, that have thus caused the anger of the Almighty to be enkind- * Flad the Indians a fjilthful historian to write in their hehalf, ivhen tlieir cruel- ties in battle were recorded in their worst colours, nnght they not refer to the facts set forth in the few foregoing pages, and point to them as a contrast to tlicir ooRduct, and say, behold these wpie your civilized nation? ^92 A STAR IN THE >VEST. led against them, added to the awfid invocation of Jadah, that the blood of the Messiah, might rest on them and their child- ren. Yet in tlic end, God will call their oppressors to a se- vere account for the uncliristian manner in which they have carried the divine judgments into execution. Little of it has been done for the glory of God. Moses did solemnly fore- warn the Jews, that all this would be the consequence of diso- bedience to the laws and statutes of Jehovah, and that at the very time that he encouraged them with a certainty of his special favours, in case of their obedience. The inspired lan- guage is exceedingly strong. *^ And it sliall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to observe and do all his commandments which I com- mand thee this day, that the Lord thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth, and all those blessings (before enumerated) shall come upon thee." " But it shall (also J come to 'pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God to observe and do all his commandments and his statutes, which I command thee this day, that all tliose curses shall overtake thee. Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field.'* — ^Deut. xxviii. 1, 2, 15, 16. The Lord shall bring thee and thy king into a nation, which neither thou nor thy fathers have known, and tliere shalt thou serve other Gods, wood and stone. And tliou shalt become an astonishment, a proverb and a bye-word among all nations, whitlicr the Lord shall lead thee.'* — Ibid 36, 57, ^* And they sliall be upon thee for a sign and a wonder and upon thy seedjorcver,'^ (or for ages.) — Ibid 46. And thou shalt serve thine enemies, w hicli the Lord shall send against thee, in hunger and thirst, and in nakedness^ and in ivant of all things. A STAR IN THE >VEST. 295 And he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck until he hath destroyed thee." — Ihid 48. « If thou wilt not ohscrve to do all the words of this law, that are written in this hook that tliou mayest fear, this glorious and fearful name, the Lord thy GoiU^ —Ibid 58. " And the Loid shall scatter thee among all peo- ple, from one end of the earth to the other." — Ihid 6i^. And among these nations thou shalt find no case, neither shalt the sole of thy foot have rest, but the Lord shalt give thee a trem- bling of heart and failirig of eyes and sorrow of mind." — Ibid 6h, « And thy life shall hang in doubt before thee, and thou shalt fear day and night, and slialt have none assurance of thy life." << And it shalt come to pass, wlicn ail these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind, among all the nations whither the Lord thy God hath driven thee, and shalt return unto the Lord thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command tliee this day, thou and thy children, with all thy heart and with all thy soul, that then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity and have compas- sion upon thee and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee. If any of tinne he dnven out unto the uitermcst parts of hewvenp from thence will tlie Lord thy God gather thee, and from thence will he fetch thee. And the Lord tliy God will bring thee unto the land which thy fathers possessed, and thou shalt possess it, and he will do thee good, and multiply thee above thy fathers. And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heai-t and the hearts of thy seed, to love the Lord tliy God, with all thine heart, and with all tliy soul, that thou may est live. And the Lord tiiy God will put all these curses uvoa 22i A STAR IN THE WEST. thine enemies, and on them who hate Hue, who persecuted thee. And thou shalt return, and ohey the voice of the L6rd thy God and do all his commandments, which I command thee this day." — Ibid xxx. 1, 8. Thus the Lord in the midst of the scvei^st judgments remembered mercy for the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob : and these great encourage^ ments to obedience, he frequently repeated by his prophets, from time to time, as in Isaiah — *«For Jehovah will have compassion on Jacob and will yet choose Israel, And he will give them rest upon their own land — and the stranger shall be joined to them and cleave unto the house of Jacob. And the nations shall take them and bring them in their own place ; and the house of Jacob shall possess them into the land of Jehovah, as servants and as handmaids ; and theyshdll take them captive, whose captives they were, and they shall rule over their oppressors." — Lowth xiv. 1, 2. ^ Ho ! land spreading wide the shadow of thy wings,* xvhieh art beyond the rivers of Cush, accustomed to send mes- sengers by sea, even in bulrush vessels, upon the surface of the waters — Go! swift messengers unto a nation dragged away and plucked ; unto a people wonderful from the begin- ning hitherto." — Chap, xviii. 1, 3. " At that season a present shall be led to the Lord of Hosts, a people dragged away and ♦ The translation of these verses, is taken from Mn Faber, who quotes Bishop Horsley, in saying, " the shadow of wings is a very usual image in prophetic lan- guage, for the protection afforded by the stronger, to the weaR. God's protec- tion of his servants is described by their being safe under the shadow of his wings. And in this passage, the broad shadowing wings may be intended to characterise some great people, who shall be famous for tlie protection they shall give to those vhom they received into their alliance." " It is not impossible hoM'ever, and cer- tainly not incongruous with the figurative language of prophecy, that since the inessei>gcrs described in this prediction, are plainly a maritime nation, the shadowy vjngs here spoken of may mean the sails of their ships." A STAR IN THE WEST. 29'3 plucked, even of a people wonderful from the beginning hither- to ; a nation expecting, expecting, and trampled under foot, whose land rivers have spoiled, unto the place of the name of the Lord of Hosts, Mount Zion."— -Ibid 7. " For behold Je- hovah shall come as a fire ; and bis chariot as a whirlwind ; to breatlte forth his anger in a burning heat, and his rebuke in flames of fire. For by fire shall Jeliovah execute judgment, and by his sword upon all flesh ; and many shall be the slain of Jehovah." — Ibid Ixvi. 15, 16. Again in Jeremiah the sub- ject is taken np. '' For lo ! the days come, saith the Lord, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, and I will cause them to return to the land tliat I gave to their fathers and they sliall possess it.''— Jerem, xxx. S-. <« Therefore fear thou not my servant Jacob, saith the Lord, neither be dismayed Israel, for lo ! I will save thee from afar, and thy seed from the land of their captivity ; and Jacob shall return and shall be in rest aiid be quiet and none shall make him afraid. For I am with thee saith the Lord, to save thee ; though I make a full end of all the nations whither I have scattered thee ; yet will I not make a full end of thee ; but I will correct thee in measure, and will not leave thee altogether unpunished." « Therefore all they who dcrour thee shall he devoured, and all thine adversaries, every one of tlmn, shall go into captivity ; and they who spoil thee, shall be a spoils and all who prey upon thee, will Igivefcn^ a pre?/."-— Yerse 16, Remember this, and shew yourselves men : Reflect on it deeply, ye apostates !— I am God nor is there any thing like me. From the beginning, making known the end ; And from early tiroes^ the things that are not yet done : -yC A STAR IN THE AVEST. Saying my counsel shall stand. And whatever I have willed, I will effect. Calling from tlic east, the eagle, And from a land far distant, the man of my counsel : As I have spoken, so will I bring it to pass ; I liave formed the design, and I will execute it. (Lowth's Isaiah xlvi. 8, 11. " And this shall be the covenant that I will make with the iiousc of Israel, after those days saith the Lord, I will put my law ill their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God and they shall be my people." — Vide also xxxi. 1, 1-i. Joel also is very express on this subject. << For behold, says he, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem, / w?7i also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the val- ley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there, for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land. — Chap. iii. 1, 2. From all this it appears, with the greatest certaintj^, that in the latter day, the house of Israel shall be discovered, and brought from the land of their captivity afar off, to the city of God, the new Jerusalem, that sliall be restored to more than its former glory. And that all those who have oppressed and despised them, wherever they are, wiil become subjects of the anger and fury of Jehovah their C»od. If then it is plain, that the Israelites have heretofore suffer- ed the just indignation of the Almighty, for their sins and all histhreatnings and fury have literally and most exactly been poured out upon tiiem, according to the predictions of his ser-- vant Moses, what have not their enemies and oppressors to A STAR IN THE WESl-. S^f fear, in the great day of God's anger, when he cometh to avenge his people, who have been dear to him as the apple of his eye ? Js not the honor of God as much concerned in exe- cuting his thrcatnings on one as the otlier ? Will it not be w ise then to consider our ways betimes, and sincerely to repent of all improper conduct of oppression and destruction to any, wlio may turn out to have been the continual objects of God's re- gard, though suffering under his just displeasure. If his word has been yea and amen, in punishing the people of his choice, because of their disobedience, what hope can those gentiles have, who are found to continue in opposition to his positive commandments. Let all, then, carefully attend to the word of the Lord, a^ spoken by his pi-ophets, and watch the signs of the timesj seeking to know the w ill of God, and what he expects from those who are awakened to see their erix)r. Much is to be done when the signal is set up for the nations ; and these children of God's watchful providence, shall be manifestly dis- covered. They are to be converted to the faith of Chi'ist, and instructed in their glorious prerogatives, and prepared and assisted to return to their own land and their ancient city, even the city of Zion, which shall become a praise in all the earth. Let not our unbelief, or other irreligious conduct, with a want of a lively, active faith in our Almighty Redeemer, become a stumbling block to these outcasts of Israel, wherever they may be. They will naturally look to the practice and example of those calling themselves christians for encourage- ment. Who knows but God has raised up these United States in these latter days, for the very purpose of accomplishing his will in bringing his beloved people to their own Iand« 298 A STAR IN THE WEST. Wc are a maritime jicoplc — a nation of seafaring men. Our trade and commerce have greatly encreased for years past, except during our late troubles. We may, under God, be called to act a great part in this wonderful and interesting drama. And if not alone, wc may certainly assist in a union with other maritin^ powers of Europe. The people of Great- Britain are almost miraculously active in disseminating the gospel throughout the known world. The same spirit will carry them to accomplish the whole will of God. The time is hastening on, and if we have any understanding in the pro- phetic declarations of the Bible, it cannot be far off. <^ And I said, how long, Jehovah ! and he said, until cities be laid waste, so that there be no inhabitant and houses, so that there be no man ; and the land be left utterly desolate, until Jeho- vah remove man far away, and there be many a deserted wo- man in the midst of the land. And though there be a tenth part remaining in it, even this shall undergo a repeated de- struction. Yet as the ilex and the oak, though cut down, hath its stock remaining, a holy seed shall be the stock of the nation.'^ Have not these wonderful things come to pass, and there- fore have we not reason to believe the time of the end is near at hand. When Tiglah Pilnezer carried away the tribes from Samaria, he left about a tenth part of the common people be- hind, Salman azer, his successor, some few years after, less than twenty, came and carried the rest into captivity, except a few stragglers about the country, and those who had taken refuge in Jerusalem. Even this small remnant were after- Wards taken by Esarrhaddon and Nebuchadnezzar, and car- ried to Babylon, and the whole land left desolate, in strict A STAR IN THE AVEST. 29.9 fulfilment of tlic divine word. And even yet a holy seed sball still appear to become the stock of the nation. What, then, is the use that christians ought to make of a discovery of this nature, should they be convinced of the truth of the proposition ? First, To adore with humble reverence, the inscrutable riches of the grace of God, and his infinite wisdom in his conduct towards his servants, Abraliam, Isaac and Jacob, and their posterity. Secondly, To rejoice in the absolute certainty of the fulfilment of the promises as well as the threatnings of his holy word — " For though heaven and earth may pass away, yet not a tittle of his word shall pass away, but all shall be fulfilled.*' Thirdly, To enjoy the pres- ent benefit of the glorious hope set before them, even in the view of immediate death, knowing tliat when Christ shall come the second time, " in his own glory, and tlie glory of the Father, his saints shall come with him.'' — Coloss. iii. 4'. *^ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, them also who sleep in Jesus, will God bring with him ; for the Lord himself shall descend from lieaven with a shout, with the voice of an arch-angel, and with the trump of God ; and then shall christians be forever with the Lord.'' — 1 Thess. iv. 14 — 17. Fourthly, This makes the grave the christian's priv- ilege and consolation. As the scriptures positively declare, that flesh and blood cannot inlierit the kingdom of heaven ; this would have greatly weakened their faith and hope, had they not been assured, that they would leave tlieir flesh and l)lood in the grave, and rise immortal and incorruptible through the power of the Redeemer, who had previously sanctified the grave by his own prescnoe. SOO A STAR IN THE WEST. But after all, suppose we should be wholly mistaken in all our conjectures, and should treat these aborigines of this land with great kindness and compassion, under the mistaken opin- ion of their descent ? Would any people have reason to repent acts of humanity and mercy to these wretched outcasts of so- ciety ? Have not Europeans been the original cause of their sufferings ? Are we not in possession of their lands ? Have we not been enriched by their labours ? Have they not fought our battles, and spilt their blood for us, as well as against us ? If we speak as an European nation, has not a large propor- tion of their numbers perished in our wars, and by our means ? Ought not we, tlien, now, at this day of light and knowledge, to think much of hearkening to the voice of mercy and the bowels of compassion in their behalf? But if it sliould turn out, that our conjectures are well founded, what aggravated destruction may we not avoid, by an obedient and holy tem- per, and exerting ourselves to keep the commands of the stat- utes of the God of Israel ? " Behold, at that time, I will und all who afflict thee : and I will save her who halteth, a.d gather her who is driven out. And I will get them fame and praise in every land, where they have been put to shame. At that time, I will bring you again, even in the time that I gather you, for I will make you a name and a praise among all people of the eartli, when I turn back your captivity before your eyes, saith the Lord." — Zeph. iii. 19 — 20. We are very apt, and indeed it is a common practice, to blame the Jews, and charge them with great perverseness, and call them an obstinate and stiff-necked race, when we read of the grace and mercy of Jehovali towards them, in the mul- tiplied blessings promised on their obedience, and the awful A STAR IN THE WEST. 301 curses and severe threatnings in case of disobedience. We profess to be astonished at the hardness of their hearts and abominable wickedness of their conduct, committed in direct opposition to so much light and knowledge. Yet would not any impartial person, under a just view of our conduct to them since the discovery of this country, and the practices of a large majority of those who call themselves christians, draw a pretty certain conclusion that we had not much to insist on, in our favour — That most certainly we have not done to them, as we should have expected from them, under a change of cir- cumstances. We go on, under similar threatnings of the same Almighty Being. We shew much the same hardness of heart, under the like denunciations of vengeance, that he will afflict and destroy, without mercy, those nations who join in oppres- sing his people, without regard to his honour and glory. He will be found no respecter of persons ; but will fulfil, not only his promised blessings, but will with equal certainty inflict all his threatened curses on obstinate offenders. " Who is wise, and he shall understand these things ? Prudent, and he shall know them ? For all the ways of the Lord are right, and the just shall walk in them ; but the transgressors shall fall therein." — Hosea xiv. 9. " And the Lord answeied me and said, WTite the vision and make it plain upon a table, that he may run who readeth it — For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak and not lie ; though it tarry, wait for it, because it will surely come — It will not tarry." — H^b- akkuk ii. 2 — 3. APPENDIX. Historical Sketches of Louisiana, THE famous Ferdinand de Soto was sent by the Spaniards to succeed Narvaez, as governor of Florida. " He attacked the natives eveiy where, and every where committed great slaughter ; destroyed their towns, and subsisted his men on the provisions found in them. He cross«l the Missisippi, explored the regions to the west of it, and in 1542 ended his days on Red River." — Page 8. In 1562, the French growing jealous of the succcess of the Spaniards, admiral Coligni fitted out a fleet, with a colony of French pratestants, under Rebaud. They landed in Florida, and planted the settlers about thirty miles from St. Augustine, where they erected a fort for their protection, and called it Fort Charles, in honour of Charles the Uh. Astonishment seized the Spaniards at this unexpected intrusion. However, the Spanish governor Menandez, after recovering from the first shock, assembled his forces, attacked Fort Charles, and carried it by storm. Those miserable French who escaped the sword, were doomed to the halter, with this label on their breasts : " Not as Frenchmen, but as heretics." — Page 5. Of all the Indians known to the French, the Natchez were the most serviceable, and at the same time the most terrible. 304 APPENDIX. Settlers at various times planted themselves among them, so as to become a large body. They were favourably received by the Natchez, who supplied them with provisions, assisted them in their tillage, and in building their houses, and indeed saved them from famine and death. They soon began to en- croach on the rights of the Indians, and excited their jealousy. The Natchez possessed the strongest disposition to oblige, and would have continued eminently useful to the French settlers, if the commandant had not treated them with indignity and injustice. The first dispute was in 1723, wlien an old warrior owed a soldier a debt in corn. Wlien payment was demanded, the warrior alledged that the corn was not ripe, but it should be delivered as soon as possible. They quarreled, when the sol- dier cried murder. When the warrior left him to go to his village, a soldier of the guard fired at him and shot him. The commandant would not punish tlie offender. Revenge, the prominent passion of the Indians, drove them to arms. They attacked the French in all quartei's — but by the influence of a noted cliief, peace was restored, which prevented the utter extermination of the settlers. Peace was made and duly rat- ified by Mons. Branville ; yet he took advantage of it to inflict a sudden and dreadful blow on these innocent people. He privately brought seven hundred men. — he attacked the de- fenceless Indians — slaughtered them in their huts, and de- manded the head of their chief; witli which they were obliged to comply. This wanton slaughter lasted four days. A peace was then made, but confidence was destroyed. Shortly after, a French officer accidentally met a sachem, called the Sting- serpent, who appeared to avoid him. Tlie officer said, why API»ENDI3t. ^09 do you avoid me, we were once friends ; are we so no longer ? The indignant chief replied — ^wliy did the French come into our country ? \Vc did not go to seek them. They asked us for land, and we told them to take it where they pleased ; there was enough for them and for us. The same sun ought to en- lighten us both, and we ought to walk together as friends in the isame path. We promised to give them food—assist them to build and to labour in the fields. We have done so. In 1729, the commandant of the fort had treated them so ill, that they obtained his being summoned to New-OrleanS to answer for his conduct. This gave mucli joy to the Indians. The officer found means to be sent back reinstated in his commands He now determined to indulge his malice against the Indians; He suddenly resolved to build a town on the sclte of a village belonging to one of the sachems, which covered a square of three miles extent. He sent for the sun or chief, and directed him to clear the huts and remove to some other place. The chief replied, that their ancestors had lived therfe for many ages, and that it Was good fot* their descendants to occupy the same ground. This dignified language served only to exas- perate the haughty commandant. He declared, that unless the village was abandoned in a few days, the inhabitants of it should repent their obstinacy ! The Indians finding a bloody conflict was inevitable, they laid their plans accordingly. They tried by the best excuses in their power to delay the execution of his plan ,* but he treated all tlieir proposals with disdain, and menaced immediate destruction if he was not gratified. The Indians ever fruitful iii expedients, got per- mission to wait till their harvest was got in. During this interval^ short as it was, they formed their plan. They held 3ea APPENDix. a council, and unanimously resolved to make one great effort to defend the tombs of their fathers. They proceeded with caution^ yet one of their women betrayed them. The comman- tiant would not liearken to it, but punished the informant.— Near the close of the last day of Nov. 1729, the Grand Sun, with some warrioi^, repaired to the fort with their tribute of corn and fowls agi'eed upon. They secured the gate and other passages, and instantly deprived the soldiers of the means of defence. So well was their plan laid, that all opposition was in vain. The massacre throughout the settlement, among the men, was general. The slaves, and some of the women, were spared. The chiefs and warriors, disdaining to stain their hands with the blood of the commander, he fell by the hands of one of the meanest of the Indians. In short, the w'hole set- tlement, consisting of about seven hundred men, were wholly destroyed. They proceeded to two neighbouring settlements, at Yazous and Wastulu, which shared the same fate ; a very few escaped to carry the news to the capital. — Pages 46 — 52. The governor of New-Orleans, persisting in destroying this nation, they fled over the Missisippi, and settled one hundred and eighty miles up the Red River, where they built a fort for their protection. After some time, the governor pursued them to this place with cannon, &;c. besieged the fort, and they were obliged to surrender at discretion. The women and children were reduced to slavery, and scattered among the plantations. The men were sent to St. Domingo as slaves. Their villages at first consisted of twelve hundred souls. Of all the Indians, they were the most polished and civilized.— They had an established religion among them, in many par- ticulars rational and consistent — as likewise regular orders of APPJJNDIX. 307 priesthood. They had a temple dedicated to tlie great spirit, in which they preserved the eternal fire. No doubt these to- kens of their i-eligion were ever obscured and perverted by tradition — but this is rather the misfortune tlian tlie crime of the Indians. This remark is applicable to all the aborigines of America. Their civil polity partook of the refinement of a people apparently in some degree learned and scientific. They had kings or chiefs — a kind of subordinate nobility — and the usual distinctions created by rank were well under- stood and preserved among them. They were just, generous and humane, and never failed to extend relief to the objects of distress and misery. They were well acquainted with the properties of medicinal plants, and the cures they performed, particularly among the French, were almost incredible. They were remarkable for not deeming it glorious to destroy the human species, and for this reason, seldom waged any other than defensive war. — Pages 53 — i. In short, the history of the European wars against the In- dians, and particularly the Spanish, for more than two centu- ries, afford nothing but a series of complicated crimes, the black catalogue of which will continue to excite in every breast, the mingled emotions of pity and indignation. They made war on defenceless nations without provocation^ — ispilt oceans of blood and involved millions of their fellow creatures in misery.— ^They trampled on all those laws deemed sacred by the civilized world, and their misdeeds find no other ex- cuse than what is derived from the gratification of their ava- rice.— Page 58. They not only enslaved the prisoners taken in battle, but Hkewise those peaceable and effeminate people who submitted aOS APPENDIX. themselves at discretion. — They compelled them to labour in the mines of Hispaniola and Cuba, where vast numbers perish- ed. The natives of Hispaniola, at Columbus' first arrival, amounted to more than a million of inhabitants — fifteen years after they amounteil to less than sixty thousand. In Cuba, upwards of five hundred thousand perished— a similar destruc- tion took place on the continent. — Page 56. The aborigines in general are extremely scrupulous in re- gard to the fulfilment of national compacts ; though in their individual capacities they are less honest and more inclined to evade their engagements. Their w ant of faith in most instan- ces, where it has been manifested may be traced either to tlie hard conditions imposed on them, or to the advantage taken of theii- ignorance. Whoever will attentively examine into the merits of the numerous quarrels between them and the whites, will be apt to find that the latter were almost uniform- ly the aggressors.— Page 6i. A remarkable fact with respect to Florida. While it was in the hands of the English, a plan was concerted by Sir Wil- liam Duncan and Dr. Turnbull, to entice a colony of Greeks to settle in this country. It was represented to them in the most favourable light. They were promised fertile fields and lands in abundance, and also transportation and subsistence. Fifteen hundred engaged in this undertaking — but what was their surprise when tliey were ushered in to New-Smyrna, about seventy miles to the eastward of St. Augustine, which they found to be a desolate wilderness, without the means of support. Instead of being proprietors of land, there was none for them, but upon lease for ten years, and some could not obtain it on any terms. Hence they became labourers to the APPENDI3C 309 planters as slaves, and suffered hunger ahd nakedness. Over- seers were placed over them, who goaded them with the lash '—They were kept together and numbers were crouded to- gether in one mess — Tlie poor wretches were not allowed to procure fish for themselves, although plenty in the sea at their feet. — People were forbidden to furnish them with vic- tuals. Severe punishments were decreed against those who gave and those who received the charitable boon. Under this treatment many died, especially the old people. At length in 1769, seized with despair, they rose on tlieir cruel tyrants and made themselves some small vessels — But they were seized by the military, and five of the principal suffered death. This could scarcely be believed, considering tlie re- puted humanity of the English, had it not been verified by the solemn report of a British officer who was an eye witness. r-Page 121. Frasefs Key to the Frophedes, Speaking of the image of the beast, that it should speak* &c. &c. says, the Pope put to death m a variety of forms, such as dared to oppose him. He excluded from the privileges of civil society all such as did not submit to his claims and au- thority. See the decree of Alexander 3d, in the Synod of Tours — the bull of Martin against the errors of Wickliffe and Huss, annexed to the council of Constamce. Tlicre it is decreed " that men of this sort be not permitted to have houses SIO APFEKDIX. to rear families, to make contracts, to carr}' on traffick or busi- ness of any kind, or to enjoy the comforts of humanity, in common with the faithful." These are almost the words which prophecy has put into the mouth of the image. See the bull of Paul 3d, against Henry 8th, and that of Paul 5th, in the eleventh year of Queen Elizabeth. An energetical letter, dated London 19th January, 1791, signed by three vicars apostolic of England, expressly prohibits the Catholics of that kingdom to take an oath prescribed by government, though that oath contains nothing inconsistent with Catholic principles, but a renunciation of the Pope's su- premacy in temporals. They express themselves, "The apostolical vicars, in the above mentioned energetical letter, (dated October 21, 1789) declared, that none of the faithful clergy or laity, ought to take any new oath or sign any new declaration or doctrinal matters, or subscribe any new instru- ment wherein the interests of religion are concerned, without the previous approbation of their respective bishops, and they required submission to those determinations. The altered oath has not been approved by us, and therefore cannot be lawfully or conscientiously taken by any of the faithful of our districts." Here tlie Iamb like beast speaks like a dragon — Ten very respectable Catholics in England, met together as a committee, and protested against this letter, as inculcating principles hostile to the government, and contrary to the faith and moral character of the Catholics. Our adversaries account the visibility of their church as a community from the apostolic days, a demonstration of its being the true cliurch, while they ask us with an air of tri- umph, where was your church before Luther ? (In the wil- APPENDIX. 311 derness where it yet is.) The prophecy furnishes a direct answer. The true church of christ ought to he invisible as a community for a period of twelve hundred and sixty years, and during all that time a harlot, pretending to he the sjmuse of Christ, and ought to propagate her idolatries successfully and extensively, throughout the world. The divisions among protestants have been urged by their adversaries as an argument against them ; and the ineffectual efforts of learned and pious men to unite them into one com- munity, have proved stumbling blocks to tlie faith of some of their friends. But by the prophetic representation, matters ought to be as they are. Had protestants united together into one society, the church of christ would have b«en visible as a community, which during the currency of twelve hundred and sixty years would flatly contradict the prophecy ; but the sev- eral protestant churches, having no connection with each other in government and ordinances like the ancient church, they constitute only individual members of the universal church, which as a body politic is invisible now, as it was in the tenth century. While tiiis view sliould reconcile us to a certain degree of separation among pi'otestants during the currency of the twelve hundred and sixty years, it ouglit to remove wholly the violence of party spirit and every degree of bitterness and rancour which they have too frequently shewed to each other. Aviolent party spirit is founded on this principle, that those who possess it are the true church of christ.— "Hence they argue that those who separate from them are schismatics or heritics, and therefore ought to be treated as heathens and publicans. But the ground of their reasoning is false ; according to the prophecy no particular 313 AP]?ENDIX. church or party, now on earth, may claim the exclusive privileges of the universal church. Whoever does, acts the part of a daughter, usurping the place of the mother, and requiring that subjection of her sisters which the law of God does not requirCi— Pages 13i< — 5 — 162. FINIS.