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JONATHAN CARVER.

or climbs into a tree, and taking his station on some of the branches, waits till one of them, driven by an extreme of heat or cold, takes shelter under it; when he fastens upon his neck, and opening the jugular vein, soon brings blood and drags his prey to the ground. This he is enabled to do by his long tail, with which he encircles the body of his adversary; and the only means they have to shun their fate is by flying immediately to the water. By this method, as the carcajou has a great dislike to that element, he is sometimes got rid of before he can effect his purpose."-Ibid. p. 450.

The Whipper-Will, or, as it is termed by

the Indians, the Muckawiss. "THIS extraordinary bird is somewhat like the last-mentioned in its shape and colour, only it has some whitish stripes across the wings, and like that is seldom ever seen till after sunset. It also is never met with but during the spring and summer months. As soon as the Indians are informed by its notes of its return, they conclude that the frost is entirely gone, in which they are seldom deceived; and on receiving this assurance of milder weather, begin to sow their

corn.

It acquires its name by the noise it makes, which to the people of the colonies sounds like the name they give it WhipperThe Will; to an Indian ear Muckawiss. words it is true are not alike, but in this manner they strike the imagination of each; and the circumstance is a proof that the same sounds, if they are not rendered certain by being reduced to the rules of orthography, might convey different ideas to different people. As soon as night comes on, these birds will place themselves on the fences, stumps, or stones that lie near some house, and repeat their melancholy note without any variation till midnight. The Indians, and some of the inhabitants of the back settlements, think if this bird perches upon any house, that it betokens some mishap to the inhabitants of it."-Ibid. p. 467.

[The Wakon Bird.]

"THE Wakon bird, as it is termed by the Indians, appears to be of the same species as the birds of paradise.

"The name they have given it is expressive of its superior excellence, and the veneration they have for it: the Wakon bird being in their language the bird of the Great Spirit. It is nearly the size of a swallow, of a brown colour, shaded about the neck with a bright green; the wings are of a darker brown than the body; its tail is composed of four or five feathers, which are three times as long as its body, and which are beautifully shaded with green and purple. It carries this fine length of plumage in the same manner as a peacock does, but it is not known whether it ever raises it into the erect position that bird sometimes does. I never saw any of these birds in the colonies, but the Naudowesie Indians caught several of them when I was in their country, and seemed to treat them as if they were of a superior rank to any other of the feathered race."-Ibid. p.

[The Swift Lizard.]

473.

Its

"THE Swift Lizard is about six inches long, and has four legs and a tail. body which is blue, is prettily striped with dark lines shaded with yellow; but the end of the tail is totally blue. It is so remarkably agile that in an instant it is out of sight, nor can its movement be perceived by the quickest eye; so that it might more justly be said to vanish than to run away. This species are supposed to poison those they bite, but are not dangerous, as they never attack persons that approach them, choosing rather to get suddenly out of their reach."-Ibid. p. 488.

The Yellow Ash, which is only found near
the head branches of the Mississippi.
"THIS tree grows to an amazing height,

JONATHAN CARVER — RODRIGUEZ.

and the body of it is so firm and sound, that the French traders who go into that country from Louisiana to purchase furs, make of them periaguays; this they do by excavating them by fire, and when they are completed, convey in them the produce of their trade to New Orleans, where they find a good market both for their vessels and cargoes. The wood of this tree greatly resembles that of the common ash, but it might be distinguished from any other tree by its bark; the ross or outside bark being near eight inches thick, and indented with furrows more than six inches deep, which make those that are arrived to a great bulk appear uncommonly rough; and by this peculiarity they may be readily known. The rind or inside bark is of the same thick

ness as that of other trees, but its colour is a fine bright yellow; insomuch that if it is but slightly handled, it will leave a stain on the fingers, which cannot easily be washed away; and if in the spring you peel off the bark, and touch the sap, which then rises between that and the body of the tree, it will leave so deep a tincture that it will require three or four days to wear off."-Ibid.

p. 498.

[The Whickopick or Suckwick.]

"THE Whickopick or Suckwick appears to be a species of the white wood, and is distinguished from it by a peculiar quality in the bark, which when pounded and moistened with a little water, instantly becomes a matter of the consistence and nature of size. With this the Indians pay their canoes, and it greatly exceeds pitch or any other material usually appropriated to that purpose; for besides its adhesive quality, it is of so oily a nature, that the water cannot penetrate through it, and its repelling power abates not for a considerable time."-Ibid. p. 499.

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low, the most remarkable of which is a small sort that grows on the bank of the Mississippi, and some other places adjacent. The bark of this shrub supplies the beaver with its winter food; and where the water has washed the soil from its roots, they appear to consist of fibres interwoven together like thread, the colour of which is of an inexpressibly fine scarlet; with this the Indians tinge many of the ornamental parts of their dress."-Ibid. p. 506.

[The Elder.]

"THE elder, commonly termed the poisonous elder, nearly resembles the other sorts in its leaves and branches, but it grows much straiter, and is only found in swamps This shrub is endowed and moist soils. with a very extraordinary quality, that renders it poisonous to some constitutions, which it effects if the person only approaches within a few yards of it, whilst others may even chew the leaves or the rind without receiving the least detriment from them: the poison however is not mortal, though it operates very virulently on the infected person, whose body and head swell to an amazing size and are covered with eruptions, that at their height resemble the confluent small-pox. As it grows also in many of the provinces, the inhabitants cure its venom by drinking saffron tea, and anointing the external parts with a mixture composed of cream and marsh mallows."— Ibid. p. 508.

[First Sugar Cane in Hayti.]

ONE Aquilon, a Canarian, planted the first sugar canes in Hayti.-M. RODRIGUEZ, Ind. Chron.

The Akancéas on the Mississippi. "THEIR Cottages are built of cedar, all matted within. They have no determined "THERE are several species of the wil- worship; they adore all sorts of animals, or

[Species of the Willow.]

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HERRERA-THOMAS GAGE.

rather they worship but one Divinity, which | night season to talke with a woman, and

discovers itself in a certain animal, such as it shall please their Jongleur, or priest, to pitch upon; so that it will be sometimes an ox, sometimes a dog, or some other. When this visible God is dead, there is an universal mourning, but which is presently changed into a great joy, by the choice they make of a new mortal Deity, which is always taken from amongst the brutes."-DE LA SALLE.

[Aboriginal Testudo, or, the Yucatan Instru

ment of the Tortoise-shell.]

IN Yucatan they made a musical instrument of the tortoise-shell, preserved whole. Its sound was melancholy.—HERRERA, 4. 10. 4.

clyming over a wall whyche was of weake foundation, both he and the wall fell togither so that with the noyse of hys fall, and ratling of his armoure which he ware, came out a man newly married, and findyng him fallen at hys dore would have slayne hym, suspecting somewhat of his new married wife, but that a certaine olde woman, being his mother in lawe wyth great perswasions stayed him from that fact."-The Pleasant Historie of the Conquest of the Weast India, now called new Spayne, atchieved by the worthy Prince Hernando Cortes, Marquez of the Valley of Huaxacre, most delectable to reade: translated out of the Spanishe tongue by T. N. Anno 1578.

The author's name does not appear, the translator is Thomas Nicholas.

[Burial at Sea.]

"His burial was as solemnly performed as could be at sea, his grave being the whole ocean; he had weighty stones hung to his feet, two more to his shoulders, and one to his brest; and then the superstitious Romish dirige and requiem being sung for his soul, his corpse being held out to sea on the ship side, with ropes ready to let him fall, all the ship crying out three buen viaja, that is a good voyage, to his soul chiefly, and also to his corpse ready to travel to the deep to feed the whales; at the first cry all the ordnance were shot off, the ropes on a suddain loosed, and Juan de la Cueva, with the weight of heavy stones plunged deep into the sea, whom no mortal eyes ever more beheld."—GAGE, THOMAS, New Survey of the West Indies, &c.

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rest.

[Consecration of an Idol.]

"THERE was another godde who hadde a greate image placed uppon the toppe of the Chappell of Idols, and he was esteemed for a speciall and singular god above all the This god was made of all kinde of seedes that groweth in that countrey, and being ground they made a certain paste, tempered with children's bloud and virgins sacrificed, who were opened with their razures in the breastes, and their heartes taken out to offer as first fruites unto the idoll. The priestes and ministers doe consecrate this idoll with great pomp and many ceremonies. All the comarcans and citizens are presente at the consecration, with great triumph and incredible devotion. After the consecration, many devoute persons came and sticked in the dowy image precious stones, wedges of gold, and other jewels. After all this pomp ended, no secular man mought touche that holye image, no, nor yet come into his chappell, nay scarcely religious persons, except they were Tlamacaztli, who are priestes of order. They doe renue this image many times wyth new dough, taking away the olde, but then

CONQUEST OF THE blessed is hee that can get one peece of the old ragges for relikes, and chiefly for souldyers, who thought themselves sure therewith in the warres. Also at the consecra

tion of this idoll, a certayne vessell of water was blessed with manye wordes and ceremonies, and that water was preserved very religiously at the foote of the altar, for to consecrate the king when he should be crowned, and also to blesse any captayne generall, when he should be elected for the warres, with only giving him a draught of that water."-Ibid.

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ed with foule and divilish gestures, with great teeth and gummes wrought, whiche was a thinge to feare those that should enter in thereat, and especially the Christians unto whom it represented very Hel, with that ougly face and monsterous teeth."Ibid.

Gage's account of Mexico, which he pretends to have collected on the spot, is copied verbatim from this old translation. In this passage he has retained the literal error in the name of the God, and written it with a c instead of z, which the ç of the original represents.

[The hollow Idol that spake, as Idols have done before.]

"THE body of this idol was great and hollow, and was fastened in that wall with lime: hee was of earth; and behinde this idols backe was the vesterie, where was kept ornaments and other things of service for the temple. The priests had a little secret dore hard adjoyning to the idol, by which dore they crept into the hollow idol, and answered the people that came with prayers and peticions. And with this deceit the simple soules beleved al that the idol spake, and honored that god more than al the rest with many perfumes and sweete smelles, and offered bread and fruite, with sacrifice of quayles bloud, and other birds, and dogges, and sometime man's blood. And thro the fame of this idoll and oracle many pilgrimes came to Acumasil from many places."-Ibid.

[The Idol Quecaleovatl:-Thomas Gage a Copyist from this old History.]

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[The Images of Mexitli and Tezcalipoca.] THE images of Mexitli and Tezcalipoca were made of stone in ful proportion as bigge as a gyant. They were covered with a lawne called Nacar. These images were besette with pearles, precious stones, and peeces of gold, wrought like birds, beasts, fishes, and floures, adorned with emeralds, turquies, calcedons, and other little fine stones, so that when the lawne Nacar was taken away, the images seemed very beautifull to beholde. The image had for a girdle greate snakes of gold; and for collors or chaynes about their neckes ten hartes of men made of gold, and each of those idolles had a counterfaite visor with eies of glasse, and in their necks death painted."—Ibid.

[Cortes' Ensign.]

or aun

"THE device of Cortes ensign ciente, was flames of fire in white and blewe, with a redde crosse in the middest, and bordred round with letters, in the Lattine "THERE was one rounde temple dedicated and Spanishe tongues, which signified this to the god of the ayre, called Quecaleovatl, in effect; friends let us follow the crosse, for even as the ayre goeth rounde about and with lively faith with this standerde we the heavens, even for that consideration shall obteyne victorie."—Ibid.

they made his temple rounde. The en

traunce of that temple had a dore made lyke unto the mouth of a serpent, and was paynt

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"WE saw in all their ponds and rivers vast quantities of water fowl, geese, ducks, and teal, moor hens, &c. and in the woods and fields, partridges, pheasants, quails, and other kinds of fowl; of four-footed creatures all sorts, especially one large sort of oxen which they call Cibolas; these are raised like a camel from the chine to the middle of the back; they feed among the canes, and go together sometimes no less in

number than 1500."-M. DE LA SALLE'S

Expedition, by CAVALIER TOUTI into English, &c.

[Illinois Village.]

"THE first village of the Illinois consisted of above 500 cabins, which are made with great pieces of timber, interlaced with branches, and covered with bark. The inside is more neat, the walls or sides, as well as the floor, being finely matted. Every cottage has two apartments wherein several families might lodge, and under every one of them is a cave or vault wherein they preserve their Indian corn."-Ibid.

[The Mud of the River Ozages.] "THE river of the Ozages carries so great a quantity of mud along with it, as to change the water of the Mississippi, and make it all muddy for more than twenty leagues. Its brinks are bordered with great walnut trees. One sees there an infinite number of footsteps made by the beavers, and the hunting for them there is very great and common."-Ibid.

[Estivation of the Humming Birds,

according to Herrera.]

HERRERA says of the humming birds, that when the dry season begins, they cling to the trees by the bill, and there remain

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dead;—the next year when the rains commence they revive again."-Herrera, 2.

10. 22.

[The Calumet.]

"THE pipe part of the Calumet is two feet long, made of strong reed or cane-but amongst these people, the Esquimaux, of juniper, adorned with feathers of all colours, interlaced with locks of women's hair. They also add to it two wings of the most curious birds they can find for colour. The head or bole of the pipe is of a red stone polished like marble, and bored in such a manner as one end is for the tobacco and the other end fastens to the pipe. This is the general description of it, but they adorn the Calumet variously, according to their genius and the birds they have in their country."-SMITH'S Voyage.

[The Cavern of Guacharo.]

"In this mountain (Tumeriquiri in Cumana) is the cavern of Guacharo, famous among the Indians. It is immense, and serves as a habitation for millions of nocturnal birds, (a new species of the Caprimulgus of Linnæus,) whose fat yields the oil of Guacharo. Its site is majestic, and adorned by the most brilliant vegetation. There issues from the cavern a river of some magnitude, and within is heard the mournful cry of the birds, which the Indians attribute to the souls that are forced to enter this cavern in order to go to the other world. But they are enabled to obtain permission for it only when their conduct in this life has been without reproach. If it has been otherwise, they are retained for a shorter or longer time, according to the heinousness of their offences. This dark, wretched, mournful abode, draws from them the mournings and plaintive cries heard without. The Indians have so little doubt of this fable, supported by tradition, being a sacred truth, that immediately after the

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