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more light and knowledge of their duty than these barbarians? But such is the effect of the crime which reduces the female sex to this extremity; it exposes them to the everlasting contempt of mankind, which is more shocking to loose women, than the loss of their virtue and integrity. We shall conclude with one more custom, as barbarous and inhuman as the former. When a woman dies in child-bed, they bury the new-born infant with its mother; for, say they, is it not much better the babe should die, than not to have a mother to Lurse and bring it up?

earthen porringer, some pagnes, or changes of raiment, and several girdles. When all the matters are thus far adjusted, they shut up the hut, and plant a large stone, about twelve or fifteen feet in breadth as well as height, before the door; and then sacrifice some living creatures, and divide them into thice equal parts or shares; one for the devil, another for the deity, and the remaider for the deceased. It is customary to hang the heads of the slaughtered victims upon stakes, planted round this Mausoleum, and for several days together after his interment his kinsfolk send him in plenty of provisions, pay their respects to him, nay, offer up divers oblations to him, and consult him about their own private affairs. In sickness or adversity they apply themselves to him by the mediation of an Ombiasse, who making a small breach or hole in the hut, conjures up the spirit of the deceased, and implores such assistance as he thinks he may reasonably require of him, by virtue of that intimacy and friendship which the deceased pretends he has contracted with the Supreme Being..

When a person of distinction dies at a considera

and sent home to the town where he was born; but as for his corpse, it is interred in the place where he died, be it where it will. The men are shaved and go bare-headed on these melancholy occasions; but the women are allowed hats or caps.

In the first place, they wash their dead, and then dress them as agreeably as the circumstances of the persons deceased, or of the relations who survive them, will admit of. Their usual decorations are collars of coral, gold medals, and gold ear-rings. They furnish each of their dead with seven pagnes, that is, vestments made of cotton, which are worn from the waist downwards, that he may have a sufficient change of suits. After he is thus duly washed and adorned, they wrap him up in a large mat, in order to convey him to the grave: but before the performance of this last friendly office, all the rela-able distance from his family, his head is cut off, tions, acquaintance, and slaves of the deceased, flock round about the corpse, to mourn over it in form, and as there is a large candle placed at his head, and another at his feet, he may, with pro. priety enough, be said to lie in state. Whilst those before-mentioned are drowned in tears, there are other persons present, who are employed in beating a kind of drum, to the sound whereof both the married women and maidens join in a solemn dance, and then take their turn to mourn over the deceased. Their sighs and tears are mingled with his praises, and repeated lamentations for their loss. We must not omit making mention of the many questions which they ask him with respect to his decease; questions in fashion with divers other nations, which principally consist in enquiring of the deceased, whether he wanted the necessaries, and even the conveniences of life; in short, whether he was easy and contented or not, in his state and condition. These interrogatories are repeated till the -evening, and then they slaughter several heifers, which are intended both as a sacrifice and a funeral entertainment.

The next day they put the corpse into a coffin, "made of the stumps of two trees, dug hollow, and artfully joined together, and then carry it to the grave, which is made in a wooden hut, erected for that purpose, and dug six feet deep. There they inter the corpse with a sufficient quantity of provisions in a basket, some tobacco, a chafing dish, an

Their physicians, whom our author calls Ombiasses, are astrologers, and, in all probability, also priests, soothsayers, and magicians; for all these qualifications centre in one man, amongst several idolatrous people both ancient and modern. The medicines which these Ombiasses make use of are principally decoctions, or broths made of physical herbs and roots; but besides these natural means. they make use of billets, or notes written in particular characters and hang them round their necks, or tie them to the girdles of the patients, in order to charm and suspend their agonizing pains. They draw several figures, and make use of abuudance of astrological projections, either to find out when the patient will recover, or know what medicines will prove the most effectual and convenient for him. To all this quackery, they add the consultations of some Aulis, of whom we shall presently give a farther account, and make use of some Talismans.

There are several orders of Ombiasses; but without entering into a detail of their hierarchy, as Flacourt calls it, we shall only observe, that in their different subordinations, they seem all to be subservient to one sovereign pontiff. They have public schools or seminaries in this island, where all such

are

as are desirous of being numbered amongst the Ombiasses, or the priesthood, are instructed in all the arcana of their sacred profession. There are some of them who boast more particularly of their knowledge of, and judgment in, the aspects of the stars, and influences of the planets. They have several dissertations on the efficacy and prevailing power of every individual day throughout the month.

The secret virtue of their notes or billets, which they prescribe as restoratives to their patients, consists in writing some mystic characters on a piece of paper, and afterwards washing off the ink. The patient is directed to drink the water with which such operation is performed; and if he is not restored immediately to his former state of health, it is wholly owing, they imagine, to his neglect of some formality required; so that the Ombiasse is secure, and never suffers in his reputation through any unexpected disappointment.

The Aulis bear a very near affinity to those airy beings which are generally called Familiar Spirits; and these Aulis are enclosed in little boxes, embellished with a varity of glass trinkets, and crocodiles teeth. Some of them are made of wood, and fashioned like a man; and in each box they put a sufficient quantity of powder of some particular roots, mixed with fat and honey, which they replenish from time to time as occasion requires. They wear these Aulis at their girdles, and never venture to take a journey or voyage without them. They consult them three or four times a day, and converse with them freely, as if they expected some suitable answers from them but in case they meet with a disappointment, or an answer that thwarts their inclinations, they load them with all the opprobrious language they can think of.

The method generally used in their consultation of these Aulis is to take a nap, after a familiar intercourse with them for two or three hours, and the purport of the dream, which strikes the imagination of the person during his slumbers, is looked upon as the oracle's reply.

them with the utmost precaution in their respective families, and transmit them down from father to son, as a valuable inheritance. These Islanders have their mercenary poets, who sing the heroic exploits of their grandees, and intrepid warriors. Their poetry is, for the generality, instructive and sententious, after the manner or stile of the easterns; but, however, they do not scruple to compose a variety of gay madrigals, or love sonnets, on some particular occasions.

They have various ways for the administration of their oaths; and when they lay a person under the most solemn engagements, they oblige him to eat a small quantity of bull's liver. In some parts of the island they sprinkle their witnesses with water, who imagine, that if they should depose a falshood after such aspersion, some heavy judgment would immediately overtake them. In order to discover a thief, or any other delinquent, they touch the tongue of the party suspected seven times successively with a red hot iron; and if no pain attends the frequent repetition of this trial he is acquitted, as we are informed, and declared not guilty. Sometimes the prisoner is obliged to eat bull's liver, and a particular root which is poison, and the same, in all probability, as is made use of on the like occasions in Guinea, and at Congo. Sometimes, likewise, they oblige the party suspected to plunge his hand into a pot of scalding water, and take up a stone that lies at the bottom for that purpose. But may not these customs, after all, which we call trials, be only so many different methods of putting such criminals to the rack, in order to extort from them a confession of those facts whereof they are accused?

They swear by bull's liver, for the ratification of a peace, and on the day appointed for the conclusion of it, both parties appear in arms, on the banks of a river. Each of them slaughter a bull, and mutually exchange a morsel of the liver of their victims, which is eaten in the presence of their respective deputies, or envoys, accompanied with this solemn oath or impracation, May the liver which we have caten burst us, if we violate our engagements! If one army reduces the other the necessity of suing for a peace, the vanquished party only eat the liver, which is admitted as an oath of their fidelity and al

The Hiridzi are girdles embellished with a variety of mystic characters, and these superstitious Islanders ascribe a peculiar virtue to them. These unintelligible marks or signatures are the hand writing of some of their Ombiasses, who embrace the op-legiance to the victor. portunity of some particular days in the year, and some propitious hours in those days, for the composition of them. Moreover, they are obligd to cacrifice a considerable number of oxen of a particular colour; from whence it is evident, that there is a great conformity between these Aulis of theirs and the Talismans, but be that as it may, they preserve

Their Tinbouchenu is a compact, or obligation, by virtue whereof they become indebted to one another; and the form of it is this: An Islander kills some well fed beast, divides it into as many shares as he thinks proper, and then distributes them. Such as receive any part or portion thereof, are obliged to deliver the proprietor a calf at the years end.

Their

THE RELIGION OF THE CANARY ISLANDS.

Their warlike discipline consists principally in ambuscades, and falling on their enemies by surprize. They send out their scouts or spies all round about, not only well furnished with weapons of defence, but fortified with spells, charms, poisons, and enchanted billets. The maids and married women dance all night and day, as long as the war continues, imagining, that thereby they inspire their soldiers with strength and courage.

Tho' we have already given several instances of their superstitions, yet this that follows is more remarkable than any beforementioned, and the result of a precaution, which we could never have expected from women, who are, we are informed, so dissolute and abandoned. They are honest, and on their guard, whilst their husbands are engaged in the field of battle, because they are fearful least their amours should prove of ill consequence to them when abroad, notwithstanding they shew so little affection or regard for them when at home. Whether this circumstance is real fact or not, we shall not determine; for who would pretend to justify all that travellers relate for truth? but this at least we venture to say with safety, that our ladies are not so prudent and cautious in the absence of their spouses.

Thus we have given the best collection we could meet with of the religious ceremonies of these islanders, and of some other customs which seem to be established on a religious foundation. All of them, however, may not be practised with equal strictness, nor after the same manner, throughout the island, since it is inhabited by several petty nations, each of whom observe some ceremonies peculiar to themselves.

Indeed we may add, that in all Heathen nations there is so little difference, that we only change the name of the oircumstance, and the fact will remain just as it was before. What does it signify to the man who is seriously enquring after truth, whether one Heathen nation is remarkable for worshipping images, or another for paying adoration to the vilest reptiles? The question before us is, Is the who makes such things the object of his adorations, person seeking after truth, or has he formed right notions of the Divine Being? Has he considered God as such an one as himself, or has he formed the most unworthy notions of his attributes? This much is certain, that whenever we repeat that petition in the Lord's prayer," Thy kingdom come," we should at the same time wish and equally pray that the kingdom of grace may be established in the hearts of men, and that the accomplishment of the kingdom of glory may be hastened. Jesus, the once humble

but now exalted redeemer of a lost world, suffered for our sins and rose again forour justification. Can we then imagine that the goodness of God will not extend those beneficial consequences to all the scns of men; surely God will do so; for as is his justice, so is his mercy..

The Religion of the Canaries..

IT is not our business at present to enquire whe were the first inhabitants of this part of Africa, for ple were formerly idolators, or, as a certainly traall that we can say with certainty is, that these peo-veller expresses it, acknowledged no other God than nature, and he adds, moreover, that they spilt no blood, not so much as that of beasts, for their sacrifices. They were very superstitious, and their wives lived in common, and they had two kings, one living and the other dead; the latter they placed. in a standing posture, in a cavern, with a staff in his hand, and pot a of milk by his side, for his subsistence in the other world. At present, the Guanchos are the remains of these ancient islanders; and in all probability, observe privately some part of their mingle so much superstition with their veneration ancient customs. But be that as it will, they still and respect which they pay to their ancestors and their sepulchres, that no strangers presume to visit their lives them without their permission, on the hazard of

They sometimes embalm their dead; but the composition which they made use of on such occasions, and by virtue whereof they preserved their dead from putrefaction for several ages, was a secret strictly enjoined to have no intercourse or correspon-known only to some particular families, who were dence with the rest of the islanders; and their priests were always some branch of these families.

After they had embalmed their dead, they sewed them up very neatly in buck-skins, well dressed and prepared. These Canaries were known to the ancients by the name of the Fortunate-Islands; and they were of opinion, that the virtuous resided there after their decease.

Here we shall conclude our description of all the African idolators. We have related the whole with all the care and impartiality imaginable, and, in or der to testify to our readers that we would not in quoted the authors from whom we made our extracts. the least impose on their credulity, we have all along our own, we thought ourselves obliged to embelish As we were thus confined from any invention of

our

our dissertations with several additional hints and observations, in which very frequently we have spoken our minds freely, and laid ourselves under no manner of restraint. The work, however, is not without its defects; and we are are so conscious of them, that we heartily wish it more complete, more correct, better composed, and better digested throughout the whole. We are not so happy as to be numbered amongst those, to whom God, according to father Garasse, has given the satisfaction of being contented with their own compositions, as an equivalent for the contempt and censure which they meet with from the public. However, we flatter ourselves that we have advanced nothing that is idle and extravagant, or inconsistent with common sense, which is at least a tolerable plea in an age wherein the profession of compiling or composing books is so much discou raged and condemned.

Having said thus much concerning the different Heathen sytems of religion in Africa, we shall conclude with our earnest wish and sincere desire that these people may yet be brought to the knowledge of the truth. The goodness of God is great, and

his mercies are infinite; when the sons of men forget him, he often looks down with compassion upon them. As his infinite mercies extended to them when in a lost condition, at the time of | Christ's appearance in the flesh, so there is reason to hope the same compassion will still prevail; and while we form proper notions of God, we shall never have reason to distrust him. Indeed, those who trust in God, are, for the most part, sure of his favour, at least as far as it will be for his own glory and their good. And what trust can equal our waiting with patience for the conversion of the Heathen nations? The heart of the sincere Christian is troubled sometimes to behold so many of his fellow creatures sitting in darkness, and in the region and shadow of death, but considering the Diving promise, he rests satisfied, and often exclaims in those beautiful words of the poet, with which we shall conclude this article:

Unshaken as the sacred hill,

And firm as mountains be;
Firm as a rock, the soul shall rest;
That leans, O Lord, on Thee.

IN

THE RELIGION OF THE ANCIENT, OR SAVACE AMERICANS..

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N treating of these people, we have called them It is very probable, that the colonies which first ancient and savage, by which we mean all such settled in America came thither by land, and that if as were, or still are, idolatrous. And this is the any happened to come by sea, it was owing to more necessary, because, that ever since the dis- chance rather than design. Several learned men. covery of America by Columbus, so many Euro- have been of opinion, that America was peopled peans have settled in different parts of that vast by the Phoenicians and Carthagenians; and they continent, that taking the whole together, they ex-ground their conjecture on the long voyages those hibit, as it were, a new world. People of all reli- people used to make, who fitting out very consider-gions are to be met with here, and even these peo-able fleets, used to send them beyond the straights ple, in almost all provinces, differing from each other in sentiment, yet live in unity together as brethren. Most of these religious sects will come in under the article of Protestants, so that we shall say nothing of them at present, but proceed to enquire into the population of America, and then to describe the religious ceremonies of those Heathens which either once did, or still do, inhabit it. No. 22.

of Gibralter, the Canary Islands, and those of Cape Verd, known to the ancients, as it is believed, under the name of the islands Gorgades. It is true, indeed, that the islands of Cape-Verd are the nearest land to America; but this does not prove the Phonicians had visited the American coasts; for as to the cruizings of those Phoenicians beyond the Gorgades, they might probably have been made to-6 N

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wards the south, rather than towards the west. We in that case should therefore look into the southern parts of Africa for those unknown lands, which the ancients tell us the Phoenicians had discovered. On the other hand, if it be true that the Antilles were known to them under the name of the islands of the Hesperides, and that the voyage to Gorgades and to the Hesperides, which is not now above twenty-five or thirty days sail, might have taken them forty, (which is but a short time considering their little experience) we shall find that no other people than the Carthagenians could have been able to undertake such voyages. The situation of their country, and the talents they had for trade, might probably have excited them to rove up and down that great expanse of waters between Africa and America, having first settled a pretty regular correspondence between Cadiz and the Cassiterides, now called the Azores. If all this were true, we might probably suppose that the Carthagenians and the other Phoenicians, who were settled in Spain and Afiica, had carried people to the Azores, the Antilles, and from thence to the continent of America. And then, after having sailed several hundred leagues, from the coasts of Africa to the gulph of Mexico, it is not impossible but that those mariners. might have attempted another as far as the main of

the land.

Yet we may naturally suppose that some Phoenician or Carthagenian sailors having been thrown on the cost of America, by a storm, necessity had forced them to settle there, and that they there lost their language and the little knowledge they might have had of the arts and siences of their country. What makes this more probable is, that sea-faring men have in all ages been very ignorant, and but a degree above barbarians. The Peruvians had anciently some footsteps of those involuntary voyages; and the first Spanish writers who have collected the the scattered remains of their history, make mention of certain people who came from that part of their empire which lies towards the sea, and that they afterwards made a conquest of their country.

Tradition made the above mentioned writers consider these men, whose original appeared so extraordinary, as so many giants: and, indeed, it is not unlikely they were such, since we are assured that bones of a prodigious size have been dug up about Puerto Viejo, and in the valley of Tumbez. We have many learned men in the world, who, in the height of their raptures for this discovery, would consider these giants as the posterity of the children of Anak, of whom mention is made is Deuteronomy, and would bring the Lord knows

how many far-fetched conjectures, to prove that the poor Canaanites, whom Joshua drove out of their dwellings, had fled to Peru for refuge. But to be serious: it is hardly possible to make a voyage of even a few leagues, with their Lalses, Pieroques, and Cances; neither have the Asians, the Africans, or Europeans, ever had courage enough to venture over a wide extended ocean in such weak vessels and as on the other side it does not appear that the Americans were ever acquainted with any other kind of shipping, we may naturally suppose, that if chance did at any time throw unhappy wretches on a desert cost of America, in an age when mankind had little knowledge in the building of ships, such persons were soon forced to forget their former customs and manners, and to comfort themselves for this loss, by the propagation of their species in those regions, into which fortune had thrown them against their wills.

In reality, it is more natural to suppose that the first colonics which settled in America came thither by land: by this means we avoid the difficulties that might be started concerning the passage of wild beasts thither.

However, it is impossible to fix the æra when this happened, which perhaps may be as old as the flood, where the Peruvians have preserved some idea: This is the only footstep remaining among them relating to remote antiquity; for in all other respects the Peruvian annals scarce comprehend the history of four centuries; and then what are these annals? only Guappa's or Quappo's, that is, certain strings with knots in them to point out the several transactions; and notice will be taken of them in the sequel of this work. But before we come to a decision with respect to the original of the Americans, it may be proper to examine whether affinity which some pretend to find between the manners and customs of the Americans and those of the Phoenicians, may reasonably induce us to conclude, that the former are descended from the latter. We shall not take notice of the affinity that has been found between the custom of living in huts, and that of roving from place to place. The Americans in this respect resemble as much the Nomades, the Arabian Scenites, the Scythians, &c. as the Phoenicians.

The comparison that might be made of the idolatry of those nations, would also hold with that of other nations of our hemisphere. The following affinity, could it be proved, would deserve our notice infinitely more; we mean that of languages. But without affecting a great depth of erudition in this place, which our etymologists are

generally

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