American antiquities, and discoveries in the West: being an exhibition of the evidence that an ancient population of partially civilized nations, differing entirely from those of the present Indians, peopled America, many centuries before its discovery by Columbus. And inquiries into their origin, with a copious description of many of their stupendous works, now in ruins. With conjectures concerning what may have become of them / Comp. from travels, authentic sources, and the researches of antiquarian societies. By Josiah Priest.

  • Priest, Josiah, 1788-1851.
Date:
1833
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: American antiquities, and discoveries in the West: being an exhibition of the evidence that an ancient population of partially civilized nations, differing entirely from those of the present Indians, peopled America, many centuries before its discovery by Columbus. And inquiries into their origin, with a copious description of many of their stupendous works, now in ruins. With conjectures concerning what may have become of them / Comp. from travels, authentic sources, and the researches of antiquarian societies. By Josiah Priest. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    With regard to religious notions, these do not form a regular sys¬ tem among the savages, because every individual in his indepen¬ dent state, makes himself a creed after his own fancy. If we may judge from the accounts of the historians of the first settlers, and those of late travellers in the northwest, it appears that the Indians compose their mythology in the following manner : First : a Great Manitou, or superior being ; who governs the earth and the aerial meteors, the visible whole of which constitutes the universe of a savage. This Great Manitou, residing on high, without his having any clear idea where, rules the world, without giving himself much trouble ; sends rain, wind, or fair weather, A according to his fancy; sometimes makes a noise, which is the thunder, to amuse himself; concerns himself as little about the af¬ fairs of men as about those of other living beings that people the earth; does good, without taking any thought about it ; suffers ill to be perpetrated without its disturbing bis repose, and in the mean time, leaves the world to a destiny, or fatality, the laws of which are anterior, and paramount, to all things. Under his command are subordinate Manitous, or genii, innume¬ rable, who people earth and air, preside over every thing that hap¬ pens, and have each a separate employment. Of these genii, some are good ; and these do all the good that takes place in nature ; others are had, and these occasion all the evil that happens to liv¬ ing beings. It is to the latter chiefly, and almost exclusively, that the savages address their prayers, their propitiatory offerings, and what religious worship they Iiave ; the object of which is, to appease the malice of these Manitous, as men appease the ill humour of morose, bad men. This fear of genii is one of their most habitual thought, and that by which they are most tormented. Their most intrepid war¬ riors are, in this respect, no better than their women ; a dream, a phantom seen at night in the woods, or a sinister cry, equally alarms their credulous, superstitious minds. Their magicians, or, as we more properly call them, jugglers, pretend to very familiar intercourse with these genii; they are, however, greatly puzzled to explain their nature, form, and aspect. Not having our ideas of pure spirit, they suppose them to be com¬ posed of substances, yet light, volatile, and invisible, true shadows and manes, after the manner of the ancients. Sometimes they se*