The triumphs of the reformed religion, in America. The life of the renowned John…

Their Division of Time is by Sleeps, and Moons, and Winters; and by lodging abroad, they have somewhat observed the motions of the Stars; among which it has been surprising unto me to find, that they have always called Charles's▪ Wane by the name of P••ukunna••w, or The Bear, which is the name whereby Europeans also have distinguished it. Moreover, they have little, if any Traditions among them worthy of our notice; and Reading and Writing is altogether unknown to them, tho' there is a Rock or two in the Country that has unaccountable Characters Engraved upon it. All the Religion they have amounts unto thus much; they believe, that there are many Gods, who made and own the several Nations of the world; of which a certain Great God in the South-west Regions of Heaven bears the greatest Figure. They believe, that every remarkable Creature has a peculiar God within it, or about it: there is with them, a Sun-God, a Moon-god, and the like; and they cannot conceive but that the fire must be a kind of a God, inasmuch as a Spark of it▪ ⟨p. 82⟩will soon produce very strange effects. They believe that when any good or ill happens to them, there is the favour or the anger of a God expressed in it; and hence as in a time of Calamity they keep a Dance, or a day of extravagant ridiculous Devotions to their God, so in a time of Prosperity they likewise have a Feast, wherein they also make presents one unto another. Finally, they believe, that their chief God Kautantowit, made a man and woman of a Stone; which, upon dislike, he broke to pieces, and made another man and woman of a Tree, which were the Fountains of all Mankind; and, that we all have in us immortal Souls, which, if we were godly, shall go to a splendid Entertainment with Kautantowit, but otherwise, must wander about in a restless Horror for-ever. But if you say to them any thing of a Resurrection, they will reply upon you, i shall never believe it! And when they have any weighty undertaking before them, 'tis an usual thing for them to have their Assemblies, wherein after the usage of some Diabolical Rites, a Devil appears unto them, to inform them and advise them about their circumstances; and sometimes there are odd Events of their making these Applications to the Devil.

Their Division of Time is by Sleeps, and Moons, and Winters; and by lodging abroad, they have somwhat observed the motions of the Stars; among which it has been surprising unto me to find, that they have always call'd Charles's Wain by the name of Pukunnaw, or The Bear, which is the name whereby Europeans also have distinguished it. Moreover, they have little, if any Traditions among them worthy of our notice; and Reading and Writing is altogether unknown to them, tho' there is a Rock or two in the Country that has unaccountable Characters Engrav'd upon it. All the Religion they have amounts unto thus much; they beleive, that there are many Gods, who made and own the several Nations of the world; of which a certain Great God in the South-west Regions of Heaven bears the greatest Figure. They believe, that every remarkable Creature has a peculiar God within it, or about it: there is with them, a Sun-God, a Moon-god, and the like; and they cannot conceive but that the fire must be a kind of a God, inasmuch as a Spark of it