Adair's History of the American IndiansAdair, James
History
Adair's History of the American Indians
Adair, James
Indians -- Origin; Indians of North America -- Southern States
The _Dark-lanthorn_, (which was the name of the bride) became very
uneasy, both by the delay of time, and the various passions she
attentively read in the bridegroom’s face and speech, and she asked him
sharply the meaning of such a long discourse. He instantly cried out,
that the whole affair was spoiled, unless it was brought to a speedy
conclusion: but the religious man insisted upon her belief of that
article, before he could proceed any farther. But by way of comfort, he
assured him it should be the very last question he would propose, till
he put the holy water on her face, and read over the marriage ceremony.
The bridegroom revived at this good news, immediately sent the bowl
around, with a cheerful countenance; which the bride observing, she
asked him the reason of his sudden joyful looks.—But, what with the
length of the lecture, the close application of the bowl, and an
over-joy of soon obtaining his wishes, he proposed the wrong question;
for instead of asking her belief of the mysterious union of the tri-une
deity, he only mentioned the manly faculties of nature. The bride
smiled, and asked if the beloved man borrowed that speech from his
beloved marriage-book? Or whether he was married, as he was so waggish,
and knowing in those affairs.—The priest imagining her cheerful looks
proceeded from her swallowing his doctrine, immediately called for a
bowl of water to initiate his new convert. As the bridegroom could not
mediate with his usual friendly offices in this affair, he persuaded her
to let the beloved man put some beloved water on her face, and it would
be a sure pledge of a lasting friendship between her and the English,
and intitle her to every thing she liked best. By the persuasive force
of his promises, she consented: and had the constancy, though so
ignorant a {128} novitiate in our sacred mysteries, to go through her
catechism, and the long marriage ceremony,—although it was often
interrupted by the bowl. This being over, she proceeded to go to bed
with her partner, while the beloved man sung a psalm at the door,
concerning the fruitful vine. Her name he soon entered in capital
letters, to grace the first title-page of his church book of converts;
which he often shewed to his English sheep, and with much satisfaction
would inform them how, by the co-operation of the Deity, his earnest
endeavours changed an Indian _Dark-lanthorn_ into a lamp of christian
light. However, afterward to his great grief, he was obliged on account
of her adulteries, to erase her name from thence, and enter it anew in
some of the crowded pages of female delinquents.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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