[Sidenote: Strange proof of Valor.] [Sidenote: Wonderful opinion of God.] [Sidenote: Flood.] [Sidenote: Sorcerers.] [Sidenote: They boast their Extract from Heaven.] [Sidenote: Their strange Relation concerning it.] [Sidenote: As also of the Creation, and Souls of the Deceased.] [Sidenote: Strange Rock.] [Sidenote: Thunder.] [Sidenote: _Thakabech_ an Idol.] [Sidenote: Funeral-Feast.] At that season when the Corn covers the ground, to any heighth, they eat Cockles, Dogs, dead Caryon, and the Skins wherewith they Clothe themselves. When they have eaten their fill, they tabering on their Bellies, cry, _Tapoue Mikispoun_, that is, _Verily I am satisfi’d_. They give their Sick a speedy Cure, either immediately killing them, or inhumanely exposing them to the Woods, to be devour’d by ravenous Beasts, but if they die suddenly, they in howling tone pronounce _Ove, Ove_, thereby to chase the Souls of the Deceas’d out of their Huts; they stick the bodies on Woodden Prongs, cover them with Bark, and lay their Clothes and Arms by them; all what remains of the Funeral Feasts is burnt, whereas at other times, what e’re is brought on their Table they eat, though ready to burst. They make the first Proofs of their Valour by undergoing a most prodigious Torment, in this manner; Two by consent tie their naked Arms together, on which they suffer burning Sulphur to be pour’d, till the flesh starts from the bone; if either of them shrink, or pull back his Arm, he is accounted by them ever after as an ignominious and base Coward. They call God _Atahocan_, and believe that one _Messou_ first drowning the world by a general Deluge, restor’d it again after a wonderful manner, _viz._ _Messou_ hunting with Wolves, they scented a Deer which being closely pursu’d, leap’d into a neighboring Pool, the Wolves following it, were drown’d; _Messou_ coming thither, stood amaz’d at a Bird, which inform’d him, that the Wolves were pluck’d down, and held fast in the bottom by horrible Monsters, whereupon he diving, the Pool immediately began to swell, and at last the whole surface of the Earth to be overflow’d. _Messou_ afterwards let a Raven flie to fetch a Clod of Earth, but in vain, for all the Land lay drown’d in Water; at last a Rat diving to the bottom, brought a lump of Earth, out of which _Messou_ restor’d the World; shot Arrows into Trees, which became fruitful Branches. Here also reside an innumerable many _Sorcerers_, call’d _Pillotoa_’s, which sometimes being possess’d with a Frenzy, scourge themselves in a terrible manner, insomuch that the Blood runs down by their sides: These People are held in great esteem, for they boast themselves to have their Original from Heaven upon this occasion, _viz._ _Ataensic_, a certain great Queen or Goddess, residing above the Stars, had a sick Husband, who Dreamt that he should be restor’d to his former health so soon as he could but taste of the Fruits which grew on a Tree, whereby the Family of Heaven were kept