alive, but that the Tree must needs be cut down, which _Ataensic_ obeying, gave onely two blows, when the Tree, to her great amazement, fell out of Heaven down to the Earth; there being by this means nothing more left to eat in Heaven: _Ataensic_ follow’d the fallen Tree, and being big with Child, bare a Daughter, which growing up to years, was Deliver’d of two Daughters, _viz._ _Taoviscaron_ and _Jouskeha_, the eldest of which slew the youngest: By these Fables we may discern their obscure knowledge of _Noah_’s Flood, _Eve_’s Fall, and _Cain_’s Murder. No less ridiculous is that which they believe concerning the Creation, _viz._ That the Waters were inclos’d within a Frog, which _Jouskeha_ causing to be cut open, all Streams and Rivers issuing out, had their Original from thence: This done, _Jouskeha_ open’d a Pit, out of which came all sorts of Beasts; they ascribe a Bodily shape to the Soul, as also Immortality, but that they live together in a great Village towards the West; from which removing sometimes, they knock at the Doors of their former Friends in the Night, and sow deserted Grounds: That the Journey towards the Village in which the Souls reside is very strange; the Highway thither beginning at a Rock nam’d _Ecaregniendi_, where they first Paint their Faces, which done, they go to a Hut inhabited by an old Man, nam’d _Osotrach_, who takes the Brains out of the Souls Head; after which they walk to a broad River, which they cross on a narrow Plank or Bridge, on which a Dog encountring, forces them to leap into the Water, which carries them down to the foremention’d Village. They acknowledge one _Oki_ for the Governor of the Sea, and seasons of the Year: They also Religiously Worship the Rock _Tsankchi Arasta_, which they believe some ages ago was once a Man, but afterward Transform’d into a Rock, in which a _Dæmon_ resides, who can make their Journies either successful or dangerous, wherefore they offer him Tobacco. Their opinion of Thunder is likewise very ridiculous, for they say that the Devil endeavoring to vomit a horrible Serpent, by straining to evacuate the same, rents the Clouds, and occasions Thunder. Lastly, They relate of a Dwarf call’d _Thakabech_, who climb’d on the top of a Tree, which by his blowing thereon grew so high, that it touch’d the Clouds, and _Thakabech_ easily stept into them, where he found all sorts of delight and pleasure; but having a Sister on Earth, descended again along the Tree, and fetching his Sister, conducted her above the Stars; mean while, _Thakabech_ going in the Night to see if he had taken any thing in his Net which he had pitch’d, found it full of Fire, and observing the same very narrowly, saw that he had taken the Sun, but durst not approach the same, by reason of its great heat; but making a Mouse, sent her to gnaw the Net in pieces, and set the Sun at liberty. Every twelfth year they keep an extraordinary great Funeral-Feast; for on the Set-time