Towards the latter end, Master Keyjickahkaiw, that old serpent Satan,
enters. His arrival is announced. All hands are grieved for then the
conclusion is soon to take place. He makes everything fly again,
kicking up his own (the Devil's) racket, jawing and blabbing, scolding
and giving the lie to and abusing all hands. The Indians are hurt and
displeased, but durst not say anything. They must swallow all quietly
And then it is that the conjurer most dreads for his own _bacon_. This
however does not last very long, for Wee-suck-ā-jāāk (the Supreme Being)
enters last. As soon as his coming is announced, Nick begins to sneak,
but still _en maitre_. Wee-suck-ā-jāāk enters, Nick _jaws_, silence is
imposed, Nick [is] still troublesome. At last the word comes
authoratatively and away _he_ flies.
[Wee-suck-ā-jāāk]
The Indians are uncommonly fond of Wee-suck-ā-jāāk. He commonly speaks
to this effect.
My Little (Grand) Children, I am very indulgent and kind. I
am very charitable, and love you much, a great deal more than
you imagine. You must not live ill, nor make a bad use of your
power and knowledge, for I hate that. Hence it is I command
Nick in that authoratative manner, {12} because he is wickedly
inclined. Mischief and destruction are in his nature; he
grieves at any good he sees. Take ye heed, beware of him, for
he is ever on the watch to destroy you.
When _Charly_ enters, after some abuse, he calls out, "Get ye hence,
get ye hence. What are ye doing so long from your home? Off with ye
immediately!". And [he] rubs up and down the skins that form the
covering lest any should be hid. Thus he sends off all the spirits,
who, as they _fly_ off, as well as when they enter, give this frame a
terrible shaking. It may be supposed what sort of a shaking he gives
as he comes and goes, and how he shakes the rattler;--for they all
shake the rattler on entering. When Wee-suck-ā-jāāk goes off all is
done.
[Practices of Powerful Conjurers]
Some conjurers are so powerful that the _hut_ they enter, must be
doubled; that is two rows or sets of poles, one on the outside [of]
the other, and each row fastened with good strong hoops well tied,
after which the outer and inner row are also fastened. Thus arranged
they seem to be beyond the power of any three or four men to move. Yet
when the spirits enter, it sets a-going with a motion equal to that of
a single pole indifferently stuck in the ground and violently moved by
a man.
I have never seen any of these double ones, but twice or thrice saw
the others whilst the conjurer was in. Some time afterwards, when they
were off, I shook them with both hands and with all my strength, but
the motion was nothing like that of the conjurers. I have been told
that those [conjurers] who enter these double ones are so powerful
that almost all the creation comes to see them, and [the poles] are
shaken with uncommon violence.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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