{"Beware of yourselves. Tomorrow night you shall drink and be
drunk. Drink and leave the house as soon as you can, _for there are
from that wind_ (by which he designated the _South_) _who if they
drink with ye, ye shall become pitiful_," alluding to two blackguard
half breed brothers who, proud of the bravery of their deceased
father, are ever and anon insulting and domineering over other
Indians. It is worthy of remark that an aged man in the course of this
last winter was [advised] of the same and repeatedly pressed not to
drink at the house on their accord}.
This is now the 6th (June). The Sun appears, but the wind is very
high, and we have frequent showers of rain and snow. About midnight
the conjurer addressed me and asked if I wished to see any of _them_
(the Spirits). I accepted the offer and thrust my head underneath. And
being upon my back, I looked up and near the top observed a light as
of a star in a cloudy night, about one and a half inches long and one
broad--{60} though dim, yet perfectly distinct. Though _they all_ appear
as lights, some larger and others smaller, this one was denominated
the Fisher Star, the name by which they designate the Plough, I
believe we call it, or Great Bear, from the supposed resemblance it
bears to that animal, the fisher.
When I was entering, several of the Indians on the outside called out
to the spirits, "Gently! Gently! It is our Chief who wishes to see
you. Do him no evil!" I had my apprehensions.
A little after one P.M. one of my men looked in with several
Indians and saw several small lights about as large as the
thumbnail. A few minutes before two P.M., being daylight, they gave
another shaking to the frame and made their exit.
The above is an account of only a small part, for I am too much
pressed for time. I cannot therefore enter into particulars, nor a
larger detail, nor give you my opinion further than a few words. I am
fully convinced, as much so as that I am in existence, that spirits of
some kind did really and virtually enter, some truly terrific, but
others, again, quite of a different character.
I cannot enter into a detail by comparisons from ancient and more
modern history, but I found the consonance, analogy, resemblance,
affinity, or whatever it may be termed, so great, so conspicuous that
I verily believe I shall never forget the impressions of that evening.
But above all things that stick most forcibly in my mind is the
unbound gratitude we owe and ought to shew every instant of our
existence to that Almighty Power that deigned to sacrifice his only
Son for us for our Salvation! Oh my God, let me never forget this! And
teach me to thank thee not only with my lips but with every action of
my life!
Here I must close and in a few minutes seal up this for your perusal,
sincerely wishing I may find an opportunity, safe, of conveying it to
you.
How earnestly I wish Robert had been present and understood the
language. This would convince the most skeptic.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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