tent, & the next him, seated, rises to take it in his turn, with the same ceremony, 'till all have passed. Then it comes into the masters hands again who reperform the same ceremonies once more,--puts down the Grease, cuts it up, & shares to every male or widow present, in proportion to their numbers (i.e. the families they may have.--Shortly after my arrival here this last fall they invited me thro' compliment to two of these feasts--I went both times merely (21) merely to have a better opportunity of making my observations, which are as above, as near as I can bring them. But my mind was too much disturbed with reflections which soon became so melancholy that I had nothing to bestow on what was going on. Poor unfortunate creatures! I often exclaimed to myself--Ye are desirous, nay anxious to perform your duties to your maker, but know not how. If you only knew how he abomi- nates this ceremony which you perform with so much devotion, how soon would you cast off all your superstitions, & rather live without any religion at all, & risk all upon chance, than perform sacrifices, for aught I know, to demons! I shall not here enter upon these reflections further, suffice the above; for they are too long, too frequent, & besides I wish to sacrifice the little paper I have remaining to such other things as I have, & which I think may not be quite uninter- esting to you. Had there been but their speeches, & the ceremonies, I should not perhaps have thought so deeply. But their cries of he! he! & ha! ha! &c. so repeated & vociferous, that I was struck with a certain horror & thought that half of the devils in hell had entered the throats of these men to give _me_ an idea of their Pandemonium below. Good God! what a miserable reflection! but how much moreso the occasion leading to it is.-- Notwithstanding they some times _Dream_ of roots (medecines &c.) there is a certain place accord- ing to their notions consecrated to _Esculapius_ (& Perhaps Appollo also, conjointly). It is depicted as a most heavenly abode, so delightful. He (_Esculapius_) resides in a mountain in the bowels of which is his house--it has 6 doors, but so mysteriously constructed that no soul whatever, besides himself & his _inmates_ of whom there are a great number (of Every Nation & language) can open them--The Lock apparently is in the form of a Screw, or Spiral, & is opened on the inside, but only to such as Escu. deems worthy of admis- sion These doors open _to_ different quarters, the house being immensely large, & as above mentioned, in the bowels of ye mountain: _In_ this residance is of every medicine useful in life, such as do not _vegetate_, i.e. minerals, fossils, &c. &c. These are shown to the votary; he is instruct- ed in their use; the manner of preparing & mixing them; the ceremonies, i.e. songs & sacrifices, &c. &c. to be performed in their application, taking of them up, or in instructing _others_;