llow him to be cured, nor suffer him to die; you must, out of
charity, put an end to his days." Immediately the greatest friend of
the patient brought cold water, and poured it on his face till he
expired.

In a note, vol. i., pages 141, 142, there is an account of the
ceremonies practised by the Delaware jugglers.

(6) _Spirits of beasts._--p. 66.

Every species has its presiding genius, and to these the Indians
frequently address their prayers. Some of them are held in great
estimation, some are little valued. The genius of the beavers is much
respected. They were formerly of opinion that beavers were endued with
reason, and had a government, laws, and language, of their own; that
they had officers who assigned to each his task, and placed sentries
to give the alarm at the approach of an enemy, and to punish the lazy.
A volume would scarcely afford sufficient space to relate their
traditions about this animal.

The bear is also a venerated animal--it is not, however, deemed so
auspicious to dream of the bear as of the beaver. Before setting out
upon an expedition in search of him, a fast is necessary in order to
induce his guardian genius to discover where the greatest number can
be found. They also, at these fasts, invoke the spirits of the bears
they have killed in their former huntings. The skins of bears are
commonly worn by the jugglers while performing their feats of
pretended witchcraft, and their teeth, &c., are held to be powerful
amulets or charms.

They endeavour, on all occasions, to propitiate the spirits of the
beasts, being persuaded that every species of animals has a genius
that watches for their preservation. A Frenchman having one day thrown
away a mouse he had just taken, a little girl took it up to eat it;
the father of the child, who perceived it, snatched it from her, and
fell to caressing the dead animal. The Frenchman asked him the reason
of it. "It is," answered he, "in order to appease the guardian spirit
of the mice, that they may not torment my child after she has eaten
it." After which he restored the animal to the girl, who ate it.

An Indian came to Mackenzie, requesting him to furnish him with a
remedy that might be applied to the joints of his legs and thighs, of
which he had, in a great measure, lost the use for five winters. This
affliction he attributed to his cruelty about that time, when having
found a wolf with two whelps, in an old beaver lodge, he set fire to
it and co