es, who knew nothing of the cause of natural phenomena, nor
do they desire to be informed of them, conceived thunder to be a spirit
dwelling in the mountains, and now and then sallying forth to make
himself heard. Some of them imagined it to proceed from the crowing of a
monstrous turkey-cock in the heavens; others from enraged evil spirits.

Carver says in his _Travels_: "We had just landed, and were preparing to
set up our tents for the night, when a heavy cloud overspread the
heavens, and the most dreadful thunder, lightning, and rain, issued from
it that ever I beheld. The Indians were greatly terrified, and ran to
seek such shelter as they could. The Indian chiefs themselves, though
their courage in war is usually invincible, could not help trembling at
the horrid combustion."--_Carver_, 56. The southern Indians believe
thunder to be the voice of the Almighty.--_Adair,_ 86. They believe that
Minggo Ishto Eloa, "the great chieftain of thunder" sometimes binds up
the clouds and withholds rain.--_Ibid_., 89.

Eclipses they attribute to the attempts of the Evil Spirits to embarrass
the labours of the luminary which is eclipsed. "The first lunar
eclipse," says Adair, "I saw, after I lived with the Indians, was among
the Cherokees in 1736; and, during the continuance of it, their conduct
appeared surprising to one who had not seen the like before; they all
ran wild, this way and that way, like lunatics, firing their guns,
whooping and hallooing, beating of kettles, ringing horse-bells, and
making the most horrid noises that human beings possibly could. This was
done to assist the suffering moon."--_Adair_, 65.

(6) _The chief gives her to him_.--p. 156.

Marriages among the Indians are proposed and concluded in different
ways. Thus, among the Delawares, the parents on both sides, having
observed an attachment growing up between two young persons, negotiate
for them. This generally commences from the house where the bridegroom
lives, whose mother is the negotiatrix for him, and begins her duties by
taking a good leg of venison or bear's meat, or something else of the
same kind, to the house where the bride dwells, not forgetting to
mention that her son has killed it. In return for this, the mother of
the bride, if she otherwise approves the match, which she well
understands by the presents to be intended, will prepare a good dish of
victuals, the produce of the labour of women--such as beans, Indian
corn, or the like--