The Indian Stole
Sixty Or Eighty Dress'd Deer-Skins, Besides Blankets, Powder, Shot And Rum,
(This Being The Indian Store-
House, where the Trading Goods were kept.)
Now, the Indian had made his Escape, but dropt some of the Skins
By the way,
and they track'd his Foot-steps, and found him to be an Indian;
then they guess'd who it was, because none but that Indian
had lately been near the House. Thereupon, the Governor sent
to the Indian Town that he belong'd to, which was the Tuskeruro's,
and acquainted them that if they did not deliver up the Indian,
who had committed the Robbery, he would take a Course with them,
that would not be very agreeable. Upon this, the Indians of the Town
he belong'd to, brought him in bound, and deliver'd him up to the Governor,
who laid him in Irons. At the same time, it happen'd,
that a Robbery was committed amongst themselves, at the Indian Town,
and this Prisoner was one of their Conjurers; so the Indians came down
to the Governor's House, and acquainted him with what had happen'd
amongst them, and that a great Quantity of Peak, was stoln away
out of one of their Cabins, and no one could find out the Thief,
unless he would let the Prisoner conjure for it, who was the only Man they had
at making such Discoveries. The Governor was content he should try
his Skill for them, but not to have the Prisoners Irons taken off,
which was very well approved of. The Indian was brought out in his Fetters,
where were the Governor's Family, and several others of the Neighbourhood,
now living, to see this Experiment; which he perform'd thus:
{Conjuring for stoln Goods.}
The Conjurer order'd three Fires to be made in a triangular Form,
which was accordingly done; then he was hoodwink'd very securely,
with a dress'd Deer-Skin, two or three doubles, over his Face.
After he had made some Motions, as they always do, he went directly
out of one of the three Gaps, as exactly as if he had not been blindfolded,
and kept muttering to himself, having a Stick in his Hand,
with which, after some time, he struck two Strokes very hard upon the Ground,
and made thereon a Cross, after which he told the Indian's Name
that had stoln the Goods, and said, that he would have a Cross on his Back;
which prov'd true; for when they took and search'd him, there appear'd
two great Wheals on his Back, one cross the other; for the Thief
was at Governor Southwell's House, and was under no Apprehension
of being discover'd. The Indians proffer'd to sell him as a Slave
to the Governor, but he refused to buy him; so they took him bound away.
Another Instance, of the like Nature, happen'd at the same House.
One of the Tuskeruro Kings had brought in a Slave to the same Governor,
to whom he had sold him; and before he return'd, fell sick
at the Governor's House; upon which, the Doctor that belong'd
to this King's Nation, was sent for, being a Man that was held to be
the greatest Conjurer amongst them.
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