Before He Was Interr'd According To Their Custom,
They Dealt Every One Some Hot Victuals, Which He Took And Did
What He Would With:
Then the Doctor began to talk, and told the People
what Lightning was, and that it kill'd every thing
That dwelt upon the Earth;
nay, the very Fishes did not escape; for it often reach'd
the Porpoises and other Fish, and destroy'd them; that every thing
strove to shun it, except the Mice, who, he said, were the busiest
in eating their Corn in the Fields, when it lightned the most.
He added, that no Wood or Tree could withstand it, except the black Gum,
and that it would run round that Tree a great many times, to enter therein,
but could not effect it. Now you must understand, that sort of Gum will not
split or rive; therefore, I suppose, the Story might arise from thence.
At last, he began to tell the most ridiculous absurd Parcel of Lyes
about Lightning, that could be; as that an Indian of that Nation
had once got Lightning in the Likeness of a Partridge;
That no other Lightning could harm him, whilst he had that about him;
and that after he had kept it for several Years, it got away from him;
so that he then became as liable to be struck with Lightning,
as any other Person. There was present at the same time,
an Indian that had liv'd from his Youth, chiefly in an English House;
so I call'd to him, and told him, what a Parcel of Lyes the Conjurer told,
not doubting but he thought so, as well as I, but I found to the contrary;
for he reply'd, that I was much mistaken, for that old Man
(who, I believe was upwards of an hundred Years old) did never tell Lyes;
and as for what he said, it was very true; for he knew it himself to be so.
{How hard it is to bring the Indians from their Superstition.}
Thereupon, seeing the Fellow's Ignorance, I talk'd no more about it.
{Rattle-Snake kill Indians in Canoes.
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