The Verity Of Which, They Yet Hold,
The Indians Being An Easy, Credulous People, And Most Notoriously Cheated
By Their
Priests and Conjurers, both Trades meeting ever in one Person,
and most commonly a Spice of Quackship added to the
Other two Ingredients,
which renders that cunning Knave the Impostor to be more rely'd upon;
thence a fitter Instrument to cheat these ignorant People;
the Priest and Conjurers being never admitted to their Practice,
'till Years and the Experience of repeated Services hath wrought their Esteem
amongst the Nations they belong to.
The Santee King, who was in Company with this No-nos'd Doctor,
is the most absolute Indian Ruler in these Parts, although he is Head
but of a small People, in Respect to some other Nations of Indians,
that I have seen: He can put any of his People to Death that hath committed
any Fault which he judges worthy of so great a Punishment.
This Authority is rarely found amongst these Savages,
for they act not (commonly) by a determinative Voice in their Laws,
towards any one that hath committed Murder, or such other great Crime,
but take this Method; him to whom the Injury was done, or if dead,
the nearest of his Kindred prosecutes by Way of an actual Revenge,
being himself, if Opportunity serves his Intent, both Judge and Executioner,
performing so much Mischief on the Offender, or his nearest Relation,
until such Time that he is fully satisfy'd: Yet this Revenge
is not so infallible, but it may be bought off with Beads, Tobacco,
and such like Commodities that are useful amongst them,
though it were the most sable Villany that could be acted by Mankind.
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