As I Told You Before, The Priests Make
Their Orations At Every Feast, Or Other Great Meeting Of The Indians.
{Indian Lightning, at Chattooka, at a Feast for rebuilding
a King's House burnt.} I happen'd to be at one of
These great Meetings,
which was at the Funeral of a Tuskeruro Indian, that was slain
with Lightning at a Feast, the day before, where I was amongst the rest;
it was in July, and a very fair day, where, in the Afternoon,
about six or seven a Clock, as they were dealing out their Victuals,
there appear'd a little black Cloud to the North West,
which spread and brought with it Rain, Wind and Lightning;
so we went out from the Place where we were all at Victuals,
and went down to the Cabins where I left the Indians, and went to lie
in my Canoe, which was convenient enough to keep me dry.
The Lightning came so terrible, and down in long Streams,
that I was afraid it would have taken hold of a Barrel of Powder
I had in my Vessel, and so blown me up; but it pleas'd God,
that it did me no Harm; yet the Violence of the Wind had blown
all the Water away, where I rid at Anchor, so that my Canoe lay dry,
and some Indian Women came with Torches in their Hands
to the side of the Canoe, and told me, an Indian was kill'd with Lightning.
The next day, (I think) he was buried, and I stay'd to see the Ceremony,
and was very tractable to help the Indians to trim their Reeds,
and make the Coffin, which pleased them very much, because I had a mind
to see the Interment.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 306 of 377
Words from 88267 to 88557
of 110081
