The American herald of liberty — Exeter, N.H., 1795-05-14 00:00:00, page 1

A CHAPTER about the INDIANS and the
DEVIL. *
v f From Car ver’s Tr a veil]
IFOUND that the nations
to the weftward*of the Miffi
fippi, and on the border>of Lake
Superior, still continue to make
use of the Pawwaw, Or Slack
Dance*. Thepeopleof the colon
fes tell a thousand ridiculous ftbr
ies Os the Devil being rafted in
this dance by the Indians* But
they allow that this was in former
times, and is now nearly extind:
among those who live adjacent to
the European fetdementr. How
ever, J difeovered that it was still
used in the interior parts; and tho’
I did.eot really fee the Devil raif*
ed by it, I was witness to some
feenes that could only be perform
ed by such as dealt with him, or
were very expert and dexterous
jugglers.
Whiift I was among the Naw
dowefees, a dance, which they
thus termed, was performed. Be
fore the dance began, one of the
Indians was admitted into afocie
ty, which they denominated Wa
kon Kiechewah,that is, the friend*
ly foctety of the fpi it. This lo
cietyW competed of persons of
both fexesi but such Only can be
admitted into it as are of unexcep
tionable character, and who re- ;
ceiveche approbation of the whole j
body. To this admission succeed
ed the Pawwaw dance (in which I
saw nothing char could give rife to
the reports I had heard,) and the
whole, according to their usual cus
tom, concluded with a grand feaft. r
The initiation being attended ’
with feme very lingular circum
fiances, which, as I have before
iobferved, must be cipher the effed
of magic, or of amazing dexter
ity, I Ihall give art account of the
whole proceedure : It was perfor
med at the time of the new moon,
th a place appropriated tor the
purpose, near the centre of their
camp, that would contain about
two hundred people. Being a
stranger, and on all occasions trea
ted by them with the greatest ci-'
vwyA was invited to fee the ce- :
remony, and placed close to the
railrof the inclofure.
^^bout I V o’clock they began
toJHembie; wheMheJun shone
• bright, which they coniidered as a
good omen, tor they never, by
choice hbld any of their publick
meetings, unlels the iky be clear J
and unclouded. A greatjnumber
of chiefs firft appeared, who were
drefled in their best apparel j and
after them, came the head warrior
, clad in a long robe of rich furs,
that trailed on the ground, attend
ed by a retinue of 16 or 20 per
fons/painted and deeffed in the
gayest banner* Next’ followed
> the wives Os such as had already
been ad.mitttd Joto the,Society ;
and in the reat a confuted heap। of
the lower ranks, ail; contributing
is much as lay in their* pbwer to
' u '- J- te z 'k : * ;
Vdiu me IX. ]
Miscellanies.
* ;
- .. ■*- ■ r T"*—
PublijUdon^n il^ by Samuel Winslow, in Main-Street, Exeter, (New-Hampshire) at i Doll. & 25 Cent^^um.
American Herald of Liberty.
This disposition being complet
ed, the chief that stood before the
kneeling candidate, began to speak
to him with an audible voice.—
He told him that he himfelf was
now agitated by the fame spirit
which be Ihould in a few moments
communicate tb him j that it would
strike him dead, but that he would
instantly be restored again to life;
to this he added, that the commu
nication, however terrifying, was
a necessary introdueftion to the ad
vantages enjoyed by the company
into which he was on the point of
being admitted.
As he spoke this, he appeared
to be greatly agitated, till at last
his motions became ,so violent,
that his countenance wasdiftorted,
and his whole frame convulfed*—
/It this juncture he thfew some- '
thing that appeared both in flupe
and colour like a small bean, at
the young man* which appeared to
enter his mouth, and he instantly
fell as motionless as if he had been
Ibot- The chief that was placed
behind him received him in his
arms, and by the affiftanCe of the
other two laid him on the ground,
Jo all appearance bereft of life.
Having done this, they immedi
ately began to rub his limbs, and
to stroke him on the back, giv
ing him such blows, as seemed
more calculated^ ft til the quick
than to raise the dead. During
thele extraordinary appl cations,
the speaker continued his harangue
desired the ipeftatorS hot to be
furprized,or to despair at the young
man’s recovery, as his prelent in*
animated situation proceeded only
from the forcible operation of the
fpiric upon faculties that had bith?
erto been unufeef to inspirations of
this kind<
The Candidate lay fevera) Min
utes without fehfe or motion 5 but
at length, after receiving many vio-
and caused him to kneel anoth
er placed himfelf behind him, to
receive him when he fell*, and the
last of the four retired to the dis
tance of about 12 feet from him,
exactly in front.
make the appearance grand and
showy. ? 4
When the aGembly was seated
and filcnce proclaimed, one of the
principle chiefs arose. and in a fliort,
but masterly speech, informed his
audience Os the occasion of their
meeting. He acquainted them
that one of h ftr young men will
ed to be admitted into their socie
ty 5 and taking him by the hand,
presented him to their view, a Ik
ing them at the fame time, whe
ther they had any objection to his
becoming one of their communi
ty-
No objection being made, the
young candidate was placed in the
cehtre, and four of the chiefs took
their station close to him ; after
exhorting him by turns, not to
faint under the operation he wes
about to go through, but to be
have like an Indian, and a man,
two of them took hold of his arms
T H U R $ D A Y, May
All those who had been admit*
ted within the rails, now formed a
circle around their new brother,
and the muftek striking up, the
great chief Jung a long, celebrat
ing, as usual, their martial ex
ploits.
FOREIGN ARTICLES^
ANSI^E R,
From Mr, Gardiner, the Britijh
Envoys io bis pQ^Jb Majofty's
letter^
Sire,
THE letter which your Majesty
did me the honour of writing to
me from Grodno, and which 1 re
ceived yesterday, has moved me to
tears* and will conftancly cause e
motions witnin me, whenever I
(hall think on it; I most grate
fully thank your Majesty for the
miniature you did me the honour
to fend me. It is doubly dear to
me for coming from yOur hands;
and from presenting me with the
idea of your perfom The image
of your Majefty* the excellence of
your charaftet, your diftinguiffied
kindness towards me, and your
misfortunes, Ihall be engraven on
my heart,, and never be effaced
from my mind. May just Heaven
in future grant to your Majesty
the fate which yout virtues deferVe
and may he restore that calm with
in your foul, which is so necessary
after so many storms 1 I ffiall al
ways pray for the welfare of your
Majeny ; and I entreat yous Ma
jesty occaflonally to think on a
person, who always felt the most
profbund refpeft,* and the most
perfect esteem for your Majesty.
Please to accept of the affuranci
of my true submission to yodr fu
ture commands. s
I have the honour td be Sir,
Your Majesty’s humble servant,
(Signed) GARDINKfc
This part of the ceremony be
ing happily effected, the officiating
chiefs difrobingbim of the clothes
he had usually worn, and put on
him a set of apparel entirely new.
When he was dressed, the speaker
once more took him by the hand,
and presented him to the foctety
as a regular and thoroughly initia*
ted member, exhorting them at
the fame time, to give him such
neceflary assistance, as being a
young member, he might stand in
need of. He then also charged
the newly ele&ed brother to receive
with humility, and to follow with
punduaffiy, the advice of his el
der brethren.
lent blow%, he began to difeover
some sy mptoms of returning life.
These, however, Were attended
with strong convulfionSi and ap
parfnt obftrudtion in his throar,.
But they were soon at an end ; for
havjng difeharged from his mouth
the bean, or whatever it was that
the chief had thrown at him, but
which, upon the cloteft infpedion,
I had not perceived enter it k he
soon after appeared co be tolerably
recovered. \
A deputation will this day com*
municate this national decree to
the Representatives of the French
people—At the fame time propole
an alliance between the two Re?
publics. The just e^gemefs co
confumate this adt of alliance ap
pears to be approved of by ths
most ehlrghtened patriots.-*-Views
of prudence point it out as the
surest means of defeating the great
cunning of the Cabinet of Berlin |
for it is ft ill thought that the King
of Prussia is diligently intriguing,
even in France, to induce the goV*
ernment of the French Republid
,to negotiations, in which Prussia
atid the United Provinces being
in a common ficuation with refpeft
to peace, might make only a com -
mon treaty. Bl tides as it is
possible that the French govern*
ment should fuffer the French na*
tion to adopt such a measure with*
out the error being productive of
gradual calamities, the Dutch
oughtto be vigilant on this point*
and hasten the conclufioa of an al
liance with ihe French* oh thd
foie condition of an entire fecurity*
It is exprefllf forbidden to pals
the frontiers without the consent
in writing of the regency of the
place in which the peffon applying
for it resides. This law otdains
the fcqueftration of the property
of persons who attempt to emi
grate, with other penalties, and
evch death in certain cates.
It fat bids ibe depat lure of the re*
gents and minijiers of the old fyftem t
and other per Jons who have public
accounts to give in Van det Hoop,
the fifcal of the Admiralty, and
Kingibergen. tbe Siadtboldef's ad
mit a\ have been put under arrest di
Amflerdam. V V
6 1 he States of Holland bavedeclar*
ed the free importation of corn and
flour.
FRANCE.
it -ft " ii' ■—
* /v / _«• ' ? 'f f "
. KAHOVAL, CONFEWUO&
NOVEMBER 27.
* Menau in the name of the Cath*
minces of Agricukufs and Com
merce made a report on the
vention of Citizen BasneoiUe^ the
objed of which is to eftaWifli iri
France manufactures of Superfine ?
Mullin, equal to that fatJric&ed in
the East Indies. ' The armies of
the Republic are cruflbing tfwr
Englilh on the Continent; the
French navy supply your ports
with ail that is neceflary, on a&» ;
count of ihe shopkeepers of Lon*
HAGUE, FEB. 18.
The assembly of the Reprefen-t
tatives of the People is completing*
Deputies from the Towns in which
t ie revolution is effected arc daily
arriving.—On the a 6th the Stade
holderate was solemnly abolifhcd
forever $ a declaration not new in
our annals, but the principles of
which, are now such that it is as
independent of historical erudition
as the present circumstances are
different from those of any former
crisis.
[Number 47.