But the mode of treating their prisoners is not the same throughout the whole of the American tribes. Among the Indians of South America, it differs consi derably from that which we have detailed above ; though it is equally destructive, and almost as horrible. There the prisoners, alter being received in as cruel a man ner as those or the Iroquois or Algonquins, are never theless exempted from suffering, and are treated for a while with the utmost kindness and care. A hut is al lotted to them ; they are feasted and caressed ; they are permitted to mingle in the dance with their captors ; and some of the most beautiful women of the tribe are ordered to attend them, and to minister to their com fort. But notwithstanding these endeavours to attach them to life, their destiny is unalterably fixed. The spirits of those who have fallen in battle cry for their blood. On the day which has been appointed the war riors assemble; and the prisoner is brought forth with much pomp, and with many observances of all extraordi nary nature. \Vnen he arrives at the place where the elders wait to receive him, the chief of the victorious tribe addresses him in the following manner: "Arc you of that hostile nation which has killed so many of oil' fa thers, our brethern, our wives, our children, and our allies?" To this inquiry the captive generally answers in words like these: "Yes, I am of that hostile nation, and I exult in calling it mine: I have done you every injury in my power : I have killed your fathers, your brethren, and your allies; I have killed them with these hands, and have assisted in eating their flesh. If you put me to death, my friends, will avenge me, and my life shall cost you dear." (Lafitau, Mcpurs, ii. 302.) No sooner is this declaration made, than the prisoner is struck to the earth with a single blow of a club; and the women, laying hold of the body, prepare it for the barbarous feast which is to succeed. They tear it in pieces ; giving to their children the brain and the tongue, and smearing their faces with the blood ; in or der to kindle in their youthful minds that hatred of their enemies, which is, ever after, to be the ruling principle of their natures. All then join in devouring the car cass. To cat up an enemy is considered as the most exquisite gratification of revenge ; and wherever the people are cannibals, it is seldom that a prisoner is spared. Stadius, a German officer, in the service of the Portuguese, was taken captive by the Toupinambos, a nation of Brazil, and remained among them for a pe riod of nine years; he often witnessed the feasts of hu man flesh, which he describes in his narrative, Pined de Bry. iii. 34.) and was himself doomed to a similar with hi; 11.1-,l'ortuue ; out he sl:vi himself by his courage and addia ss. The .'kutcapas ut Louisiana mined ChnitV111e, the year 1719; awl the Uaribs of the main land were seen to eat the flesh of the Maroons, who in 17r re volted against the Dutch in their settlements on Ow Berbice. (.Vatur ge,chichte Guaira, tj 101.) Some or the inferior nations likewise r0a,t their The same barbarous practice, of those who are taken in war, subsisted ill Mexico, and traces of it may br found among the gentler inhabitauts of Peru.
But though the greater part of the kii_erican agree in eating the flesh of their prisoners, or did so they were first visited by the Europeans, yet the fiercest tribes devour none but their enemies, and those who appear in arms against them. 'Pile women and children, who are so fortunate as to escape the fury of their inroads and attacks, more rarely suffer from the deliberate expression of their vengeance. This state ment is confirmed by the testimonies of those w ho have hail frequent opportunities of examining the manners of these savage nations. In the expedition of Xarvaez into Florida, A. D. 1528, the Spaniards were compi
led, by the severity of famine, to eat up those of their countrymen w ho happened to die. This appeared so dreadful to the natives, whose manners permitted them to devour their captives only, that they regarded the Europeans with horror ; and looked upon them as men destitute of affection towards one another. It may be safely affirmed, that human flesh was never used by any people as their ordinary food. It was the bitterness of unrelenting vengeance that first led to the horrid festivals. of which we cannot read without shuddering ; and the enemies of the tribe were the only victims which were sacrificed to this malignant passion. Among several of the American nations, however, the practice of de vouring those who fall into then' hands, does not exist at present; though we are yet unacquainted with all the circumstances which have effected its abolition. We cannot ascribe the change wholly to the cus'om of adopting the prisoners, for in many tribes that custom is unknown. Vet among these tribes, the practice al luded to must at one time have been general ; as all travellers agree, that it has entered into their language, and that many expressions, to which it must have given birth, are still in use. The Iroquois signify their reso lution of making war against an enemy, by calling upon one another "to rise and eat" the people with whom they are at variance; and when they solicit their allies to join them, they invite them to "come and eat broth made of the flesh of their enemies." (Charlevoix, iitsr.
P. pp. 208, 209. Let. xxiii. Edif. et Cur. 241.) From this horrid practice, too, the war-song seems to have derived its peculiar character. "I go to war,'' exclaims a savage, animated with all the fury of his barbarous nature, "I go to war, to revenge the death of my bro thers: I will kill; I will exterminate ; I will burn my enemies; I will bring away prisoners; I will devour their hearts, dry their flesh, and drink their blood. I will tear off their scalps, and make cups of their skulls." See Bossu's Tray. through Louisiana, vol. i p. 102.
III. Of the Religion of the .1merican Tribes.
Nothing has, in a greater degree, attracted the at tention of those who have visited the New World, than the religion of its inhabitants. Unfortunately, however, the accounts of it, in as far at least as they respect the less cultivated tribes, arc neither very distinct, nor founded un very accurate observation. Priests and mis sionaries, often ignorant, and always more desirous to propagate their own doctrines, and introduce the cere monies of their own religion, than to observe that of the people to whom they are sent, have fancied that they have discovered traces of Christianity among several of the American tribes. By pursuing analogies to au un warrantable length, and interpreting some pnrases with a blamable precipitancy, and hardly any acquaintance with the language of the natives, they have imagined that the doctrine of the Trinity, the mystery of Christ's incarnation, and the virtue of his propitiatory sacrifice, were not unknown to these people. They have even gone so far as to assert, that purgatory is received among them, and that prayers for the dead are in use. II these statements were correct, it would surely be no dif ncult matter to convert the American tribes to the belief of our religion; but as this has not been done with any good measure of success, we have little reason to admit, that the truths of Christianity arc at all known to the sa vages of the western continent. In the uninformed and credulous guides above alluded to, we can have no confi dence ; and the observation or Robert son is just, that even when we make our choice of conductors with the great est care, we ought not to follow them with implicit faith.