t we did not find them. We had not leisure to make a
very narrow search, for having spent about an hour in this enquiry, we
feared the business of the Indians might be near over, and that if we
staid longer, we might be caught offering an affront to their
superstition. For this reason, we wrapt up those holy materials in their
several mats again, and laid them on the shelf where we found them. This
image, when dressed up, might look very venerable in that dark place
where 'tis not possible to see it, but by the glimmering light that is
let in by lifting up a piece of the matting, which we observed to be
conveniently hung for that purpose; for when the light of the door and
chimney glance in several directions upon the image through that little
passage, it must needs make a strange representation, which those poor
people are taught to worship with a devout ignorance. There are other
things that contribute towards carrying on this imposture. First, the
chief conjurer enters within the partition in the dark, and may
undiscerned move the image as he pleases. Secondly, a priest of
authority stands in the room with the people, to keep them from being
too inquisitive, under the penalty of the deity's displeasure and his
own censure.

Their idol bears a several name in every nation, as Okee, Quioccos,
Kiwasa. They do not look upon it as one single being, but reckon there
are many of the same nature; they likewise believe that there are
tutelar deities in every town.

[Illustration: _Lith. of Ritchies & Dunnavant Richmond, Va._
Idol call'd, OKEE, QUIOCCOS, or KIWASA.
Tab. 11 Book 3 Pag. 155]

TAB. 11. Their idol in his tabernacle.

The dark edging shows the sides and roof of the house, which consists of
saplings and bark. The paler edging shows the mats, by which they make a
partition of about ten feet at the end of the house for the idol's
abode. The idol is set upon his seat of mats within a dark recess above
the people's heads, and the curtain is drawn up before him.

Sec. 30. Father Henepin, in his continuation, page 60, will not allow that
the Indians have any belief of a Deity, nor that they are capable of the
arguments and reasonings that are common to the rest of mankind. He
farther says, that they have not any outward ceremony to denote their
worship of a Deity, nor have any word to express God by--that there's no
sacrifice, priest, temple, or any other token of religion among them.
Baron Lahontan, on th