reigned throughout those happy regions. The forests
were always full of game, and the lakes of fish, which were taken
without the laborious pursuit and painful exertion of skill, which were
necessary to secure them in the earthly habitation. The embodied forms
of their friends retained the same wishes, inclinations, and habits,
which had belonged to them while occupying the terrestrial house. So say
the Unamis.

Another tribe of Delawares do not believe as the Unamis do--they think
that the land of departed souls lies in another part of the sky, and
that the path to it is not over mighty and fearful rocks, through the
hideous army of embattled winds, and among the bounds and rebounds of
unchained stars. There were once, but the time was many ages ago, in the
tribe of the Unalachtas, two fearless and prudent hunters, who had one
father, but not one mother, who had never offended the Great Spirit, or
the inferior spirits, but duly observed in all their actions a full and
unceasing remembrance of the Giver of all good gifts, as well as those
who take a lesser part in the government of the world; and, whether in
their cabins or in the wild forests, had never failed to offer
sacrifices to him of the most valued part of all their acquisitions.
When they came to the river or the lake, they threw in a large piece of
their tobacco, and cast in birds, whose throats had been cut, and
feathers plucked from the tip of the wings, to propitiate and render
favourable to their prayers the haughty Michabou, the God of the Waters.
When the kind and beneficent sun rose, they were careful to throw into
the fire, to which he imparts the heat, a portion of every thing they
intended to use that day; and when the mistress of bad spirits, the
Moon, came out of the far woods, they took great care to propitiate the
evil intelligences which sit upon her horns, plotting mischief to
mortals, by liberal gifts of _petun_, or collars of beads, or ears of
maize, or skins of animals. When their feet stood upon the edge of the
mighty cataract, then was the most valued dog precipitated, then was the
most valued drink poured into the overwhelming torrent, to appease the
angry spirit of the abyss. And thus, performing their duties to the
Great Master and their fellow-creatures, lived the two good Unalachta
hunters.

But death at length at their request came to them. They wished to see
the Country of Souls, and to judge with their own eyes if its situation
a