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They have fome Kind of Elegancy in varying and compounding their Words, to which, not many of themselves attain, and this principally distinguishes their best Speakers. I have endeavoured to get fome Account of this, as a Thing that might be acceptable to the Curious; but, as I have not met with any one Person who understands their Language, and alfo knows any Thing of Grammar, or of the learned Languages, I have not been able to attain the leaft Satisfaction. Their prefent Minifter tells me, that their Verbs are varied, but in a Manner fo dif ferent from the Greek or Latin, that he cannot dif cover by what Rule it was done; and even fufpects, that every Verb has a peculiar Mode: They have but few radical Words, but they compound their Words without End; by this their Language becomes fufficiently copious, and leaves Room for a good Deal of Art to please a delicate Ear. Sometimes one Word among them includes an entire Definition of the Thing; for Example, they call Wine Onehar radefeboengt fer agberie, as much as to fay, a Liquor made of the Juice of the Grape. The Words expreffing Things lately come to their Knowledge are all Compounds: They have no Labeals in their Language, nor can they pronounce perfectly any Word wherein there is a Labeal; and when one endeavours to teach them to pronounce thefe Words, they tell one, they think it ridiculous that they muft fhut their Lips to fpeak. Their Language abounds with Gutturals and ftrong Afpirations, thefe make it very fonorous and bold; and their Speeches abound with Metaphors, after the Manner of the Eaftern Nations, as will beft appear by the Speeches that I have copied.

As to what religious Notions they have, it is difficult to judge of them; becaufe the Indians, that fpeak any English, and live near us, have learned many Things of us; and it is not easy to diftinguish the Notions they had originally among themselves,

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from those they have learned of the Chriftians. It is certain they have no Kind of publick Worship, and I am told that they have no radical Word to exprefs God, but ufe a compound Word, fignifying the Preferver, Sustainer, or Master of the Universe; neither could I ever learn what Sentiments they have of a future Exiftence. Their funeral Rites seem to be formed upon a Notion of fome Kind of Existence after Death: They make a large round Hole, in which the Body can be placed upright, or upon its Haunches, which after the Body is placed in it, is covered with Timber, to fupport the Earth which they lay over, and thereby keep the Body free from being preffed; they then raise the Earth in a round Hill over it. They always drefs the Corps in all its Finery, and put Wampum and other Things into the Grave with it; and the Relations fuffer not Grafs or any Weed to grow on the Grave, and frequently vifit it with Lamentations: But whether these Things be done only as Marks of Refpect to the Deceased, or from a Notion of fome Kind of Existence after Death, must be left to the Judgment of the Reader.

They are very fuperftitious in obferving Omens and Dreams; I have obferved them fhew a fuperftitious Awe of the Owl, and be highly displeased with fome that mimicked the Cry of that Bird in the Night. An Officer of the regular Troops has informed me alfo, that while he had the Command of the Garrison at Ofwego, a Boy of one of the far Weftward Nations died there; the Parents made a reguJar Pile of fplit Wood, laid the Corps upon it, and burnt it; while the Pile was burning, they ftood gravely looking on, without any Lamentation, but when it was burnt down, they gathered up the Bones with many Tears, put them into a Box, and carried them away with them; and this Inclination, which all ignorant People have o Superftition and amufing Ceremonies, gives the Popish Priests a great Advan

tage

tage in recommending their Religion, beyond what the Regularity of the Proteftant Doctrine allows of.

Queen Anne fent over a Miffionary to refide among the Mohawks, and allowed him a fufficient Subfiftence from the privy Purse; fhe fent Furniture for a Chappel, and a valuable set of Plate for the Communion Table; and (if I am not mistaken) the like Furniture and Plate for each of the other Nations, though that of the Mohawks was only applied to the Ufe defigned. The common Prayer, or at leaft a confiderable Part of it, was tranflated alfo into their Lan-. guage and printed; fome other Pieces were likewife. tranflated for the Minifter's Ufe, viz. An Expofition of the Creed, Decalogue, Lord's Prayer, and Church Catechifm, and a Difcourfe on the Sacraments. But. as that Minister was never able to attain any tolerable Knowledge of their Language, and was naturally a heavy Man, he had but fmall Succefs; and his Allowance failing, by the Queen's Death, he left them. Thefe Nations had no Teacher, from that Time, till within these few Years, that a young Gentleman, out of pious Zeal, went voluntarily among the Mohawks. He was at firft intirely ignorant of their Language, and had no Interpreter, except one of the Indians, who underftood a little English, and had, in the late Miffionary's Time, learn'd to read and write in his own Language. He learned from him how to pronounce the Words in the Tranflations, which had been made for the late Miffionary's Ufe. He fet up a School, to teach their Children to read and write their own Language; and they made furprizing Proficiency, confidering their Mafter did not understand their Lan-, guage. I happened to be in the Mohawk Country, and faw feveral of their Performances; I was prefent at their Worship, where they went through fome Part of the Common Prayer with great Decency. I was likewife prefent, feveral Times, at their private Devotions, which fome of them performed duly, C

Morning

Morning and Evening. I had alfo many Opportunities of obferving the great Regard they had for this young Man; fo far, that the Fear of his leaving them made the greatest Restraint on them, with which he threatened them, after they had been guilty of any Offence. Soon after that Time, this Gentleman went to England, received Orders, and was fent by the Society, Miffionary to Albany, with Liberty to fpend fome Part of his Time among the Mabawks,

I had lately a Letter from him, dated the seventh of December, 1641, in which he writes as follows: "Drunkenness was fo common among them, that I ❝doubt, whether there was one grown Perfon of either Sex free from it; feldom a Day paffed, without fome, and very often forty or fifty being drunk at a Time. But I found they were very fond of keeping me among them, and afraid I should. "leave them, which I made Ufe of to good Pur"pofe; daily threatning them with my Departure, "in Cafe they did not forfake that Vice, and fre quently requiring a particular Promise from them fingly; by which Means (through God's Bleffing). "there was a gradual Reformation; and I know. "not that I have feen above ten or twelve Perfons. "drunk among them this Summer. The Women "are almost all entirely reformed, and the Men "very much. They have intirely left off Divorces,

and are legally married. They are very conftant "and devout at church and Family Devotions. "They have not been known to exereife Cruelty to "Prifoners, and have, in a great Measure, left off

going a fighting, which I find the most difficult,

of all Things, to diffuade them from. They feem "alfo perfuaded of the Truths of Christianity. The "greateft Inconveniency I labour under, is the Want "of an Interpreter, which could I obtain, for two

or three Years, I fhould hope to be tolerably

"Mafter

"Mafter of their Language, and be able to render it easier to my Succeffor."

This Gentleman's uncommon Zeal deferves, I think,, this publick Teftimony, that it may be a Means of his receiving fuch Encouragement, as may enable him to purfue the pious Purposes he has in View.

The Mohawks, were they civilized, may be useful to us many Ways, and, on many Occafions, more than any of our own People can be; and this well deferves to be confidered.

There is one Custom their Men conftantly obferve, which I must not forget to mention; That if they be sent with any Meffage, though it demand the greatest Dispatch, or though they bring Intelligence of any imminent Danger, they never tell it at their firft Approach; but fit down for a Minute or two, at least, in Silence, to recollect themselves, before they speak, that they may not fhew any Degree of Fear or Surprize, by an indecent Expreffion. Every fudden Repartee, in a publick Treaty, leaves with them an Impreffion of a light inconfiderate Mind; but, in private Conversation, they use, and are delighted with brifk witty Answers, as we can be. By this they fhew the great Difference they place between the Converfations of Man and Man, and of Nation and Nation; and in this, and a thoufand other Things, might well be an Example to the European Nations.