84 On the defcent of the American Indians from the Jews.
the law, as it directed them under dark fhadows, to Meffiah, the lamp of light and perfections. In refemblance of this facred pectoral, or breaft- plate, the American Archi-magus ^ wears a bread-plate, made of a white conch-fhell, with two holes bored in the middle of it, through which he puts the ends of an otter-fkin ftrap, and fattens a buck-horn white button to the outfide of each, as if in imitation of the precious ftones of Urim, which miraculoufly blazoned from the high-prieft's bread, the unerring words of the divine oracle. Indead of the plate of gold, which the Levite wore on his forehead, bearing thefe words, mfT 'h ttnp, Kadejh li Tcbewab, " holy, or feparate to God," the Indian wears around his temples, either a wreath of fwan-feathers, or a long piece of fwan-fkin doubled, fo as only the fine fnowy feathers appear on each fide. And, in likenefs to the fiara of the former, the latter wears on the crown of his head, a tuft of white feathers, which they call Tatera. He likewife fadens a tuft of blunted wild Turkey cock-fpurs, toward the toes of the upper part of his macca-t fenes, as if in refemblance to the feventy-two bells, which the Leviti- cal high-pried wore on his coat of blue. Thofe are as drong religious pontifical emblems, as any old Hebrews could have well chofen, or re tained under the like circumdances of time and place. Thus appears the Indian Archimagus not as Merubha Begadim, " the man with many- clothes," as they called the high-pried of the fecond temple, but with clothes proper to himfelf, when he is to officiate in his pontifical function, at the annual expiation of fins *. < As religion is the touchdone of every nation of people, and as thefe Indians cannot be fuppofed to have been deluded out of theirs, feparated from the red of the world, for many long- forgotten ages the traces which may be difcerned among' them, will help to corroborate the other arguments concerning their, origin* 1
Thefe religious, beloved men are alfo fuppofed to be in great favour with the Deity, and able to procure rain when they pleafe. In this relpect alfo, we fhall obferve a great conformity to the practice of the Jews. The He brew records inform us, that in the moon Abib^ or Nifan, they prayed for
- The only ornaments that diilinguiflied the high-prieft from the reft, were a coat with
feventy-two bells, an ephod, or jacket without fleeves, a breaft-plate fct with twelve fiones; a linen mitre, and a plate of gold upon his forehead.
i the.
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