Josiah Priest's 1825-26 "Wonders of Nature"

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Josiah Priest (1788-1851)
Wonders of Nature...
(1st ed.: Albany, 1825, 2nd printing 1826)

Title Page

page 047 Kingdom of Mexico

page 134 Queen of Sheba

page 136 a "colony of Jews"

page 157 "fires and vapours"

page 372 Ethan Smith quotations

page 376 a God-given Indian book

page 394 another Indian book

page 428 crucifixion darkness

page 531 Shakespeare quote

Transcriber's Comments

View of the Expected Millennium (1828) | American Antiquities (1833)

THE


W O N D E R S:

OF


NATURE  AND  PROVIDENCE


DISPLAYED


COMPILED


FROM AUTHENTIC SOURCES, BOTH ANCIENT AND MODERN,


GIVING AN


ACCOUNT OF VARIOUS AND STRANGE PHENOMENA


EXISTING  IN  NATURE,


OF


TRAVELS, ADVENTURES, SINGULAR PROVIDENCES, &c.


Hearken  -- stand still and consider the wonderous works of God.
JOB.                    



ALBANY:

PUBLISHED  BY  JOSIAH PRIEST.

E. AND E. HOSFORD, PRINTERS.


1826.

[ ii ]

NORTHERN DISTRICT OF NEW-YORK, TO WIT:

BE IT REMEMBERED, That on the second day of June in the forty-eight year of the Independence of the United States of America, A. D. 1824, Josiah Priest of the said district, hath deposited in this office the title of a Book the right {L. S.} whereof he claims as author in the words following to wit:

"The Wonders of Nature and Providence displayed: compiled from authentic sources both Ancient and Modern, giving an account of various and strange Phenomena existing in nature, and of travels, adventures, singular providence, &c. Hearken, stand still and consider the wonderous works of God. -- Job. By Josiah Priest."

In conformity to the act of Congress of the United States, entitled "An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned;" and also, to the act entitled "An act supplementary to an act entitled 'An act for the encouragement of learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies during the times therein mentioned,' and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of Designing, Engraving and Etching historical and other prints."

R. R. LANSING, Clerk
of the Northern District of N. York.

[ iii ]

PREFACE.

GREAT are the works of the Lord, sought out of them that fear him. The heavens, with all their brilliant hosts, declare his glorious majesty -- the earth is full of the demonstrations of his goodness. He openeth his hand and satisfieth the desire of every living thing. Nature and Providence are one vast volume in which God's wonderous works are displayed: it is written in characters which may be read of all nations under the whole heavens, in their own language. It consists not of words, but of things, which admirably point out the Divine perfections.

The firmament and the great expanse of infinity, are probably garnished every where with the bright monuments of his power. The sun, robed in the mantle of his own fires, sits as a king in the midst of his shining courtiers. Myriads of other suns burn on their flaming axles, and from the centre of their systems, pour the ocean of their light all over the bosom of unbounded space, lighting up, in undescribed splendour, the great palace of the Universe. And around them move in mazy dance, the obsequious planets; whole armies of constellations keep watch while they travel in the great circuit of other heavens, and with their tissues of primeval majesty, express the matchless power of the Creator.

Behold the great energies of nature are under his control! In his fist are gathered the roaring winds; the mighty storm sleeps there as the lion in the caves of the mountains. By his hand the red lightnings are held at bay, but at his word they fly and out speed the careering winds. By their flesh the great concave of heaven is lighted up, from the tops of Pagan hills in the east, to where the fires of the sun plunge the western main. At his beck, the furious tornado is hushed to a zephyr, the thunders that ride upon the watery clouds are awed to silence; the cloud cap't billows of the deep, bow at his presence, and point their flashing summits to the gulphs below. The snow, the rain, and the hoar frost descend from the middle regions, by his providence; lo these are but parts of his ways. Anon he stoops from the highest heaven -- from the clear hyaline where he stood and lo his way is seen among the sons of men.

Now he treads upon the mountains -- they smoke and tremble to their base -- a fiery flame ascends to the midst of heaven, like a mighty furnace, and his voice is like the sound of many waters.

Earth groans to her centre -- thunder and storm rage along their courses -- earthquakes and volcanoes roar from the tops of the mountains -- the ocean boils like aÊpot, and spouts from the

iv PREFACE.

depths beneath, pyramids of fire. The fearful whirlwind plunges from the convulsed clouds, sweeps across the earth, dashing in heaps of ruin the fairest works of man. Tall forests bend beneath its force, taring the strongest oaks from their rooted base, and on its whirling bosom bares them aloft to the wondering skies. Mountains tremble beneath the dreadful pressure, and from their benched cliffs, tumble the loosened rocks to the vales beneath: these are the ministers of his providence and power,

The infinite variety of creatures that inhabit the earth, the ocean, and the air, show his amazing skill; the teeming shower, the sunshine and the yellow sheaf, show his bounteous goodness.

The contemplation of a Divine Providence is consoling and profitable: we feel ourselves drawn from the creature to the Creator.

The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice! the reigns of government are in the hands of him who needs no counsellor. Though the fool has said in his heart there is no God, yet both His word and providence declare to the ends of the earth, saying, verily there is a God, who hath set his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom reigneth over all. Shall we not say providence is God in motion, is God teaching by facts, is God fulfilling and explaining his word in his own way however inscrutable to the ken of men or angels?

Though clouds and darkness are round about him, righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.

No pains have been spared in the completion of this book, to collect from rare and valuable publications, both of Europe and America, (which are but little known by reason of their magnitude and scarcity,) such accounts as show the way of the Lord in his works and providence. There can be no doubt, that to be indifferent to these, whether it be a nation or an individual, is highly sinful.

The eyes of all ought to wait upon him, whose wonders fill heaven, earth and hell. How vast the amplitude of his power! the ocean of illimitable space is the field of his operations.

The accounts given respecting the Roman Catholic hierarchy, are a record of facts which show that a spirit of persecution was not only an ancient mark of that overgrown superstition, but that it retains all its virulence to the present day.

It affords much pleasure to reflect, that so large a work is gathered from those who have recorded, from age to age, the wonderful works and providences of the Most. High.

JOSIAH PRIEST.

Albany, August 17, 1825.

[ iii ]

CONTENTS.

003 PREFACE.
009 Accounts of serpents of various kinds.
018 Of the Cerastes and similar serpents,
026 Of the Horn Nosed Snake of Africa,
027 Of the Anaconda of the East Indies,
032 Of the Halcydrus-Pontoppidani a serpent of the ocean,
035 Of the Scorpion abd its dreadful properties,
035 Of apparitions in general, with several curious relations,
045 An account of apparations by Josephus the historian,
047 An account of the commencement of the kingdom of Mexico, and of eleven of its kings, and of supernatural presages of its overthrow by the Spaniards,
061 A remarkable dream and its fulfilment,
063 A curious memorandum upon the subject of giants,
070 A remarkable account of a sea captain,
075 An account of the fearful Simoon of Arabia,
080 The travels of Bruce in various parts of the southern hemisphere,
081 his account of the wild beasts of these countries -- he accompanies a hunting party,
083 of the sagacity of a young elephant,
087 his journey across the deseret of Thebaid, and a description of the Arab houses,
089 the Turks opinion of the origin of the English,
090 of the marble quarries of the deseret,
092 of red and green granite marble,
093 of the beautiful appearance of the marble mountains,
097 his account of a singular custom of the people of the red sea for the preservation of christians,
098 Bruces travels continued,
099 his account and opinion, and the evidence he urges to prove that the Israelites did cross the red sea on dry ground,
102 a tradition of the Troglodytes, of the passage of the Hebrews through the red sea,

vi CONTENTS.

103 Bruce continued,
103 his travels in Abyssinia and desert of Nubia,
104 his terror at sight of an army of fiery sand pillars,
108 he takes an Arab and wife prisoners,
114 their trials for life, their sentences,
116 a description of the Simoon,
124 his sufferings on the desert, and his joy at the sight of three kites,
127 he swooned at the scent of food,
131 abused in the streets of Grand Cairo,
134 Bruce continued,
his account of the visit of the queen of Sheba to Jerusalem in the days of king Solomon,
136 the queen of Sheba's son by Solomon, educated at Jerusalem
138 A horrible account of the eating of live flesh by the Abyssinians,
143 An account of a Rattle Snake,
146 An account of the reptile named Salamander both of land and water,
149 An account of the Tarantula,
150 of the fossil asbestos,
151 Singular adventure of a Stork,
152 Of the wonderful properties of the Polypus,
157 Of the phenomena of meteors and other fires,
161 Of the Ignis Fatuus,
164 Of the phenomena of whurl-winds, and water spouts,
166 Of the wonderful properties of Lobsters, and of sea and land Crabs,
171 Of the aniimal Flower of Barbadoes,
172 Of two remarkable Echoes,
172 Remarkable accounts of Hair,
173 Strange customs of the Mexicans,
187 Singular accounts of Iron,
188 A singular Providence,
190 Memoirs of the Martyr Polycarp,
202 Remarkable account of David Sands,
204 A Deist confuted,

CONTENTS. vii

214 A prisober among savages,
223 Singular fulfilment of a strange prophecy,
227 Singular deliverance from two monsters,
229 Wonderful visions in various ages,
244 An account of the subterranean galleries of the dead,
250 A tremendous thunder storm,
251 An adventure in the mines of Idra,
253 Idol worship of the Mexicans,
261 Bartram's researches in the woods of America,
274 Sufferings of a black slave,
275 Accounts of famous Infidels,
288 An apparition seen by an Infidel,
289 Death of Thomas Paine,
291 An account of the Roman Catholic Inquisition at Goa in the East Indies,
302 Of the inquisition in Spain,
308 Of the inquisition in Italy,
323 Of persecutions of Christians,
331 A Soldier delivered from the jaws of a tyger,
334 Of the phenomena of fire in general and of earth quakes,
372 Proofs that the Indians of North America are descended from the ancient Hebrews,
408 Phenomenon of stone being thrown from the moon,
412 Mr. Howard's account of the phenomena of stones falling from the heavens,
420 Supernatural phenomena,
427 Observations on comets,
428 Supernatural phenomena,
431 On the phenomenon of light,
435 The sufferings of Thecla, and an account of St. Paul's person,
442 On the diamond mines in Hindustan,
447 The providence of God asserted,
450 A strange providence,
452 Of the local situation of the garden of Eden,
455 The works of God displayed,
458 A man possessed of the devil,

viii CONTENTS.

465 Narrative of two Roman scholars,
468 Of a poison tree and its effects,
471 An account of the fountain tree,
472 Travels and adventures among savages,
534 A traveller taken and confined by robbers,
546 Natural history of the earth and effects of the deluge,
554 An account of God's providence towards a poor glider,
556 A wonderful providence,
557 Strange detection, and just punishment of a murderer of seven small children,
559 Remarkable account of two Quakers who escaped from robbers,
562 A wonderful providence, or a supernatural interference,
563 Of a man who had a view of heaven and hell,
565 A strange account of a beautiful lady's death,
566 A very remarkable dream,
568 A description of a wonderful clock,
570 An attempt to describe the day of Judgment,
580 The infidels chemical mistake detected,
581 An account of the identical Rock which was smitten by Moses at Horeb,
583 A wonderful account of a man restored to life after being hanged,
592 An interesting account of the manner the ancients used to embalm their dead,
596 An account of the Asiatic locust,
598 An awful providence,
599 Works of God displayed,

INDEX FOR THE ENGRAVINGS.

009 I. ....... Great Lybia Constrictor.
046 II. ..... Montezuma.
173 III. .... Mexican Sacrifice.
262 IV. .... Mexican Gladiators.
308 V. ..... Catholic Torture.
322 VI. .... Heathen Torture.
330 VII. ... Catholic Burning of a Lady.
408 VIII. . Joshua Commands the Sun.
435 IX. .... Thecla in the Arena.
570 X. ..... Second Coming of Christ.

Pages 8 to 46 have not yet been transcribed.

[ facing page 46 ]

Nature and Providence. 47

against the bridegrooms and the brides -- a voice against the whole people!" These words he continued to exclaim through the streets of Jerusalem by day and by night, with no cessation (unless what was needed for the support of nature) for seven years! He commenced in the year 63, while the city was in peace and prosperity, and terminated his exclamations only in his death, amidst the horrors of the siege in the year 70. This strange thing, when it commenced, soon excited great attention: and this Jesus was brought before Albinus, the Roman governor, who interrogated him, but could obtain no answer except the continuation of his woes. He commanded him to be scourged, but to no effect. During times of festivals, this cry of his was peculiarly loud and urgent. After the commencement of the siege, he ascended the walls, and in a voice still more tremendous than ever, he exclaimed, Wo, wo to this city, this temple, and this people!" And he then added, (for the first time for the seven years,) "Wo, wo to myself!" The words were no sooner uttered than a stone from a Roman machine without the walls, struck him dead on the spot!

Such were the signs in the heavens and in the earth, which just preceded the destruction of Jerusalem. Several of them are recorded by Tacitus as well as by Josephus. The veracity of Josephus as a historian is probably allowed by all. Scaliger affirms that he deserves more credit as a writer, than all the Greek and Roman historians put together.

An Account of the commencement of the kingdom of Mexico, and by whom; of remarkable incidents attendant on their journeyings, until their establishment as such. Also, some account of Montezuma the II, and ninth king of Mexico. Of the supernatural phenomenon, or presages of the overthrow and revolution of his kingdom, by the Spaniards.

THAT region of country in South America, now called New-Mexico, and more particularly the city, is the place at which several northern tribes of Indians arrived after wandering forty years, and who came from a region of wilderness north of the gulf of California. The cause of their separation, and departure from their own people and country, arose very likely from some dispute or disaffection among their tribes. But they allege as a reason, something widely different from this, which we gather from their tradition of this affair, as recorded in their history.

There was, say they, amongst us at the time of our departure

48 The Wonders of

(from the Aztecas (this was their former name) a person of great authority called Huitziton, to whose opinion all paid great deference. This person exerted himself, though it is not known for what reason, to persuade his countrymen to change their country, and while he was meditating on his purpose, he heard once, by accident, a little bird singing on the branches of a tree, whose notes imitated the Mexican word Tihui, which means, let us go. This appeared a favourable opportunity to obtain his wish of his countrymen. Taking, therefore, another respectable person with him, he conducted him to that tree where the little bird used to sing, and thus addressed him: "Do you not attend my friend Tecpaltzin, to what this little bird says, Tihui, Tihui, which it repeats every moment to us; what can it mean, but that we must leave this country and find ourselves another? Without doubt, it is the warning of some secret divinity who watches over our welfare: let us obey, therefore, his voice, and not draw his anger upon us by a refusal." Tecpaltzin gave full assent to this interpretation, either from his opinion of the wisdom of Huitziton or because he was likewise prepossessed with the same desire. Two persons, so respectable, having agreed in sentiment; they were not long in drawing the body of the nation over to their party.

Although we do not give credit to such an account, it does not however, appear altogether improbable; as it is not difficult for a person who is reputed wise, to persuade an ignorant and a superstitious people, through motives of religion, to whatever he pleases.

Although we are far enough from believing that there was any supernatural communication through the voice of the bird, yet no doubt there was a bird whose voice in its chipperings, might resemble the Mexican word Tihui, and upon this the artful savage built his scheme of enterprise. Immediately departing at the voice of the bird to seek for themselves a kingdom in remoter forests. And accordingly after wandering many years, and passing over a tract of forest of more than one thousand miles, at length arrived at the vale of Mexico. Tochpanecatl, lord of this city, received them with singular humanity, and not contenting himself with granting them commodious dwellings, and regaling them plentifully; but becoming attached to them from long and familiar intercourse, he demanded from the chiefs of the nation, some noble virgin for a wife to his son Ilhiitcatl. The Mexicans obliged by such proofs of regard presented Tlacapautzin to him, who was soon after married to that illustrious youth; and from them the Mexican kings descended.

At this place the King whose name was Xolotl reviewed these

Nature and Providence. 49

tribes, and was pleased with their chiefs, and soon became united by reciprocal marriages; and nobly gave permission that they might locate themselves where they could. And accordingly they sought their dwellings amongst those native philanthropists of the woods. Not many years, however, had elapsed, before they began to manifest their native character of enterprise, by depredations upon some of the neighbouring chiefs. This raised against them many enemies, and drove them for a shelter and place of defence, to a mountain situated on the western shore of that lake, two miles distant from the site of the city of Mexico. Here they suffered for the space of seventeen years, a rigorous persecution, which drove them again for a more secure asylum to several islands in the southern end of the lake. Here they subsisted fifty years in perfect wretchedness, living upon roots, berries, fish, and whatever they could find within those narrow limits of the Islands. Covering themselves with a kind of large leaf, which grows plentifully in the lake, and living in huts made of reeds and rushes.

But from this place also they were driven, and enslaved by one of the petty kings, or chiefs of the country. After some years slavery, a war arose between two nations of that country, and the nation to whom the unfortunate Aztecas were prisoners, were worsted in their engagement, and forced to call to their assistance the aid of their slaves. At which time, the fugitives Aztecas proposed among themselves the following stratagem, in order to endeavour to please their lords by every effort of bravery. Accordingly they armed themselves with long stout staves, the points of which they hardened in the fire, not only to be used against the enemy, but to assist them in leaping from one bush to another if it should prove necessary, as, in fact, they had to combat in the water. They made themselves knives of itzli, and targets or shields of reeds wove together. It was agreed among them, that they were not to employ themselves as it was usual in making prisoners, but to content themselves with cutting of an ear, and leaving the enemy without further hurt. With this disposition they went out to battle, and while the Colhuas and Xochimilcas, were engaged, either by land on the borders of the lake, or by water in their boats, the Mexicans rushed furiously on the enemy, assisted by their staves in the water; cut off the ears of those whom they encountered, and put them in baskets which they carried for that purpose; but when they could not effect this from the struggles of the enemy, they killed them. By the assistance of the Mexicans, the Colhuas obtained so complete a victory that the Xochimilcas not only abandoned the field, but afraid even to remain in their city, they took refuge in the mountains.

50 The Wonders of

This action having ended with so much glory, according to the custom of those nations, the soldiers of the Colhuas presented themselves with their prisoners before their general; as the bravery of the soldiers was not estimated by the number of enemies which were left dead on the field, but of those who were made prisoners alive, and shewn to the general.

The Mexicans were likewise called upon to make the shew of their prisoners; but not having a single one to present, as the only four which they had taken were kept concealed for a particular purpose; they were reproached as a cowardly race by the general, and the soldiers of the Colhuas. Then the Mexicans holding out their baskets full of ears, said, "Behold from the number of ears which we present, you may judge of the number of prisoners we might have brought if we had inclined, but we were unwilling to lose time in binding them that we might accelerate your victory." The Colhuas remained awed and abashed, and began to conceive apprehensions from the prudence as well as from the courage of their slaves.

The Mexicans or Aztecas, as they were then called, returned to their place of residence, and there erected an altar to their tutelary god; but being desirous at the dedication of it to make an offering of something precious, they demanded something of their lord for that purpose. He sent them in disdain, in a dirty rag of coarse cloth; a vile dead bird, with certain filth about it, which was carried by the priest of the Colhuas, who having laid it upon the altar without any salutation, retired. Whatever indignation the Mexicans felt from so unworthy an insult, reserving their revenge for another occasion, instead of such filth they placed upon the altar a knife of itzli, and an odoriferous herb. The day of consecration being arrived, the petty king of Colhua, and his nobility failed not to be present, not to do honour to the festival, but to make a mockery of his slaves. The Mexicans began this function with a solemn dance, in which they appeared in their best garments, and while the bystanders were most fixed in attention, they brought out the four Xochimilca prisoners, whom they had till then kept concealed, and after having made them dance a little, they sacrificed them upon a stone, breaking their breast with the knife of itzli, and tearing out their heart, which, whilst yet warm and beating, they offered to their god.

This human sacrifice, the first of the kind which we know to have been made in that country, excited such horror in the Colhuas, that having returned instantly to Colhuacan, they determined to dismiss slaves who were so cruel, and might in future become destructive to the state; on which Coxcox, so was the petty king named, sent orders to them to depart immediately

Nature and Providence. 51

out of that district, and go wherever they might be most inclined. The Mexicans willingly accepted their discharge from slavery, and directing their course towards the north, came to Acatzitziatlan, a place situated between two lakes, named afterwards Mexicaltzinco, which name is almost the same with that of Mexico.

As soon as the Mexicans took possession of that place, they erected a temple for their god Huitzilopochtli. The consecration of that sanctuary, although miserable, was not made without the effusion of human blood; for a daring Mexican having gone out in quest of some animal for a sacrifice, he encountered with a Colhuan named Xomimitl; after a few words, the feelings of national enmity, excited them to blows; the Mexican was victor, and having bound his enemy carried him to his countrymen who sacrificed him immediately, and with great jubilee presented his heart torn from his breast on the altar, exercising such cruelty not more for the blood, worship of that false divinity, than the gratification of their revenge upon the Colhuas. Around the sanctuary they began to build their wretched huts of reeds and rushes, being destitute at the time of other materials. Such was the beginning of the city of Tenochtitlan, which in future times was to become the court of a great empire, and the largest and most beautiful city of the new world.

We will now give some account of Montezuma the II. but ninth king of the Mexicans; also the names of the kings before him, and those who followed after him. History informs us, there were eleven kings of Mexico in succession. Their names were as follows: first,

Acamapitzin, I. King of Mexico
Huitzilihuitl, II.
Chimalpapoca, III.
Itzcoatl, IV.
Montezuma, V.
Axayacatl, Vl.
Tizoc, VII.
Ahuitzolt, VIII.
Montezuma, IX.
Cuitlahuatzin, X.
Quauhtemotzin, XI. This last king was put to death by the soldiers of Cortez, by broiling him upon red hot coals of fire, endeavouring thereby extort from him some further account of treasures, hidden, they imagined, by the poor suffering monarch. But he persisted in his silence upon that subject, and died as a sacrifice upon

52 The Wonders of

the bloody altar of avarice. At the time of the elevation of Montezuma, to the throne of Mexico, there was no heir to succeed the deceased monarch Ahuitzatl. Therefore the nobles proceeded to the election of one of the grandsons of the royal house, and that election fell on Montezuma Xocoyatzin.

Besides the bravery which he had displayed in several battles, in which he held the post of general, he was likewise a priest, and much revered for his gravity, his circumspection, and religion. He was a man of a taciturn temper, extremely deliberate, not only in words, but also in his actions; and whenever he spoke in the royal council, of which he was a member, he was listened to with respect. Notice of the election being sent to the two allied kings, they repaired instantly to the court to pay their compliments. Montezuma, being apprized of it, also retired to the temple, appearing to think himself unworthy of so much honour. The nobility went there to acquaint him with his being elected, and found him sweeping the pavement of the temple. He was conducted by a numerous attendance to the palace, where the electors, with due solemnity, intimated the election had fallen on him as the fittest person to fill the throne of Mexico. From thence he returned to the temple to perform the usual ceremonies, and as soon as they were finished he received on the throne the homage of the nobility, and heard the congratulatory harangues of the orators.

Who then like the silly sycophants of courts more refined, poured forth their congratulatory speeches, both to their king and country. To the former, for his royal majesty, wisdom, and benignity; and to the latter for its singular happiness in having so glorious a prince for its ruler.

Montezuma heard these harangues with much attention, and was so greatly affected that he attempted three times to answer them; but could not from the interruption of the tears which the secret pleasure he felt produced, and gave him the appearance of much humility; but, at last after checking his emotions, he replied in few words, declaring himself unworthy of the station to which he was exalted, and returning thanks to the orators for the praises which they bestowed on him; and then returned to the temple to keep fast for four days, at the end of which he was re-conducted with great state to the royal palace.

But contrary to the hopes and natural expectations of his subjects, he proved to be a proud, cruel, libidinous, and luxurious king. All the servants of his palace consisted of persons of rank. Besides those who constantly lived in it, every morning six hundred feudatory lords and nobles came to pay court to him. They passed the whole day in the anti-chamber, where none of their servants were permitted to enter, conversing in a

Nature and Providence. 53

low voice, and waiting the orders of their sovereign. The servants who accompanied those lords, were so numerous as to occupy three small courts of the palace, and many waited in the streets. The women about the court were not less in number, including those of rank, servants, and slaves. All this numerous female tribe, lived shut up in a kind of seraglio, under the care of some noble matrons, who watched over their conduct; as these kings were extremely jealous, and every piece of misconduct which happened in the palace, however slight, was severely punished. Of these women the king retained those who pleased him; the others he gave away, as a recompense for the services of his vassals. All the feudatories of the crown were obliged to reside for some months of the year, at the court; and at their return to the states, to leave their sons or brothers behind them, as hostages, which the king demanded as a security for their fidelity; on which account they required to keep houses in Mexico.

The forms and ceremonials introduced at court, were another effect of the despotism of Montezuma. No one could enter the palace, either to serve the king, or to confer with him on any business, without pulling off his shoes and stockings at the gate. No person was allowed to appear before the king in any pompous dress, as it was deemed a want of respect to majesty; consequently the greatest lords, excepting the nearest relations of the king, stripped themselves of the rich dress which they wore, or least covered it with one more ordinary, to shew their humility before him. All persons on entering the hall of audience, and before sneaking to the king, made three bows, saying at the first, lord, at the second, my lord; and at the third, great lord. * They spoke low, and with the head inclined, and received the answer which the king gave them by means of his secretaries, as attentively and humbly as if it had been the voice of an oracle. In taking leave, no person ever turned his back upon the throne.

The audience hall served also for his dining room. The table was a large pillow, and his seat a low chair. The table cloth, napkins; and towels were of cotton, but very fine, white, and always perfectly clean. The kitchen utensils were of the earthen ware of Cholula; but none of these things ever served him more than once, as immediately after he gave them to one of his nobles. The cups in which they prepared his chocolate, and other drinks of the cocoa, were of gold, or some beautiful sea-shell, or naturally formed vessels curiously varnished. He had gold plate, but it was used only on certain festivals, in the temple. The

__________
* The Mexican words are, Tlatonai, lord; Notlatocalxin, my lord; and Huitlatoani, great lord.

54 The Wonders of

number, and variety of dishes at his, table amazed the Spaniards who saw them. The conqueror Cortez says, that they covered the floor of a great hall and that there were dishes of every kind of game, fish, fruit, and herbs of that country. Three or four hundred noble youths carried this dinner in form; presented it as soon as the king sat down to table, and immediately retired; and that it might not grow cold, every dish was accompanied with its chafing-dish. The king marked with a rod, which he had in his hand, the meats which he chose, and the rest were distributed among the nobles who were in the anti-chamber. Before he sat down, four of the most beautiful women of his seraglio, presented water to him to wash his hands, and continued standing all the time of his dinner, together with six of his principal ministers, and his carver.

As soon as the king sat down to table, the carver shut the door of the hall, that none of the other nobles might see him eat. The ministers stood at a distance, and kept a profound silence, unless when they made answer to what the king said. The carver and the four women served the dishes to him, besides two others who brought him bread made of maize baked with eggs. He frequently heard music, during the time of his meal; and was entertained with the humorous sayings of some deformed men whom he kept out of mere state. He shewed much satisfaction in hearing them, and observed that amongst their jests, they frequently pronounced some important truth. When his dinner was over he took tobacco mixed with liquid amber, in a pipe, or reed beautifully varnished, and with the smoke of it put himself to sleep.

After having slept a little, upon the same low chair he gave audience, and listened attentively to all that was communicated to him; encouraged those who, from embarrassment, were unable to speak to him, and answered every one by his ministers or secretaries. After giving audience, he was entertained with music, being much delighted with hearing the glorious actions of his ancestors sung. At other times he amused himself with seeing various games played.

When he went abroad, he was carried on the shoulders of the nobles in a litter covered with a rich canopy, attended by a numerous retinue of courtiers; and wherever he passed, every person stopped with their eyes shut, as if they feared to be dazzled with the splendour of majesty. When he alighted from the litter to walk on foot, they spread carpets, that he might not touch the earth with his feet.

The graudeur and magnificence of his palaces, houses of pleasure, woods, and gardens, were correspondent to this majesty. The palace of his usual residence was a vast edifice of stone

Nature and Providence. 55

and lime, which had twenty doors to the public square and streets; three great courts, in one of which was a beautiful fountain, several halls, and more than a hundred chambers. Some of the apartments had walls of marble and other valuable kinds of stone. The beams were of cedar, cypress and other excellent woods, well finished and carved. Among the halls there was one so large, that, according to the testimony of an eye-witness of veracity, it could contain three thousand people. Besides this palace, he had others, both within and without the capital. In Mexico, besides the seraglio for his wives, there was lodging for all his ministers and counselors, and all the officers of his household and court; and also accommodation for foreign lords who arrived there, and particularly for the two allied kings.

Two houses in Mexico he appropriated to animals, the one for birds, which did not live by prey: the other for those of prey, quadrupeds, and reptiles. There were several chambers belonging to the first, and galleries supported on pillars of marble, all of one piece. These galleries looked towards a garden, where, in the midst of some: shrubbery, ten fish-ponds were formed, some of them of fresh water for the aquatic birds of rivers, and others of salt water for those of the sea.

In other parts of the house were all sorts of birds, in such number and variety, as to strike the Spaniards with wonder, who could not believe there was any species in the world wanting to the collection. They were supplied with the same food which they fed upon while they enjoyed their liberty, whether seeds, fruits, or insects. For those birds which lived on fish, only, the daily consumption was ten Castilian pesos of fish, (according to the testimony of the conqueror Cortez, in his letters to Charles V.) which is more than three hundred Roman pounds. Three hundred men, says Cortez, were employed to take care of those birds, besides their physicians who observed their distempers, and applied timely remedies to them. Of those three hundred men, some procured them their food, others distributed it, others took care of their eggs at the time of their incubation, and others picked their plumage at certain seasons the year; for, besides the pleasure which the king took in seeing so great a multitude of animals collected together, he was principally careful of their feathers, not less for the sake of the famous Mosaic images, than of the other works which were made of them. The halls and chambers of those houses, were so many in number, as the conqueror above mentioned attests, that they could have accommodated two great princes with all their retinue. This celebrated house was situated in

56 The Wonders of

the place where, at present, the great convent of St. Francis stands.

The other house appropriated to the wild animals, had a large and handsome court, with a chequered pavement, and was divided into various apartments. One of them contained all the birds of prey, from the royal eagle to the kestrel, and many individuals. of every species. These birds were distributed, according to their species, in various subterraneous chambers, which were more than seven feet deep, and upwards of seventeen feet in length; and breadth. The half of every chamber was covered with flat stones and stakes were fixed in the wall, on which they might sleep and be defended from rain. The other half of the chamber was only covered with a lattice, through which they enjoyed the light of the sun. For the support of these birds, were killed, daily, near five hundred turkeys. In the same house were many low halls filled with a great number of strong wooden cages, in which lions, tigers, wolves, coyotoo, and wild cats were confined, and all other kinds of wild beasts, which were fed upon deer, rabbits, hares, techichis, and other animals, and the intestines of human sacrifices.

The king of Mexico not only kept all the species of animals which other princes do for state, but likewise such as by nature seemed exempted from slavery, namely, crocodiles, and serpents. The serpents were kept in large casks or vessels; the crocodiles in ponds, which were walled round. There were also, various ponds, for fish, two of which, that are remaining and still beautiful, we have seen in the palace of Chapoltepec, two miles from Mexico.

Montezuma, who was not satisfied with having every sort of animal in his palace, also collected there all irregularly formed men, who either from the colour of their hair, or of their skin, or some other deformity in their persons, were oddities of their species. A humour this, however, not unattended with beneficial consequences, as it gave maintenance to a number of miserable objects, and delivered them from the inhuman insults of their other fellow creatures.

All his palaces were surrounded with beautiful gardens, where there was every kind of beautiful flower, odoriferous herb, and medicinal plant. He had, likewise, woods, inclosed with walls, and furnished with variety of game, in which he frequently sported. One of those woods was upon an island in the lake, known at present, among the Spaniards, by the name of Pinon.

Montezuma, after occupying the greater part of his reign in wars and expeditions against the surrounding nations, in which he acquired great strength, celebrity, and riches, came nevertheless,

Nature and Providence. 57

to be the subject of sorrows. Fears and apprehensions of evil to come upon his kingdom, occasioned by unusual phenomenas, presages, &c. of its dissolution. In an expedition in the latter part of his reign against the distant province of Atamala, on his march, which lay over a very lofty mountain, they were attacked by a furious north wind, accompanied with snow, which made great havoc in the army, as some of them who were accustomed to a mild climate, and travelled almost without clothing perished with cold, and others were beat down by the trees which were rooted up by the wind. Of the remainder of the army, which continued their journey but feebly to Atamala, the greater part died in battle.

These and other calamities together with the appearance of a comet at that time, threw all the princes of Anahuac into the utmost consternation. Montezuma, who was too observing to look with indifference on so uncommon a phenomenon, consulted his astrologers upon it; but they being unable to divine its meaning applied to the king of Acolhuacan, who was reputed able in astrology, and in the art of divination. These kings although they were related to, and perpetual allies of, each other, did not live in much harmony together, the king of Acolhuacan having put to death his son Huexotzincatzin, paying no regard to the prayers of Montezuma, who, as the uncle of that prince, had interfered in his behalf. For a long time past they had neither met with their usual frequency, nor confidence; but on this occasion the mysterious dread which seized the mind of Montezuma incited him to profit by the knowledge of the king Nezahualpilli, for which reason he intreated him to come to Mexico to consult with him upon an event which appeared equally to concern them both. Nezahualpilli went, and after having conferred, at length, with Montezuma, was of opinion, according to the account of historians, that the comet predicted the future disasters of those kingdoms, by the arrival of a new people. This interpretation, however, being unsatisfactory to Montezuma, Nezahualpilli challenged him at the game of foot ball, which was frequently played at even by those kings themselves; and it was agreed between them that if the king of Mexico gained the party, the king of Acolhuacon should renounce his interpretation, adjudging it to be false; but if Nezahualpilli came off victor, Montezuma should acknowledge and admit it to be true; a folly though truly ridiculous in the men, to believe the truth of a prediction could depend on the player, or the fortune of the game; but less pernicious, however than that of the ancient Europeans, who decided on truth, innocence, and honour, by a barbarous duel and the fortune of arms. Nezahualpilli, remained victor in the

58 The Wonders of

game, and Montezuma disconsolate at the loss and the confirmation of so fatal a prognostic; he was willing, however, to try other methods, hoping to find some more favourable interpretation which might counterbalance that of the king of Acolhuacan, and the disgrace he had suffered at play: he consulted therefore a very famous astrologer who was much versed in the art of divination by which he had rendered his name so celebrated in that land, and acquired so great a respect, that without ever stirring abroad from his house he was considered and consulted by the kings themselves as an oracle. He knowing, without doubt, what had happened between the two kings, instead of returning a propitious answer to his sovereign, or at least one which was equivocal, as such prognosticators generally do, confirmed the fatal prophecy of the Tezcucan. Montezuma was so enraged at the answer that in return he made his house be pulled to pieces, leaving the unhappy diviner buried amidst the ruins of his sanctuary.

These an other similar presages of the fall of that empire appear represented in the paintings of the Americans, and are related in the histories of the Spaniards. We are far from thinking that all which has been written on this subject is deserving of credit; but neither can we doubt of the tradition which prevailed among the Americans, that a new people totally different from the native inhabitants, were to arrive at that kingdom and make themselves masters of that country. There has not been in the country of Anahuac any nation more or less polished which has not confirmed this tradition either by verbal testimony or their own histories.

It is impossible to guess at the origin of a tradition so universal as this; but the event which I am going to relate, is said to have been public, and to have made a considerable noise; to have happened also in the presence of the two kings and the Mexican nobility. It is represented in some of the paintings of those nations, and a legal attestation of it even was sent to the court of Madrid. * Though in compliance with the duty of a historian, we give a place to many of the memorable traditions of those nations; on these, however, we leave our readers to form their own judgment and comments.

Papantzin, a Mexican princess, and sister of Montezuma, was married to the governor of Tlatelolco, and after his death lived in his palace until the year 1509, when she likewise died of old age. Her funeral was celebrated with magnificence suitable to her exalted birth, the king her brother, and all the nobility of Mexico and Tlatelolco being present. Her body was buried

__________
* See Torquemada, lib ii. cap. 51, and Betencourt, Part iii. Trat. i. cap. 8.

Nature and Providence. 59

in a subterraneous cavern, in the garden of the same palace. near to a fountain where she had used to bathe, and the mouth of the cave was shut with a stone. The day following, a child of five or six years of age happened to pass from her mother's apartment to that of the major-domo of the deceased princess, which was on the other side of the garden; and in passing saw the princess sitting upon the steps of the fountain, and heard herself called by her, by The word Cocoton, * which is a word of tenderness used to children. The little child not being capable, on account of its age, of reflecting on the death of the princess, and thinking that she was going to bathe as usual, approached without fear, upon which she sent the child to call the wife of her major-domo; the child went to call her, but the woman smiling and caressing her, told her, "My little girl, Papantzin is dead, and was buried yesterday; but as the child insisted, and pulled her by her gown, she, more to please, than from belief of what was told her, followed her; but hardly come in sight of the princess, when she was seized with such horror that she fell fainting to the earth. The little girl ran to acquaint her mother, who, with two other companions came out to give assistance; but on seeing the princess they were so affected with fear that they would have swooned away if the princess herself had not endeavoured to comfort them, assuring them she was still alive. She made them call her major-domo, and charged him to go and bear the new; to the king her brother; but he durst not undertake it, as he dreaded that the king would consider the account as a fable, and would punish him with his usual severity for being a liar, without examination into the matter. Go then to Tezcaco, said the princess, and entreat the king Nezahualpilli, in my name, to come here and see me. The major-domo obeyed, and the king having received the information, set out immediately for Tlatelolco When he arrived there, the princess was in a chamber of the palace; though full of astonishment, the king saluted her, when she requested him to go to Mexico, to tell the king her brother that she was alive, and had occasion to see him, to communicate some things to him of the utmost importance; The king set out for Mexico to execute her commission; but Montezuma would hardly give credit to what was told him. However, that he might not do injustice to so respectable an ambassador, he went along with him, and many of the Mexican nobility to Tlatelolco, and having entered the hall where the princess was, he demanded of her if she was his sister. "I am, indeed, sir," answered the princess, "your sister Papanizin, whom you

__________
* Cocoton means little girl, only that it is an expression of more tenderness.

60 The Wonders of

buried yesterday; I am truly alive, and wish to relate to you what I have seen, as it deeply concerns you." Upon this the two kings sat down, while all the other nobles continued standing full of admiration at what they saw.

The princess then began to speak as follows: "After I was dead, or if you will not believe that I have been dead, after I remained bereft of motion and of sense, I found myself suddenly placed upon an extensive plain, to which there appeared no boundaries. In the middle of it I observed a road which I afterwards saw was divided into a variety of paths, and on one side ran a great river whose waters made a frightful noise. As I was going to throw myself into the river to swim to the opposite bank, I saw before me a beautiful youth of handsome stature, clothed in a long habit, white as snow, and dazzling like the sun; he had wings of beautiful feathers, and upon his forehead this mark," (in saying this the princess made the sign of the cross with her two fore fingers, "and laying bold of my hand, said to me, Stop, for it is not yet time to pass this river. God loves thee, though thou knowest it not. He then led me along by the river-side, upon the borders of which I saw a great number of human skulls and bones, and heard most lamentable groans that waked my utmost pity. Turning my eyes afterwards upon the river, I saw some large vessels upon it filled with men of a complexion and dress quite different from ours. They were fair and bearded, and carried standards in their hands, and helmets on their heads. The youth then said to me, It is the will of God that thou shalt live to be a witness of the revolutions which are to happen to these kingdoms. The groans which thou hast heard among these bones are from the souls of your ancestors, which are ever and will be tormented for their crimes. The men whom you see coming in these vessels, are those who by their arms will make themselves masters of all these kingdoms, and with them will be introduced the knowledge of the true God, the creator of heaven and earth. As soon as the war shall be at an end, and the bath published and made known which will wash away sin, be thou the first to receive it, and guide by thy example the natives of thy country. Having spoke this the youth disappeared, and I found myself recalled to life; I rose from the place where I lay, raised up the stone of my sepulchre, and came out to the garden where I was found by my domestics."

Montezuma was struck with astonishment at the recital of so strange an adventure, and feeling his mind distracted with a variety of apprehensions, rose and retired to one of his palaces which was destined for occasions of grief, without taking leave of his sister, the king of Tacuba or any one of those who accompanied

Nature and Providence. 61

him, although some of his flatterers, in order to console him, endeavoured to persuade him that the illness which the princess had suffered, had turned her brain. He avoided for ever after returning to see her, that he might not again hear the melancholy presages of the ruins of his empire. The princess, it is said, lived many years in great retirement and abstinence. She was the first who in the year 1524, received the sacred baptism in Tlatelolco, and was called from that time, Donna Maria Papantzin.

Among the memorable events, in 1510, there happened without any apparent. cause, a sudden and furious burning of the turrets of the greater temple of Mexico, in a calm, serene night; and in the succeeding year, so violent and extraordinary an agitation of the waters of the lake, that many houses of the city were destroyed, there being at the same time no wind, earthquake, nor any other natural cause to which the accident could be ascribed. It is said also, that in 1511, the figures of armed men appeared in the air, who fought and slew each other. These and other similar phenomena, recounted by Acosta; Torquemada and others, are found very exactly described in the Mexican and Acolhuan histories.

That God in his providence, has, in former ages, afforded to the nations of the earth at various periods, as it pleased him, supernatural tokens or presages of future events, disastrous to the affairs of men, is evident. To believe this, requires no superstitious stretch of credulity, since history of the best authority, abundantly testify the facts. But to disbelieve it, requires a stretch of skepticism, bordering hard upon infidelity. There are many persons, who, notwithstanding their belief in supernatural existences, yet are slow to subscribe to the idea of supernatural communications to men. Let such remember, God is an omniscient spirit, and also controls all the beings of the natural and supernatural state. And that it is perfectly consistent with his general providence, goodness and power, to give to poor grovelling man, frequent tokens of his presence, as well to his mind, as sight and hearing. For further communications upon this subject, see pages 38, 46, 384, 546, 547, and 572, of this work.

A remarkable dream, its interpretation and fulfilment taken from the journal of Tho. Chalkley an eminent quaker minister, a native of London, but spent the greater part of his life in America who relates the following as being an eye witness of the fact. I give the account verbatim.

This great and good man being on his homeward bound passage from America to England, relates the following of the

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134 The Wonders of

boat. I am not however a needy man, or one that is distressed for money; that being the case, and as you have already my prayers for your charity, I would not deprive you of those of the widow and the orphan, whom that money may very materially relieve. Julian and Rosa, the first house in Cairo, will furnish me with what rnoney I require; besides, I am in the service of the greatest king in Europe, who would not fail to supply me abundantly if my necessities required it, as I am traveling for his service."

(In the subsequent conversation between the Bey and Mr. Bruce, he so far fained the esteem of the Prince, by his manly and genuine behaviour, tlrat he obiained a Firmun, permitting the captains English vessels belonging to Bombay and Bengal, to bring their ships and merchandise to Suez; a place far preferable, in all respects, to Jidda, to which they were formerly confined. Of this permission, which no European nation could ever before acquire, many English vessels have already availed themselves; and it has proved peculiarly useful both in public and private despatches. The Bey ordered Mr. Brnce to be clothed with a caftaan, which is a loose garment like a night-gown, and is a gift of ceremony, and a mark of favour. Upon withdrawing from the presence of the Bey, he was received with great respect by the bye-standers. He acknowledges, indeed, " That the man was the same, but it was the caftan that made the difference." The soldiers conducted him to his lodgings with great despatch, on a mule finely caparisoned, but free from the salutations of the quarter-staff. The scale of politeness was now turned in his favour, and to show their respect, they knocked down every person they overtook in the streets, giving him first a blow with the quarter-staff, and then asked, him, why he did not get out of the way? After some stay at Cairo, Mr. Bruce embarked at Alexandria, for Marseilles, where he happily arrived and which finishes the account of his travels.

(see also supplementary references at Queen of Sheba web-site)

OF THE QUEEN OF SHEBA.

An account of the Visit of the Queen of Sheba * to Jerusalem. and the consequences of that visit, viz. the foundation of an Ethiopian monarchy, and the continuation of the Sceptre in the Tribe of Judah, down to this day.

We are not to wonder, if the prodigious hurry and flow of business, and the immensely valuable transactions they had with each other, had greatly familiariscd the Tyrians and Jews, with their correspondents the Cushites and Shepherds on the coast of Africa. This had gone so far, as very naturally to have created a desire in the queen of Sheba, the sovereign of that country, to go herself and see the application of such immense treasures that had been exported from her country for a series of

* It should properly be Saba, Azab, Azaba, all signifying South

Nature and Providence. 135

years, and the prince who so magnificently employed them. -- There can be no doubt of this expedition, as Pagan, Arab, Moor, Abyssinian, and all the countries round, voueh it pretty much in theterms of scripture.

Many * have thought this queen was an Arab. But Saba was a separate state, and the Sabeans a disliact people from the Ethiopians and the Arabs, and have continued so till very lately. We know, from history, that it was a custom among these Sabeans, to have women for their sovereigns in preference to men, a custom which still subsists among their descendents.

Her name, the Arabs say, was Belkis; the Abyssinians, Maqueda. Our Saviour calls her Queen of the South, without mentioning any other name, but gives his sanction to the truth of the voyage. " The Queen of the South, shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it; for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of c Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here." Matt xii. 42, Luke xi. 31. It is not probale our Saviour would say she came from the uttermost parts of the earth, if she had been an Arab,:and had near fifty degrees of the continent behind her. The gold, the myrrh, cassia, and franincense, were all the produce of her own country; and the many reasons Pineda** gives to shew she was an Arab, more than convince me that she was an Ethiopian or Cushite shepherd.

A strong objection to her being an Arab; is, that the Sabean Arabs, or Homerites, the people that lived opposite to Azab on the Arabian shore, had kings instead of queens, which latter the Shepherds had, and still have. Moreover, the kings of the Homerites were never seen abroad, and were stoned to death if they appeared in public; subjects of this stamp would not very readily suffer their queen to go to Jerusalem, even supposing they had a queen, which they had not.

Whether she was a Jewess or a Pagan is uncertain; Sabaism was the religion of all the East. it was the constant attendant and stumbling-block of the Jews; but considering the multitude of that people then trading from Jerusalem, and the long time it contioued, it is not improbable she was a Jewess. "And when the queen of Sheba heard of the fame of Solomon concerning the name of the Lord, she came to prove him with hard questions." *** Our Saviour, moreover, speaks of her with praise, pointing her out as an example to the Jews. **** And, in her thanksgiving before Solomon, she alludes to God's blessing on

* Such as Justin, Cyprian, Epiphanius, Cyril
** Pin. de reb, Solonton, lib iv. cap. 4th;
-- Josephus thinks she was an Ethiopian, so do Origen, Augustin, and St. Anselm.
*** 1 Kings x. 1, 2 Chron ix. 1.
**** Matt. xii. 43. Luke xi. 31.

136 The Wonders of

the seed of Israel for ever. * which is by no means the language of a Pagan, but of a person skilled in the ancient history of the Jews.

She likewise appears to have been a person of learning, and that sort of learning which was then almost perculiar to Palestine, not to Ethiopia. For we see that one of the reasons of her coming, was to examine whether Solomon was really the learned man he was said to be. She came to try him in allegories, or parables, in which Nathan had instructed Solomon.

The learning of the East, and of the neighboring kings that correspond with each other, especially in Palestine and Syria, consisted chiefly in these: "And Joash king of Israel sent to Amaziah king of Judah, saying, The thistle that was in Lebanon sent to the Cedar that was in Lebanon, saying, Give thy daughter to my son to wife: and there passed by a wild beast that was in Lebanon, and trod down the thistle." -- "Thou sayest, Lo, thou hast smitten the Edomites, and thine heart lifteth there up to boast: abide now at home, why shouldest thou meddle to thine hurt, that thou shouldest fall, even thou, and Judah with thee?" 2 Chron. xxv. 18, 19.

The annals of Abyssinia, being very full upon this point, have taken a middle opinion, and by no means an improbable one. They say she was a Pagan when she left Azab, but being full of admiration in the sight of Solomon's works, she was converted to Judaism in Jerusalem, and bore him a son, whom she called Menilek, and who was their first king. However strongly they assert this, and however dangerous it would be to doubt it in Abyssinia, I will not here aver it for truth, nor much less still will I positively contradict it, as scripture has said nothing about it.

To Saba, or Azab, then, she returned with her son Menilek, whom, after keeping him some years, she sent back to his father to be instructed. Solomon did not neglect his charge, and he was anointed and crowned king of Ethiopia, in the temple of Jerusalem, and at his inauguration took the name of David. After he returned to Azab, and brought with him a colony of Jews, among whom were many doctors of the law of Moses, particularly one of each tribe, to make judges in his kingdom, from whom the present Umbares (or Supreme Judges, three of whom always attend the king) are said and believed to be descended. With these came also Azarias, the son of Zadock the priest, and brought with him a Hebrew transcript of the law, which was delivered into his custody, as he bore the title of Nebeit, or High Priest; and this charge, though the book itself

* 2 Kings x. 9. 2 Chron. ix. 3.

Nature and Providence. 137

was burnt with the church of Axum in the Moorish war of Adel, is still continued, as it is said, in the linage of Azarias, who are Nebrits, or keepers of the church of Axum, at this day. All Abyssinia was thereupon converted, and the government of the church and state modelled according to what was then in use at Jerusalem.

By the last act of the queen of Sheba's reign, she settled the mode of succession in her country for the future. First, she enacted, that the crown should be hereditary in the family of Solomon for ever. Secondly, that after her, no woman should be capable of wearing that crown or being queen, but that it should descend to the heir male, however distant, in exclusion of all heirs female whatever, however near; and that these two articles should be considered as the fundamental laws of the kingdom, never to be altered or abolished. And, lastly, That the heirs male of the royal house, should always be sent prisoners to a high mountain, where they were to continue till their death, or till the succession should open to them.

What was the reason of this last regulation is not known, it being peculiar to Abyssinia; but the custom of having women for sovereigns, which was a very old one, pervailed among the neighbouring shepherds in the last century, and, for what we know, prevails to this day. It obtained in Nubia till Augustus's time, when Petreius, his lieutenant in Egypt, subdued the country, and took the queen Candace prisoner. It endured also after Tiberius, as we learn from St. Philip's baptising the ebuuch, * servant of queen Candace, who must have been successor to the former; for she when taken prisoner by Petreius, is represented as an infirm woman, having but one eye. Candace indeed was the name of all the sovereigns, in the same manner Caesar was of the Roman emperors. As for the last severe part, the punishment of the princes, it is probably intended to prevent some disorders among the princes of her house, that she had observed frequently to happen in the house of David ** at Jerusalem.

The queen of Sheba having made these laws irrevocable to all her posterity, died, after a long reign of forty years, in 986 before Christ, placing her son Menilek upon the throne, whose posterity, the annals of Abyssinia would teach us to believe, have ever since reigned. So far we must indeed bear witness to them, that this is no new doctrine, but has been steadfastly and uniformly maintained from their earliest account of time; first, when Jews, then in later days after they had embraced christianity. We may further add, that the testimony off all the neighbouring

* Acts viii. 27, 38.
** 2 Sam. xvi. 32. -- 1 JKings ii. 13.

138 The Wonders of

nations is with them upon this subject, whether they be friends or enemies. They only differ in the name of the queen or in giving her two names.

This difference, at such a distance of time, should not break scores, especially as we shall see that the queens in the present day have sometimes three or four names, and all the kings three, whence has arisen a very great confusion in their history. And as for her being an Arab, the objection is still easier got over. -- For all the inhabitants of Arabia Felix, expecially those of the coast opposite to Saba, were reputed Abyssinians, and their country part of Abyssinia, from the earliest ages, to the Mahometan conquest and after. They were her subjects; first, Sabean Pagans like herself, then converted (as the tradition says,) to Judaism, during the time of the building of the temple, and continuing Jews from that time to the year 622 after Christ, when they became Mahometans. The bearing of the kings of Abyssinia is a lion passant, proper upon a field gules, and their motto, "Mo Anbast am Niziles Solomon am Negade Jude;" which signifies, 'the lion of the race of Solomon and tribe of Judah hath overcome.'

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Nature and Providence. 157

An account of the phenomena of Meteors and other fires, which arise from minerals in the earth, such as caverns, wells, and deep cellars.

(Methodist Magazine -- England)

Among fiery meteors are reckoned thunders, lightning, ignis fatui, lambent flames, and what are called falling stars. Unless we account for these (as indeed it is easy to do) upon the principles of electricity, we must suppose they are owing to sulphureous or bituminous particles, floating in the air, which when collected in sufficient quantities, take fire by various means. If a large quantity of inflammable vapour takes fire at once, the flame tears the cloud with incredible force, as well as an immense noise. But the light moving quicker than the sound, is seen before that is heard. Sometimes an exhalation of a milder kind takes fire, and produces lightning without thunder. When it thunders and lightens, it commonly rains too, the same shock driving together and condensing the clouds. And the wisdom of God appoints it so, for the preservation of his creatures. For if lightning falls on one who is thoroughly wet, it does him no harm at all. Not that the water quenches or resists the fire; but it conveys it into the ground.

High places are most frequently struck with lightning if they have sharp points, as spires of churchs, or tops of trees, which as it were, attract the fire. It sometimes burns the clothes without hurting the body; sometimes breaks the bones without scorching the skin. It melts the sword in the scabbard, or money in the pocket, while the scabbard or pocket remains as it was. In general, it passes innocently through those things that make little or no resistence; but tear those in pieces with impetuous force which resist its passage.

One very particular effect of lightning, is what the vulgar call fairy circles. These are of two kinds. One kind is a round, bare path, about a foot broad, with green grass in the middle, and is frequently seven or eight yards in diameter. The other is a circle of the same breadth, is very green grass, much fresher than that in the middle. These are generally observed after storms of thunder and lightning. And it is no wonder, that lightning, like other fires, move circularly, and burns more at the extremity than in the middle. The second kind of circles, without a doubt, spring originally from the first: the grass, which was burnt by the lightning, growing afterward more fresh and green.

But of what kind was that meteor which appeared March 21, 1676? Two hours after sunset, it came over the Adriatic sea,

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from E. N. E. to W. S. W. and crossed over all Italy, being nearly vertical at Rimini on the one side, and Leghorn on the other. It was at least thirty-eight miles high. In all places near its course, it made a hissing noise like a sky rocket. Having passed Leghorn, it gave a sound like that of a large cannon, and quickly after like a cart, running over stones. It was computed to move one hundred and sixty miles in a minute, which is about ten times as swift as the diurnal motion of the earth. Its smallest diameter was judged to be above half a mile. No wonder, then, that so large a body, moving with such incredible swiftness through the air, though so much rarified, should cause that hissing noise. It is much harder to conceive, how such an impetus could be impressed upon it: how this impetus should be determined, in a direction so nearly parallel to the horizon! And what sort of substance it must be, that could be so impelled and ignited at the same time! Whatever it was, it sunk, and was extinguished in the Tyrrhene sea, to the W. S. W. of Leghorn. The great noise was heard, on its immersion into the water, and the rattling around upon its quenching.

On Thursday, March 19, 1718, there appeared at London, about eight at night, a sudden great light, moving after the manner, but more slowly than a falling star, in a direct line, a little beyond and with all below Orion's Belt, then in the south west. In its way, it turned tapering upward, and at last spherical, near as big as the full moon. It was whitish, with an eye of blue, as bright as the sun in a clear day. It seemed in half a minute to move twenty degrees, and to go out as much above the horizon. There remained after it, for more than a minute, a track of reddish colour, such as that of red hot iron; and sparks seemed to issue from it, such as come from red hot iron, beaten upon an anvil.

Within doors the candels gave no light; and without, not only stars disappeared, but the moon, nine days old, though the sky was clear, and she was then near the meridian: so that for some seconds, we had perfect day. Its height was seventy-three miles and a half. Hence it might be seen in all places, which were not distant from it more than two hundred and twenty leagues. Accordingly, it was seen, at the same instant over Spain, France, Great Britian, Ireland, Holland, and the hither parts of Germany.

Another appearance, which resembles lightning, in the aurora borealis, commonly called northern lights. This is usually of a reddish colour, inclining to yellow, and sends out coruscations of bright light, which seem to rise from the horizon in a pyramidical form, and shoot with great velocity into the zenith.

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It appears frequently in the form of an arch, rises far above the region of the clouds, yet never approaches near the equator, but always nearer the poles.

Vapours of the same kind, that give rise to lightnings in the air, occasion damps in the earth. The damps usual in mines are of four sorts. The approach of the first and most common is known by the flame of the candle lessening till it goes out: as also by the men's difficulty of breathing. Those who escape swooning are not much hurt by this: but those who swoon away, are commonly on their recovery seized with strong convulsions. The second is the peasbloom damp, so called because of its smell. This comes only in summer, and is common in the Peak of Derbyshire. They who have seen the third sort of damp, describe it thus: in the highest part of the roof of those passages in a mine, which branch out from the main grove, a round thing hangs about as big as a football, covered with a thin skin. If this be broken, the damp immediately spreads, and suffocates all that are near. But sometimes they contrive to break it at a distance; after which they purify the place with fire. The fourth is the fire damp: a vapour, which if touched by the flame of a candle, takes fire, and goes off like gunpowder. And yet some who have had all their clothes burnt off by one of these, and their flesh torn off their bones, at the very time felt no heat at all, but as it were a cool air.

Sir James Lowther, having collected some of the air in a bladder, brought it up to London. Being let out of the orifice through a tobacco-pipe, it would take fire at the flame of a candle. And even this is emitable by art. Most metals emit sulphureous vapours, while they are dissolving in their several menstruums. Iron, for instance, while it dissolves in oil of vitrol, emits much sulphureous vapour. If this be received into a bladder, and afterwards let out in a small stream, it takes fire just in the same manner as the natural vapour.

This experiment explains one cause of earthquakes and volcanos; since, it appears hence, that nothing more is necessary to form them, than iron mixed with vitriolic acid and water. Now iron is generally found accompanied with sulphur: and sulphur consists of an inflammable oil, and an acid like oil of vitriol.

This acid in the bowels of the earth, being diluted with a little water, becomes a menstruum to iron, with a violent effervescence and an intense heat. The air coming from this mixture is extremely rarefied, and the more of it is compressed by the incumbent earth, so much the more its impeteus will be increased to an unlimited degree. Nor does there need fire to set these vapours to work. The air in the bladder, if it be much heated,

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will of itself take fire, as soon as it is brought into contact with the external air.

Other damps are sometimes as mortal as those in mines. In the year 1701, a mason being at work in the city of Rennes, near the brink of a well, let his hammer fall into it. A labourer who was sent down for it, was suffocated before he reached the water, A second sent to draw him up, met the same fate. So did a third. At last a fourth, half drunk, was let down with a charge to call out immediately, if he felt any inconvenience. He did call, as soon as he came near the water, and was drawn up instantly. Yet he died in three days, crying out, he felt a heat, which scorched his entrails. Yet the three carcases being drawn up with hooks, and opened, there appeared no cause of their death.

The same historiansÊrelate, that a baker of Chartres, having carried seven or eight bushels of brands out of his oven, into a celler thirty-six stairs deep, his son, a strong young fellow, going with more, his candle went out on the middle of the stairs. Having lighted it afresh, he no sooner got into the cellar, than he cried for help, and they heard no more of him. His brother, an able youth, ran down, cried, "I am dead," and was heard no more. He was followed by his wife, and she by a maid, and still it was the same. Yet a hardy fellow resolved to go and help them: he cried too, and was seen to more. A sixth man desired a hook to draw some of them out. He drew up the maid, who fetched a sigh and died. Next day one undertook to draw up the rest, and was let down on a wooden horse with ropes, to be drawn up whenever he should call. He soon called, but the rope breaking, he fell back again, and was awhile after drawn up dead. Upon opening him, the membranes of the brain were extremely stretched, his lungs spotted with blood, his intestines swelled as big as one's arm, and red as blood, and all the muscles of his arms, thighs and legs, torn and separated from their bones.

Whence this strange difference should arise, that the vapours of some mines catch fire with a spark, and others only with a flame, is a question that we must content to leave in on=bscurity, till we know more of the nature both of mineral vapour and fire. This only we may observe, that gunpowder will fire with a spark, but not with the flame of a candle: on the other hand, spirits of wine will flame like a candle but not with a spark. But even here the cause of this difference remains a secret,

A like instance of the fatal nature of foul air, happened at Boston, in New England. Mr. Adams and his servant being employed to repair a pump, uncovered the well, and Mr. Adams

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went down by a rope; but he had not gone six feet before he dropt suddenly without speaking a word, to the upper part of the joint of the pump, where being supported about a minute, and breathing very short, he then fell to the bottom, without any sign of life. His servant hastily went down to help his master; but at the same distance from the top, was struck, and without discovering any signs of distress, fell to the bottom. The workmen prepared a third, with a tackle about the waist. On his descent, he was quickly speechless and senseless. Though he made no sign, they drew him up. He was the very picture of death, but by the use of proper means recovered. He remembered nothing of what had passed. The other bodies when taken up, had all the marks of a violent death.

An account of the Phenomenon of Ignis Fatuus, vulgarly called,
will-with-the-wisp, or the Jack-o-lantern.

(Methodist Magazine -- England)

Ignis Fatuus, vulgarly called will-with-the-wisp, is chiefly seen in dark nights, irregularly moving over meadows, marshes, and other moist places. It seems to be a viscous exhalation, which being kindled in the air, reflects a kind of thin flame in the dark, though without any sensible heat. It is often found to sly along rivers or hedges, probably because it there meets with a stream of air to direct it. In Italy there are luminous appearances, nearly resembling these, which on a close inspection, have been found to be no other than swarms of shining flies.

In all the territories of Bologna, these fiery appearances are common. There are some places where one may be almost sure of them every dark night, as near the Bridge Della Salearata, and in the fields of Bagnara; these are large: sometimes equal to the light of a faggot, rarely less than that of a link. -- That at Bagnara not long since kept a gentleman company for a mile, moving just before him, and casting a stronger light on the road than the link he had with him.

All of them resemble a flame, and are continually in motion, but the motion is various and uncertain. In winter, when the ground is covered with snow, they are most frequent of all. Nor does rain hinder them: nay, in wet weather they give the strongest light; wind also does not disturb them. As they are not hindered by wet, and set nothing on fire, though ever so combustible, may it not reasonably be supposed, that they have

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some resemblance to that kind of phosphorus, which shines indeed in the dark, yet does not burn like common fire?

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with a glowing fire without flame. The neighbours coming in at her cries, found the trunk of the body in a manner burnt to ashes. It then appeared like a heap of charcoal, covered with white ashes, the head, arms, legs, and thighs were also nuch burnt. A child's clothes, on one side of her, and a paper skreen on the other, were untouched. The deal floor also on which her legs lay, was neither singed or discoloured.

NORTHERN AND WESTERN INDIANS.

Proofs that the Indians of North America were lineally descended
from the ancient Hebrews.

Extracted from the Rev. E. Smith's View of the Hebrews, with some additional remarks.

In the following remarks proofs are adduced which are thought sufficiently to identify the Aborigines of our country as the descendants of the ancient ten tribes of Israel who were carried into captivity 2500 years ago. This branch of the Hebrew family have long been "outcasts" out of sight; or unknown as Hebrews. The questions arise, are they in existence, as a distinct people? If so, who, or where are they? These are queries of great moment, at this period, when the time of their restoration is drawing near.

1. It has been clearly ascertained in the preceding chapter, that the ten tribes, as the Israel of God, are in the last days to be recovered, and restored with the Jews. The valley of dry bones, and the two sticks becoming one in the prophet's hand, have been seen clearly to ascertain this: See Ezek. xxxix. as well as the many other passages noted in that chapter. But as this fact is essential to our enquiring after the ten tribes with confidence of their existence; I shall here note several additional predictions of the event, found in the prophets; and not[e] some passages, which distinguish between the dispersed state of the Jews, and the outcast state of the ten tribes; which distinction will afford some light in our inquiries.

When the restoration of the Hebrews is predicted, in Isaiah xi. that God will in the last days set up an ensign for the nations; it is to "assemble the outcasts of Israel; and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth." Mark the distinction; the Jews are "dispersed;" scattered over the nations as Jews, as they have long been known to be; but Israel are "outcast;" cast out from the nations; from society; from the social world; from the knowledge of men, as being Hebrews.

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This distinction is repeatedly found in the prophets. The dispersed state of the Jews, as Jews, is a most notable idea in the prophetic scriptures. But of Israel, the following language is used; as Isaiah. lvi. 8; "The Lord God who gathereth the outcasts of Israel, saith." &c. Accordingly, when Israel are recovered, and united with the Jews at last, the Jews express their astonishment, and inquire where they had been! They had utterly lost them, as is the fact. See Isaiah. xlix. 18--22. The Jews here, while "removing to and fro" through the nations, in their dispersed state, had been "left alone," i.e. of the ten tribes. The latter being now restored to the bosom of the mother church, the Jews inquire, "Who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where had they been?" Here we learn that the ten tribes had, during the long dispersion of the Jews, been utterly out of their sight and knowledge, as their brethren. -- This implies the long out cast state of the ten tribes.

Several additional passages will be noted, to show that both the branches of that ancient people are to be restored. In Isaiah xi. after the promise that the dispersed Jews, and outcast Israel shall be restored; the prophet adds, verse 13; "The envy also of Ephraim shall depart; Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not vex Ephraim." Here the mutual jealousies between the two branches of the house of Israel, which before the expulsion of the ten tribes kept them in almost perpetual war, shall never again be revived; which passage assures us of the restoration of Israel as Israel.

In Jer. iii. those two branches are distinguished by "backsliding Israel, and her treacherous sister Judah." Israel was already put away for her spiritual adulteries, (having then been rejected for nearly one hundred years.) But the same backsliding Israel is there again recovered in the last days. God calls after them; "Return, thou backsliding Israel; for I am married unto you, saith the Lord. And I will take you, one of a city and two of a family; and will bring you to Zion." "In those days the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel; and they shall come together out of the land of the north, to the land that I have given to your fathers." This has never yet had even a partial accomplishment. Its event is manifestly future.

The entail of the covenant must as surely recover the ten tribes, as the Jews. Paul shows in Romans xi. the consistency of the rejection of the Jews, with the entail of the covenant with Abraham. And he makes their final restoration in the last days essential to this consistency. But this inspired argument as forcibly attaches itself to the ten tribes, to ensure their recovery, as to the Jews. He accordingly there says, "and so all Israel shall be saved;" or both branches of the Hebrews shall

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be recovered. This same point is most positively decided in Jeremiah, 30th and 31st chapters, as has appeared in the preceding chapter.

2. It inevitably follows, that the ten tribes of Israel must now have, somewhere on earth, a distinct existence in an outcast state. And we justly infer, that God would in his holy providence provide some suitable place for their safe keeping, as his outcast tribes, though long unknown to men as such. There is no avoiding this conclusion. If God will restore them at last as his Israel, and as having been "outcast" from the nations of the civilized world for 2500 years; he surely must have provided a place for their safe keeping, as a distinct people, in some part of the world, during that long period. They must, during that period, having been unknown to the Jews as Israelites; and consequently unknown to the world as such; or the Jews would not at last (on their being united to them) inquire, "These, where had they been?" Isaiah. xlix. 21.

3. We have an account of the ten tribes, after their captivity, which accords with the ideas just stated. We receive not the books of the apocrypha as given by Inspiration; but much credit has been given to historical facts recorded in it; as in the wars of the Maccabees, and other places. In 2 Esdras xiii. 40, and on, we read; "Those are the ten tribes which were carried away prisoners out of their own land, in this time of Osea, the king, whom Salmanezer, the king of Assyria, led away captive; and he carried them over the waters, and so came they into another land." Here is the planting of them over the Euphrates, in Media. The writer adds; "But they took this counsel among themselves, that they would leave the multitude of the heathen, and go forth into a further country, where never man dwelt; that they might there keep their statutes which they never kept (i.e. uniformly as they ought,) in their own land. There was a great way to go, namely, of a year and a half." The writer proceeds to speak of the name of the region being called Asareth, or Ararat. He must allude here to the region to which they directed their course to go this year and a half's journey. This place where no man dwelt, must of course have been unknown by any name. But Ararat, or Armeni[a], lay north of the place where the ten tribes were planted when carried from Palestine. Their journey, then, was to the north, or northeast. -- This writer says, "They entered into the Euphrates by the narrow passages of the river." He must mean, they repassed this river in its upper regions, or small streams, away toward Georgia; and hence must have taken their course between the Black and Caspian seas. This set them off northeast of the Ararat, which he mentions. Though this chapter in Esdras be a kind

Nature and Providence. 375

of prophecy, in which we place no confidence; yet the allusion to facts learned by the author, no doubt may be correct. And this seems just such an event as might be expected, had God indeed determined to separate them from the rest of the idolatrous world, and banish them by themselves, into a land where no man dwelt since the flood.

4. Let several suppositions now be made. Suppose an extensive continent had lately been discovered, away north-east from Media, and at the distance of "a year and a half's journey;" a place probably destitute of inhabitants, since the flood, till the time of the "casting out" of Israel. Suppose a people to have been lately discovered in that sequestered region, appearing as we should rationally expect the nation of Israel to appear at this period, had the account given by the writer in Esdras been a fact. Suppose them to be found in tribes, with heads of tribes; but destitute of letters, and in a savage state. Suppose among different tribes the following traditionary fragments are by credible witnesses picked up; some particulars among one region of them, and some among another; while all appear evidently to be of the same family. Suppose them to have escaped the polytheism of the pagan world; and to acknowledge one, and only one God; the Great Spirit, who created all things seen and unseen. Suppose the name retained by many of them for this Great Spirit, to be Ale, the old Hebrew name of God; and Yohewah, whereas the Hebrew name for Lord was Jehovah; also they call the Great First Cause, Yah; the Hebrew name being Jah. Suppose you find most of them professing great reverence for this great Yohewah; calling him "the great beneficent supreme holy spirit," and the only object of worship. -- Suppose the most intelligent of them to be elated with the idea that this God has ever been the head of their community; that their fathers were once in covenant with him; and the rest of the world were "the accursed people," as out of covenant with God. Suppose you find them, on certain occasions, singing in religious dance, "Hallelujah," or praise to Jah; also singing Yohewah, Shilu Yohewah, and making use of many names and phrases evidently Hebrew. You find them counting their time as did ancient Israel, and in a manner different from all other nations, They keep a variety of religious feasts, which much resemble those kept in ancient Israel. You find an evening feast among them, in which a bone of the animal must not be broken; if the provision be more than one family can eat, a neighbor must be called in to help eat it, and if any of it be still left, it must be burned before the next rising sun. You find them eating bitter vegetables, to cleanse themselves from sin. You find they never eat the hollow of the thigh of any animal.

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They inform that their fathers practised circumcision. Some of them have been in the habit of keeping a Jubilee. They have their places answering to the cities of refuge, in ancient Israel. In these no blood is ever shed by any avenger. You find them with their temples, (such as they be,) their holy of holies in their temple, into which it is utterly prohibited for a common person to enter. They have their high priests, who officiate in their temples, and make their yearly atonement there in a singular pontifical dress, which they fancy to be in the likeness of one worn by their predecessors in ancient times; with their breast-plate, and various holy ornaments. The high priest, when addressing to his people what they call "the old divine speech," calls them "the beloved and holy people," and urges them to imitate their virtuous ancestors; and tells them of their "beloved land flowing with milk and honey." They tell you that Yohewah once chose their nation from all the rest of mankind, to be his peculiar people. That a book which God gave, was once theirs; and then things went well with them. But other people got it from them, and then they fell under the displeasure of the Great Spirit; but that they shall at some time regain it. They inform you, some of their fathers once had a spirit to foretel future events, and to work miracles. Suppose they have their imitation of the ark of the covenant, where were deposited their most sacred things; into which it is the greatest crime for any common people to look. All their males must appear at the temple at three noted feasts in a year. They inform you of the ancient flood; of the preservation of one family in a vessel; of this man in the ark sending out first a great bird, and then a little one, to see if the waters were gone. That the great one returned no more; but the little one returned with a branch. They tell you of the confusion of languages once when people were building a great high place; and of the longevity of the ancients; that they "lived till their feet were worn out with walking, and their throats with eating."

You find them with their traditional history that their ancient fathers once lived where people were dreadfully wicked, and that nine tenths of their fathers took counsel and left that wicked place, being led by the Great Spirit into this country; that they came through a region where it was always winter, snow and frozen. That they came to a great water, and their way hither was thus obstructed, till God dried up that water; (probably it froze between the islands in Beering's Straits.) You find them keeping an annual feast, at the time their ears of corn become fit for use; and none of their corn is eaten, till a part of it is brought to this feast, and certain religious ceremonies performed. You find them keeping an annual feast, in which

Nature and Providence. 377

twelve men must cut twelve saplin poles, to make a booth. -- Here (on an altar made of twelve stones, on which no tool may pass) they must sacrifice. You find them with the custom of washing and anointing their dead. And when in deep affliction, laying their hand on their mouth, and their mouth in the dust.

Suppose you should find things like those among such a people, without books or letters, but wholly in a savage state, in a region of the world lately discovered, away in the direction stated by the aforenoted writer in the apocrypha; and having been ever secluded from the knowledge of the civilized world; would you hesitate to say you had found the ten tribes of Israel? and that God sent them to that sequestered region of the earth, to keep them there a distinct people, during an "outcast" state of at least 2500 years? Would you not say, we have just such kind of evidence, as must at last bring that people to light among the nations? And would you not say, here is much more evidence of this kind, of their being the people of Israel, than could rationally have been expected, after the lapse of 2500 years in a savage state? Methinks I hear every person whisper his full assent, that upon the suppositions made, we have found the most essential pile of the prophet Ezekiel's valley of dry bones!

5. These things are more than mere supposition. It is believed they are capable of being ascertained as facts, with substantial evidence. Good authorities from men, who have been eye and ear witnesses, assure us that these things are facts. But you enquire, where or who are the people thus described? They are the aborigines of our continent! Their place, their language, their traditions, amount to all that has been hinted. These evidences are not all found among any one tribe of Indians. Nor may all the Indians in any tribe, where various of these evidences are found, be able to exhibit them. It is enough, if what they call their beloved aged men, in one tribe, have clearly exhibited some of them; and others exhibited others of them; and if among their various tribes, the whole have been, by various of their beloved or wise men, exhibited. This, it is stated, has been the fact. Men have been gradually perceiving this evidence for more than a half a century; and a new light has been, from time to time, shed on the subject, as will appear.

The North American Reviewers, in reviewing a sermon of Doct. Jarvis, on this subject, delivered before the New-York Historical Society, (in which he attempts to induce much evidence to show that the natives of this continent are the tribes of Israel,) remark thus; "The history and character of the Indian tribes of North America, which have for some time been a subject

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of no inconsiderable curiosity and interest with the learned in Europe, have not till lately attracted much notice among ourselves. But as the Indian nations are now fast vanishing, and the individuals of them come less frequently under our observation; we also, as well as our European brethren, are beginning to take a more lively interest than ever, in the study of their character and history."

In the course of their remarks they add; "To the testimonies here adduced by Doctor Jarvis, (i.e. that the Indians are the ten tribes of Israel,) might have been added several of our New England historians, from the first settlement of the country." Some they proceed to mention; and then add, that the Rev. Messrs. Samuel Sewall, fellow of Harvard College, and Samuel Willard, vice president of the same, were of opinion, that "the Indians are the descendants of Israel." Doct. Jarvis notes this as an hypothesis, which has been a favorite topic with European writers; and as a subject, to which it is hoped the Americans may be said to be waking up at last.

Manasses Ben Israel, in a work entitled "The Hope of Israel," has written to show that the American Indians are the ten tribes of Israel. But as we have access to his authors, we may consult them for ourselves. The main pillar of his evidence is James Adair, Esq. Mr. Adair was a man of established character, as appears from good authority. He lived a trader among the Indians, in the south of North America, for forty years. -- He left them and returned to England in 1774, and there published his "History of the American Indians;" and his reasons for being persuaded that they are the ten tribes of Israel. Remarking on their descent and origin, he concludes thus; "From the most accurate observations I could make, in the long time I traded among the Indian Americans, I was forced to believe them lineally descended from the Israelites. Had the nine tribes and a half of Israel, that was carried off by Shalmanezer, and settled in Media, continued there long, it is very probable by intermarrying with the natives, and from their natural fickleness and proneness to idolatry, and also from the force of example, that they would have adopted and bowed before the gods of Media and Assyria; and would have carried them along with them. But there is not a trace of this idolatry among the Indians." Mr. Adair gives his opinion, that the ten tribes, soon after their banishment from the land of Israel, left Media, and reached this continent from the north-west, probably before the carrying away of the Jews of Babylon.

A summary will be given of the arguments of Mr, Adair, and of a number of other writers on this subject. As the evidence given by Mr. Adair appears in some respects the most momentous

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and conclusive, I shall adduce a testimonial in his behalf. In the "Star in the West," published by the Hon. Elias Bondinot,LL. D. upon this subject, that venerable man says; "The writer of these sheets has made a free use of Mr. Adair's history of the Indians; which renders it necessary that something further should be said of him. Sometime about the year 1774, Mr. Adair came to Elizabethtown, (where the writer lived.) with his manuscript, and applied to Mr. Livingston, (afterward governor of New-Jersey -- a correct scholar,) requesting him to correct his manuscript. He brought ample recommendations, and gave a good account of himself. Our political troubles with Great Britain then increasing, (it being the year before the Commencement of the revolutionary war.) Mr. Adair, who was on his way to Great Britain, was advised not to risk being detained from his voyage, till the work could be critically examined; but to set off as soon as possible. He accordingly took passage in the first vessel bound to England. As soon as the war was over,(Mr. Bondinot adds of himself.) the writer sent to London to obtain a copy of this work. After reading it with care, he strictly examined a gentleman, then a member with him in congress, and of excellent character, who had acted as our agent among the Indians to the southward, during the war, relative to the points of fact stated by Mr. Adair, without letting him know the design, and from him found all the leading facts mentioned in Mr. Adair's history, fully confirmed from his own personal knowledge."

Here are the evidences of two great and good men most artlessly uniting in the leading facts stated by Mr. Adair. The character of Mr. Boudinot (who was for some time President of the American Bible Society,) is well known. He was satisfied with the truth of Mr. Adair's history, and that the natives of our land are Hebrews, the ten tribes. And he hence published his "Star in the West" on this subject; which is most worthy of the perusal of all men.

From various authors and travellers among the Indians, the fact that the American Indians are the ten tribes of Israel, will be attempted to be proved by the following arguments:

1. The American natives have one origin.
2. Their language appears to have been Hebrew.
3. They have their imitation of the ark of the covenant in ancient Israel.
4. They have been in practice of circumcision.
5. They have acknowledged one and only one God.
6. Their variety of traditions, historical and religious, go to evince that they are the ten tribes of Israel.

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7. The celebrated William Penn gives account of the natives of Pennsylvania, which go to corroborate the same point.
8. Their having a tribe, answering in various respects, to the tribe of Levi, sheds further light on this subject.
9. Several prophetic traits of character given to the Hebrews, do accurately apply to the Aborigines of America.
10. The Indians being in tribes, with the heads and names of tribes, affords further light upon this subject.
11. Their having an imtimation of the ancient city of refuge, evinces the truth of our subject: and
12. Other Indian rites, and various other considerations, go to evince the fact, that this people are the ten tribes of Israel.

l. The American natives have one origin. Their language has a variety of dialects; but all are believed by some good judges to be the same radical language. Various noted authors agree in this. Charlevois, in his history of Canada, says; "the Algonquin and the Huron languages, (which he says are as really the same, as the French and old Norman are the same,) have between them the language of all the savage nations we are acquainted with. Whoever should well understand both of these, might travel without an interpreter more than fifteen hundred leagues of country, and make himself understood by an hundred different nations, who have each their peculiar tongue;" meaning dialect. The Algonquin was the dialect of the Wolf tribe, or the Mohegan; and most of the native tribes of New England and of Virginia.

Doctor Jonathan Edwards, son of president Edwards, lived in his youth among the Indians; as his father was a missionary among them, before he was called to Princeton College; and he became as familiar with the Mohegan dialect, as with his mother tongue. He had also a good knowledge of the Mohawk dialect. He pronounced the Mohegan the most extensive of all the Indian dialects of North America. He names not less than sixteen trives, besides the original tribes of New England, as agreeing with the Mohegan. Herein the doctor agrees with the testimony of Charlevoix just noted. Here we find a cogent argument in favour of the Indians of north America, at least as being of one origin. And arguments will be furnished that the Indians of south America are probably of the same origin.

Doctor Boudinot (who for more than forty years was of opinion that the Indians are the ten tribes, and who sought and obtained much evidence on this subject,) assures us, that the syllables which compose the word Yohewah, (Jehovah) and Yah, (Jah) are the roots of a great number of Indian words, through different tribes. They make great use of these words, and of

Nature and Providence. 381

the syllables which compose the names of God; also which form the word Hallelujah, through their nations for thousands of miles; especially in their religious songs and dances. With beating and an exact keeping of time, they begin a religious dance thus; Hal, hal, hal; then le, le, le; next lu, lu, lu; and then close yah, yah, yah. This is their traditional song of praise to the Great Spirit. This, it is asserted, is sung in South, as well as North America. And this author says; "Two Indians, who belong to far distant nations, may without the knowledge of each other's language, except from the general idiom of all their tribes, converse with each other, and make contracts without an interpreter." This shews them to have been of one origin.

Du Pratz says in his history of Louisiania, "The nations of North America derived their origin from the same country, since at bottom they all have the same manners and usages, and the same manner of speaking and thinking." It is ascertained that no objection arises against this, from the different shades of complexion found among different tribes of Indians. "The colour of the Indians generally, (says Doct. Boudinot, is red, brown, or copper, according to the climate, and the high or low ground." Mr. Adair expresses the same opinion; and the Indians have their tradition, that in the nation from which they originally came, all were one colour. According to all accounts given of the Indians, there are certain things which all agree. This appears in the journals of Mr. Giddings, of his exploring tour. The most distant and barbarious Indians agree in a variety of things with all other tribes. They have their Great Spirit; their high priests; their sacrificing, when going to or returning from war; their religious dance; and their sacred little enclosure, containing their most sacred things, though it be but a sack, instead of an ark. Messrs. Lack and Escarbotus both assert that they have often heard the Indians of South America sing "Hallelujah." For thousands of miles the North American Indians have been abundant in this.

Doctor Williams, in his history of Vermont says; "In whatever manner this part of the earth was peopled, the Indians appear to have been the most ancient, or the original men of America. They had spread over the whole continent, from the fiftieth degree of north latitude, to the southern extremity of Cape Horn. And these men every where appeared to be the same race or kind of people. In every part of the continent, the Indians marked with a similarity of colour, features, and every circumstance of external appearance. Pedro de Cicca de Leon, one of the conquerors of Peru, and who had travelled through many provinces of America, says of the Indians: --

382 The Wonders of

"The people, men and women, although there are such a multitude of tribes or nations, in such diversities of climates, appear nevertheless like the children of one father and mother."

Ulloa (quoted by Doct. Williams,) had a great acquaintance with the Indians of South America, and some parts of North America. Speaking of the Indians of Cape Breton in the latter, he declared them to be "the same people with the Indians in Peru. "If we have seen one American, (said he) we may be said to have seen them all." These remarks do not apply to all the people in the northern extremities of America. The Esquimaux natives appear to be a different race of men. This race are found in Labrador, in Greenland, and round Hudson's Bay. All these appear evidently the same with the Laplanders, Zemblams, Samoyeds and Tartars in the east. They probably migrated to the western hemisphere at periods subsequent to the migration of the Indians. They, or some of them, might have come from the north of Europe; from Norway to Iceland, then to Greenland, and thence to the coasts of Labrador, and farther west. But the consideration of those different people, does not affect our subject.

2. Their language appears clearly to be Hebrew. In this, Doctor Edwards, Mr. Adair, and others were agreed. -- Doctor Edwards, after having a good acquaintance with their language, gave his reasons for believing it to have been originally Hebrew. Both, he remarks, are found without prepositions, and are formed with prefixes and suffixes; a thing probably known to no other language. And he shows, that not only the words, but the construction of phrases, in both, have been the same. Their pronouns, as well as their nouns, doctor Edwards remarks, are manifestly from the Hebrew. Mr. Adair is confident of the fact, that their language is Hebrew. And their laconic, bold and commanding figures of speech, he notes as exactly agreeing with the genius of the Hebrew language. He says, that after living forty years among them, he obtained such knowledge of the Hebrew idiom of their language, that he viewed the event of their having for more than two millenaries, and without the aid of literature, preserved their Hebrew language so pure, to be but little short of a miracle.

Relative to the Hebraism of their figures, Mr. Adair gives the following instance, from an address of a captain to his warriors, going to battle. "I know that your guns are burning in your hands; your tomahawks are thirsting to drink the blood of your enemies; your trusty arrows are impatient to be upon the wing; and lest delay should burn your hearts any longer, I give you the cool refreshing word; join the holy ark; and away to cut off the devoted army!"

Nature and Providence. 383

A table of words and phrases is furnished by Doct. Boudinot, from Edwards, Adair, and others, to show how clearly the Indian language is from the Hebrew. Some of these Indian words are taken from one tribe, and some from another. In a long savage state, destitute of all aid from letters, a language must roll and change. It is strange that after a lapse of 2500 years, a single word should, among such a people, be preserved the same. But the hand of Providence is strikingly seen in this, to bring that people to light.

The following may afford a specimen of the evidence on this part of the subject.

English
Jehovah God Jah Shiloh Heavens Father Man Woman Wife Thou His Wife This man Nose Roof of a house Winter Canaan To pray Now Hind part Do To blow Rushing wind Ararat, or high mount

Indian

Yohewah
Ale
Yah
Shilu
Chemim
Abba
Ish, Ishte
Ishto
Awah
Keah
Liani
Uwoh
Niehiri
Traubana-ora
Kora
Cannai
Phale
Na
Kesh
Jennais
Phaubac
Rowah
Ararat

Hebrew

Jehovah
Ale, Aleim
Jah
Shiloh
Shemim
Abba
Ish
Ishto
Eweh, Eve
Ka
Lihene
Huah
Neheri
Debonaour
Korah
Canaan
Phalac
Na
Kish
Jannon
Phaubac
Ruach
Ararat

PHRASES.

English
Very ho