This sort they term Pâh-kàck, Skeletons, or such as die of hunger, or some that die extremely lean, whether from the consumption or other sickness. These, many of them, when they have nothing but just the mere skin and bone remaining, some of them in this situation, disappear from the earth and go to reside with all those who have already departed in that distressed state. This band, or congregation, [has] a head or chief. Their color is commonly green, though sometimes black. And it is extremely uncommon when one has even any hair, being bald—as if a blown bladder.
They sometimes are heard in the day; the [noise] is sometimes as of a quantity of dried bones rattled or shaken in a forcible manner in a kettle. And sometimes [they are heard], as above related, making that same monotonous but frightful cry of "He'h! He'h!" very quick and with an abrupt termination.
[The Feast to Pahkack]
The sacrifice they offer to these is grease, generally a large bladder full, and of the best kind. All the natives present are invited. Tobacco, of course, goes before everything else. He who makes the feast or his assistant most commonly lights, or fills rather, the pipes of all who smoke. But when it is [lighted], it is first presented to that quarter where these are supposed to reside (I believe in the northwest or west), then to the cardinal points, then to the (bladder of) grease which is put in a dish fit to contain it and covered with down.
Some of them have a small board about twenty or twenty-four inches long, flat, painted with red earth, and a head made to it, of the same piece, and flat as the rest. At a certain distance below the neck, as we might suppose the shoulders, other small pieces made in the same form and about three or four inches long are stuck in each side at short distances, reaching to the ground—the lower end being small, and the head end would bear some resemblance to the ribs or arms were there not so many, by their being somewhat in a hanging form.
After smoking and some speeches in which these ghosts are addressed, he who makes the feast waves it three times crying "He! He!" very loud for a good many times. And [he] then presents it to this board which is intended as a representative of the Pahkack, desiring him to accept it and be propitious and merciful to them, neither to injure them nor their little ones.
Then he dances three times round the tent (in the inside), and when he comes to the fourth time, the one seated next him (in the direction of the sun) rises. He makes a feint of offering it twice to the one who rises, who in his turn does as if he was going to receive it. And the third time it is thrown into his hands. This one makes a double turn upon his heels and dances or trots once round the tent, and the [one] next him seated rises to take it in his turn with the same ceremony until all have passed. Then it comes into the master's hands again who reperforms the same ceremonies once more, puts down the grease, cuts it up, and shares to every male or widow present, in proportion to their numbers (the families they may have).
Shortly after my arrival here this last fall, they invited me through compliment to two of these feasts. I went both times merely to have a better opportunity of making my observations, which are as above, as near as I can bring them.
But my mind was too much disturbed with reflections which soon became so melancholy that I had nothing to bestow on what was going on. "Poor unfortunate creatures!" I often exclaimed to myself.
Ye are desirous, nay anxious, to perform your duties to your maker, but know not how. If you only knew how he abominates this ceremony which you perform with so much devotion! How soon would you cast off all your superstitions, and rather live without any religion at all, and risk all upon chance, than perform sacrifices, for aught I know, to demons!