[Conjuring]
The next principal one is conjuring. This is a principle I believe as natural to man as the air he breathes (though not so necessary). Everyone wishes to peep into futurity, and there are few but who would not inquire into causes could they do it, or were it not forbidden them. These two, of course, are consequences or consequents of their mythology. There are many in the civilized or Christian world who absolutely and positively deny this power of theirs as being absolutely impossible and at best [believe them] but absurd and idle stories.
[Evidence of Spirits through Conjuring Practice]
Many of the things related of these conjurings I acknowledge to be so. But at the same time I am as positively and as firmly persuaded of the truth of the assertion that they have dealings with some supernatural spirit, as I am convinced that I live and breathe in air. [That is] unless, indeed, we chuse to acknowledge and believe a certain sect of philosophers (of the last century I believe) who wish to tell us that we only imagine ourselves alive. And I am by no means inclined to acknowledge myself as superstitious. I am convinced of this from reason, argument, comparison—in short, from analysis. Let any one man, unless he be a headstrong brute who is determined beforehand not to be convinced, analyse their discourses, and I am confident he will believe as much as many, or have great doubts at least. To absolutely deny this, we must first deny that there is a Devil, and afterwards deny his pernicious power. And if we deny these points, we must descend to a third, and [one] more fit for an atheistical wretch and a beast than a Christian, or even rational creature. I have heard some sensible and well informed gentleman deny it on the plea of their ignorance. But this again is a basis and very solid one.
These people are still in a complete state of nature. Their ideas of the true God are far from clear or correct. They acknowledge Him indeed as the supreme and absolute master of all, but more, or rather as, a passive deity [more] than as he really is. But their notions of their other deities came far more near the truth.
Their wants indeed are also few, but they are arbitrary and cannot be dispensed with, at least for any time. It is therefore very natural that they should employ their whole thoughts and most of their time in procuring these means to warding off or averting their dangers. And I do not know of any method more adapted to this than the one they pursue: fasting and sleeping to dream. And they do dream too. And many of these dreams are so complicated, or compounded of so many different things that it is absolutely beyond the power of their invention to fabricate them.
Surely a man may believe his senses. A man tied, wound up in a blanket or skin equally soft. Here he is held by one, two, or three men. He slips out of the blanket and presents himself before you free, leaving the cords untied in the blanket. You hear him speak, and perhaps twenty other voices besides, all at the same. Again, he is bound as a criminal, rather indeed as a pig, crumpled into a heap and thrust into his hut. At the very instant of his entrance, the hut shakes as if ten thousand devils were for pulling it to pieces. You enter this, find the man absent, hear a fluttering about your ears or see a vast number of small lights resting on the hoops that hold the poles together.
Immediately after you are out, you hear the man speak within again. You look again and feel for him, but hear him talking at a distance. What can this be but supernatural agency? I have never seen feats of this kind, but others I have, not so strong, but equally convincing.
[Conjuring Ceremony for a N. W. Co. Gentleman]
I have been informed that a young half-breed, abandoned with the Indians almost from his childhood, a few years back entered one of these conjuring huts at the solicitation of one of the North West gentlemen to see what retarded the people so long. Previous to his entering a great deal of conversation on the subject had been [taking place]. Matters were settled between them and the conjurer. Some time after his entrance, he began to cry (not weep) as a person uneasy. At first the voice was within, but it appeared as rising in the air, and at last was lost.