[...] [(57)] [...]

began to sing, using the drum & rattler—they sang among others the moose, horse,
Bear, & Dog Songs; about a dozen in number, when he prepared by taking off his
clothes, all to his cloute, & asked who should tie him, I replied that I would,
but was afraid of hurting him: another conjuror did beginning with his
fingers between the 2 joints nearest the hand nearly as I can describe
it—thus giving a double turn to the line between each
finger, & the line was new Mackerel, small, which I happened to have
in my pocket by accident.—I drew up to inspect & observing the fin-
gers to swell upon his complaining of the tightness I felt a good deal for
him. After this his blanket was wrapped round him & tied in such a
manner, lengthways, crossways & every way, & a good knot I tied at
each meeting of the cords; for I assisted in this, that I could have laid
any wager that it was beyond the Power of Spirits themselves, thus tied, to
eradicate themselves; & his hands were under his hams—as he could no
more move than fly, of himself, the other conjuror & I put him to the
door, but behold! it was with difficulty we could just get his
head in, the entry being too narrow by about 10, or 12 ins. screwing
& jaming considered. "It will do, it will do" said the conjuror—"cover
me now"—his back was covered with a blanket & we all retreated
to our seats, myself about 4 feet distant—The others took the drum
& began to sing. I could not help but laughing in myself & pitying the
boldness of their vanity,—but I had soon occasion to think other-
wise & had I not predetermined that reason should conduct me throughout the
whole of this, I cannot say how far in the other extreme I might have gone.
But to return: the conjuror desired the others to sing, they began a short song,
I believe it was that of the Stone, & the man entered in an instant! I was
struck dumb with astonishment; for he appeared to me to
slide in by something that was neither invisible nor descernible—I heard some-
thing that for the life of me I cannot account for, & that's all: from the time
we covered him (25.' Past 10 P.M) to the time we had done hunting for the
twine that tied his fingers, not quite 5 minutes elapsed, & not 1 1/2 minutes
before his blanket & the cords were thrown out to us!—Not one of them,
apparently (i.e. one knot) untied!—My astonishment & apprehen-
sions of his being entirely carried off from us were such, that I was nearly
springing up to haul him out, for fear of his being for ever lost. The others
continued singing a few other songs & I had the utmost anxiety in hearing repeated-
ly call out as if in the greatest apprehensions himself "enough! enough! e-

[...] [(58)] [...]

Enough of ye I say"; & frequently for the space of some minutes repeating the same,
& now & then calling out "do not Thou enter." The Stone was the first one known
to us, by his song; for every one almost that entered sang his song, to which those
(the indians) on the outside would keep chorus. A vast number entered, I verily
beleive upward of an hundred; for upwards of that number of times the frame
shook back-&-forwards and very smartly as if to fall; & among the first
were some truly terrible characters. I have almost entirely converted myself
from these foolish ideas of Ghost & hobgoblins, but I assure you in truth
that I more than once felt very uneasy. The Ice entered—he made a noise
extremely resembling that made by a person shivering with cold, loud, &
hoarse & liquid. The Devil himself also entered in propria persona, in
a very authoritative & commanding manner: I assure you there was no
laughing nor gigling outside, all the time he sang & spoke. The Turtle
spoke as an old Jocular man. "I hate the french; for in their travels
"when they find me, they kill me & eat me:—I shall answer none of their questions"
but this was a joke; for he laughed. "Speake out Turtle, speake out, louder that
"we hear the", said those without "—I would too, replied he, but my voice is
"so strong I must contract it thus otherwise ye could not endure the sound
"of it." "Hop! continued he, I must imitate the drunk", which he did
to the great diversion of us all & concluded with snoring, the natural
end of all drunken feasts & then became quiet, on which another voice
(which I also perfectly heard & understood as well the Turtle herself) cried
out--"see! see! if she does not look like a frog stretched out" & this
raised a proper laugh both in & out. The Dog entered, & spoke perfectly
plain & distinct, & with a more elegant & harmonious voice I ever heard
in my life. Bears of 3 or 4 different sorts, the horse, moose, Skeletons,
spirits of departed & still living friends entered; but none but the
latter & above mentioned were to be understood by any but the conju-
ror himself. On the entering of one "that is my (adopted) Son" said
an Indian seated by me & called out his name to which he readily
answered besides questions: this young man & a girl, both living,
spoke very plain (you must observe that it is not their bodies, but their
Souls or Spirits that enter)—Children almost at the instant of birth,
Dwarfs, Giants; but this latter did make a noise indeed. We all
laughed very heartily when the horse entered; for it appears he passed too
near the Turtle who called out as the horse was flying about (in the inside)
singing & rattling his rattler, "I wish you would take care of yourself & not tread

[...] [(59)] [...]

"tread on one" in allusion to his diminutive size in comparison with that of
horse. It is somewhat surprising that every one that entered, whether he spoke plain,
or was interpreted—their First words were your lands are distressed—keep
not on the Gnd River—sickness, sickness; "but from amongst ye here I shall
select only a few aged ones" said one of the latter, but in a voice no one but the
conjuror could understand—as he went out however the Conjuror paid him a most
bawdy compliment—we all laughed & asked what was the matter "pah! no-
thing. I am only afraid of him said the Conj.—One of them that entered
apparently the Devil himself for he spoke & acted en veritable maitrestartled us all a great deal & enquired authoritatively & angrily, "what
"want ye of me?—speake? "—Upon several hurried enquiries put
to him he said that some things I saw & heard in my house this win-
ter, were by Mr Frobisher, who expired so dreadfully in 1819—"he
"is a skeleton (Pah-kack); & it is he who built this house—he comes
"to see"—!!! Tho' I did certainly both hear & see, several times this winter,
& once in particular, about 2.a.m. yet I do not feel much inclined to add
faith to this assertion of Davy's—I must have something more substantial.
But I am much inclined to doubt master Davy's assertions & consider this & several others
of his sayings at former Periods in the same light as those he delivered at many of
Grecian temples; for I have every substantial reason to consider him as the same identical Gen-
tleman: however, a short time hence will decide: The Turtle said we should
have a good deal of rain; but not a very great deal & a very hi wind, & as soon as
the Sun should appear, "at its setting an indian (naming him by a very extraor-
dinary & bawdy features in his person) should arrive & bring us meat; but thisyou will eat of course, & I shall go without"—{"Beware of yourselves—Tomorrow
night you shall drink & be drunk: drink & leave the house as soon as you
"can; for there are from that wind (by which he designated the South)
"who if they drink with ye, ye shall become pitiful" alluding to two
blackguard half breed brothers, who proud of the bravery of their deceased father are
ever & anon insulting & domineering over the other indians: it is worthy of remark
that an aged man in the course of this last winter was advertised of the Same, &
repeatedly pressed not to drink at the house on their accord}. This is now
the 6th (June) the Sun appears, but the wind is very hi, & we have frequent
showers of rain & snow.—About midnight the Conjuror addressed me &
asked if I wished to see any of them (the Spirits)—I accepted the offer & thrust
my head underneath, & being upon my back I looked up & near the top
observed a light as of a Star in a Cloudy night about 1 1/2in. long & 1 broad; tho'