MacDonell, John. Some Account of the Red River, ca. 1797 [Contemporary copy]. An electronic transcription. MFTP #0035
No 6
and they never wear any of these articles as ornaments. They dress generally after the Assiniboine manner all in leather shirts and Leggings, a Buffalo or a Blanket by way of covering above the whole.
When an Indian Swears, he takes the master of life to witness, likewise, the Earth, the fire and the water. They seldom pray to the Master of Life but when they are in imminent danger of Perishing. At all other times their petitions are to Gog and Magog; or the evil spirit whom they very much dread; for they have such a sublime Idea of the Bounty of the master of life that they think it incompatible with him to afflict them.
But the evil spirit they say is mediat mischief to them and therefore they sacrifice to him to appease his anger and to divert him from his evil purposes. Their only bloody sacrifice is to hang a Dog; all the other Sacrifices they use, consist of European Merchandize,
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L E G E N D :
in red , modifications made by the editor(s).
in lavender , modifications made by the assumed author(s).
