GENIUS.
The Shawannees are naturally an active
and sensible people, not possessing a dull imagination in some kind of
sculpture or hieroglyphicks [sic], if
the false faces used by their Monneetoes are of their own formation; for
nothing can bear a much more shocking aspect.
They are the most cheerful and merry people that ever I saw—the cares of
this life, which are such an enemy to us, seem not to have yet entered their
mind. It appears as if some kind of
drollery was their chief study; consequently both men and women in laughing
exceed any nation that ever came under my notice. At the same time perhaps they are the most
deceitful that exist in human shape.
As it is common to judge of others by
ourselves, so these Indians, from a consciousness of their own deceit, are very
suspicious of us having some design to enslave them. This made me fare the worse, for they
surmised that the white people had sent me as a spy. It is said of the Cretians, that they were
"always liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.”
Perhaps this may be as justly applied to the Shawannees. This I found to be a craft among them, that
when they imagined any thing in their own heart about you, they would say some
one told them such things, and all this cunning is to find out your thoughts
about them. In common they are men of good stature, rather more slender than
the Delawares. These, as well as other
Indians, are of timerous [sic] spirits,
far from possessing any thing heroick [sic], consequently they seek all advantages in war, and never engage without
a manifest prospect of victory. There is
little danger of their being saucy if there is not more than a double number. 'Tis true that they killed many in the last
war, but great part were timerous [sic] women
scared more than half dead at their sight, or else persons void of arms to
defend themselves. 'Tis pretty evident
to me that this will not be the case any more, for last war the fear of them
was upon us; but the Lord has changed the case, for the fear of us is fallen on
them, that they are in almost a similar cafe to the inhabitants of Jericho when
besieged by the Israelites; and from hence we may judge as Rahab did, that the
Lord is on our side, and will in his own time bring the heathens into subjection.
GOVERNMENT.
They are strangers to civil power and
authority: they look on it that God made them free— that one man has no natural
right to rule over another. In this
point they agree with our greatest politicians,
who affirm that a ruler's
authority extends no further than
the pleasure of the people, and when any exceeds that
power given, it may be justly asked, by
what authority doest thou these things, and who gave thee that
authority—whether in church or state? 'Tis marvellous indeed, when we consider human
depravity, how Divine Providence has preserved this lawless people in being. But
all things are possible with him, whose dominion is over the most powerful animals
and savage men. 'Tis more than probable that
God has some glorious events in view. Every
town has its head men, some of which are by us called kings; but by what I can
learn this appelation [sic] is by the
Indians given to none, only as they learned it from us. The chief use of these head-men is to give
counsel, especially in time of war; they are used also as most proper to speak
with us on any occasion, especially if it be important. They have no laws among them to redress the oppressed: though they seem
to have as much need as any people, for they are given much to stealing, both
from white people as well as among themselves. Their custom among themselves is, if any one
steals, the sufferer steals as much from the felon as he judges satisfaction:
and it is more than probable that the second thief has the best of the bargain,
for Indians are not easily satisfied. In
case any person kills another, there is little said, and nothing done; but if
the deceased has a friend, the murderer commonly falls a victim to his
displeasure in some drunken frolick [sic]; and it is likely intoxicates himself for that purpose, for Indians have
not much resolution without a dram. Mrs.
Henry told that during her captivity, it was not uncommon for women to hang or
drown their children, when they did not like them, and never concern themselves
so much as to bury them. Nor were they
guilty of this cruelty secretly, for nothing would be said on the occasion more
than if a puppy had been drowned. But
since they became more acquainted with white people, their conduct in this is
amended. Yet they are not all without
affection.
CUSTOMS.
It is common in this nation to make
considerable lamentations for their dead, especially if they were persons of
note. They believe a future state of
some kind of existence; but in this their ideas are extremely low and sensual. 'Tis certain that they think the soul of the
deceased eats, therefore it is common for the survivors to dress good victuals,
and place it at the head of the grave for several nights after the person has
been buried. They have their children in
good subjection: their manner of correction till several years old, is to dash
water in their faces, or throw them into the brooks: with this they threaten
them on all accasions [sic]. They
have no form of marriage—the man and woman agree for so many bucks she shall be
his wife. Natural affection seems very small.
By women beauty is commonly no motive to
marriage; the only inducement seems to be the reward which he gives her. They
have no thoughts of marriage joining interest, everyone afterwards having their
distinct property.
It is said that women are purchased by
the night, week, month or winter, so that they depend on fornication for a
living; nor is it thought either a crime or shame, none being esteemed harlots
but such as are licentious without a reward. Poligamy [sic] is thought no crime—'Tis common to have several wives at the same time;
nor dare one of them seem displeased lest she be dismissed. On the smallest offence they part. It often is crime enough for a woman to prove
pregnant, but this is not often the case, nor is it like to be while
licentiousness and the lues venerea are so common. 'Tis probable if there is no reformation,
that in another century there will be few of them on earth. At present the whole nation of the
Shawannees, according to Mr. Henry's calculation, doth not exceed six hundred,
including men, women and children: and from what came under my notice, this
account is large enough. Among the customs
of this nation, their cruelty to captives, who are not adopted, may be reckoned
as one singularly bad. When a captive is
brought in, if any in the town fancy the person for a wife, husband, son or daughter, then that person
purchases the captive, and keeps him as his own. But it often happens that the poor captive
has no friend, then a knife is run thro' between the wrist bones, and drawing
deer sinews through the wounds, they proceed to bind them naked to the post in
the long house, and, instead of sympathizing,
make all imaginable diversion of the helpless agonizing captive. Some times they will come up and cut off the
captives nose, and make abundance of game at his disfigured aspect. When they
have finished this scene, they lead them out, and with their tommehock
[sic] complete their design, often leaving their bodies to be consumed by the
fowls of the air. Oh! savage cruelty! Alas! how great is the depravity of human
nature! are these descendants of him, who at first was made after the image of God? yes, verily; but the fine gold
is become as the dim brass. How absolutely
needful to be born again! and how great is that work of God's spirit, to make such as these new
creatures, as inoffensive as doves or lambs! yet this has been the case. (I Cor. 6:11) This
must be the case when that passage is more fully accomplished, which saith,
"the wolf also shall dwell with the lamb— the calf, young lion and fatling
together— they shall not hurt nor destroy—for the earth shall be full of the
knowledge of the Lord." (Is.
11:6-9)
Yes, indeed, “how
absolutely needful to be born again!” We
see in this synopsis of Shawnee society the inevitable result of a people
without God’s Word. It could easily be
summed up as a society where each one followed the inclinations of their
passions. Lest we become too smug
ourselves, must we not also admit that much the same could be said for our
country today? Lord willing, we’ll pick
up Jones’ analysis in our next post.
Christ, not man, is King!
Dale
1)
David Jones, A Journal of Two Visits Made to
Some Nations of Indians on the West Side of the River Ohio in the Years 1772
and 1773 (Burlington, NJ: Isaac Collins, 1774), p. 52-7.
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