(seq. 69)

58
Province South Carolina

The Indians have also but a very scant Knowledge of a divine
Being, which Knowledge, or rather Notion extends no further, than that
they believe his is good -- The Cherokees call him, (Hianequo) the
great Man, whom the Catabaws call (: Rivil :) Overseer; but they
pay no manner of Adoration to him, nor any thing existing; nor have
they any Ceremony at all, more than to extinguish all their Fires once
a year in July at the time, when the Indian Corn (: Maize :) is in its
milk, which they squeeze out by beating and straining, then boil that
milk by a Fire, new caught from Electrisation, which they perform with
two green sticks rub'd with great Velocity across each other, until they are
lighted; when this milk is boiled to a Consistency, they let it cool, then
form it into little Cakes, which they fry in Bears Fat, and (: while
warm :) a delicious Eating (: a :), with them they keep feasting three days.
To this Season they postpone all Elections, Promotions, and their King's Coronations.

The Author has been present at the Installation of the King of Estetowee,
which (: as common :) lasted three days; during which time the King lives
without eating, only by chewing the Ginsem Root, given to him by two
Physicians (: by them called Conjurors :) who are always with the King and
take Seat, one to his right, and the other to his left before and after the Installa-
tion Ceremony on his Throne, which is a Planck hewed out of a solid Tree
with Hatchets; this Throne is planted all round, and covered over with
Bushes, so that the Sun may be kept of, on which the King sits naked,
and is fan'd with two large Fans (: made of Turkies Tails :) by two naked
Indians standing before him at both Corners of his Royal Seat. The
Physicians perform the Ceremony of the Installation, and begin with
putting on his Feet a pair of Socks (: Mockasins :) made of white dressed
Deer Skin; next, they tie a white dressed Deer Skin round his Wast to hang
behind half way down to his Heels; thirdly: they offer him two fur sleeves
made of whole Rattoon Skins, in which he slips his Arms; fourthly: they
sling another white skin over his left Shoulder, and under his right Arm
by way of a Mantle; the fith are two Strings of Deers Claws, which they
fasten round his Ancles; the sixth is a Diadem of Roll of Fur, pieced
together of Rattoon Skins, some dyed yellow, and some crimson (: b :) This
they tye on his Head, and let two long Ends hand down his Back, two
Pieces of the same kind are fixed to the Diadem to go across his Head to keep
the Diadem from slipping on his neck in dancing. The seventh and
eighth is a Swan's Wing and a white Leather Tobacco-Poulet; the
former he receives in his right, and the latter in his left Hand; but
none of all these Robes and Regalia must touch his Body, before he

(: a :) The same may be made out of any Grain or Seed before it is ripe.

(: b :) The Indians are very expert in dying these two Colours.