coursed to the Indians twice. The word of God seemed to fall with weight and influence upon them, and most of them were in tears, and cried out in distressing concern for their souls. One man was awakened, who never before showed any concern for his soul, and many of the careless white people now present were startled, seeing the power of God so prevalent among the Indians. In the evening God was pleased to enlarge me in prayer, and give me freedom at the throne of grace. I cried to God for the enlargement of his kingdom in the world, and particularly among my own people; my soul was so engaged in the sweet exercise, that I knew not how to leave the mercy-seat; I saw that God was both able and willing to do all that I desired for myself and friends, and the church in general."

Sept. 9. He left the Forks, and started for the Susquehanna, and after lodging in the woods three nights, arrived at an Indian town called Shaumoking, one of the places he visited in May. He was kindly received by the Indians, but did not enjoy his situation,

as he was obliged to lodge that night in a house where they were holding a heathenish dance, which he could not break up. The next day after his arrival, he called to see the king of the Delawares, and talked with him and others on the subject of the Christian religion, and found them attentive. He preached here several days. Some he found willing to hear, and a few were quite serious; but many were so drunk from day to day, that he could get no opportunity to speak to them. Of this town he says, "It lies partly on the east side of the river, partly on the west, and partly on a large island in it, and contains upwards of fifty houses, and near three hundred persons. They are of three different tribes, speaking three different languages, wholly unintelligible to each other. About one half of them are Delawares; the others, called Senekas and Tutelas; and the Indians of this place are counted the most drunken, mischievous, and ruffianlike fellows

of

any in these parts; and Satan seems to have his seat in this town in an eminent manner."

On the 17th he travelled down the river until he came to an Indian town called Juneauta, on an island in the Susquehanna, which he had visited in the spring. These Indians were determined to retain their pagan notions, and persist in their idolatrous practices; and he found them very busy in preparing for a great sacrifice and a dance, and could get no opportunity to converse with them about Christianity. "In the evening," he says, "they met together, near a hundred of them, and danced round a large fire, having prepared ten fat deer for a sacrifice, the fat of whose entrails they burned in the fire, while they were dancing, and at some times raised the flame to a prodigious height, at the same time yelling and shouting in such a manner that they might have been heard two miles or more. They continued their sacred dance all night; after which they eat the flesh of the sacrifice, and retired each to his lodging. I enjoyed little satisfaction this night, being entirely alone as to any Christian company, and in the midst of this idolatrous revel. Having walked to and tro, till

body and mind were much oppressed, I at length crept into a little crib made for corn, and there slept on the poles."

Mr. Brainerd spent the next day with the Indians on the island, and as soon as they were up in the morning attempted to instruct them, and laboured to get them together, but quickly found that they had something else to do; for they collected all their powows (or conjurers) together, and set about half a dozen to playing their tricks, and acting their frantic postures, in order to find out why they were so sickly, as numbers of them were at that time disordered with a fever and bloody flux. In this they were engaged several hours, making all the wild distracted motions imaginable, sometimes singing, sometimes howling, sometimes extending their arms to their utmost stretch, spreading out all their fingers, and seemed to push with them as if they designed to fright something away, or at least to keep it off at arm's length; sometimes they stroked their faces with their hands, then spouted water from their mouths as fine as mist; sometimes sitting flat on the

earth, then bowing with their faces to the ground, wringing their sides as if in pain.

"I sat at about thirty feet distance, (unperceived by them,) with my Bible in my hands, resolved, if possible, to spoil their sport, and prevent their receiving any answers from the infernal world. They continued their hideous charms about three hours, until they had all wearied themselves out, and at length broke up. After they had done powowing, I attempted to discourse with them about Christianity; but they soon scattered, and gave me no opportunity. A view of these things, while I was entirely alone in the wilderness, destitute of the society of any who so much as called themselves Christians, greatly sunk my spirits, so that I had no heart nor power to make any further attempt among them.”

"When I was in these parts in May last, I had an opportunity of learning many of the customs of the Indians. I travelled a hundred and thirty miles upon the river above the English settlements, and had in that journey a view of persons of seven or eight