ABSTRACT
A service so essential raised Edward to the very summit of honour and esteem with the whole nation; they considered him as in the con dence of the good spirit, because he declared to them beforehand the punishment that was to be in icted on/ them, and a erwards was himself the means of averting it; and accordingly they reverenced him even above all the old beloved men. Had Edward been so disposed, he might have erected himself not only into a sovereign, but perhaps even into a deity over the Agiguans; but, like the last character, he contented himself with doing them good, without looking to any personal reward to himself. His thoughts, indeed, were now wholly bent on withdrawing himself from the country; but to do this with safety was a matter of extreme dif- culty, because the Indians would never forgive his deserting them, and would probably pursue him, even for a thousand miles. e opinion of his communication with the good spirit, however, was favourable to him on this occasion; and I think we may acquit him of want of integrity, although he availed himself of that opinion to deceive them. He told his friend Awattahowee that Weenacoba had appeared to him, and that Ishtoboolo had sent her to acquaint/ him that he should shortly require his presence. Awattahowee was inconsolable at the news; but superstition is deeply implanted in every Indian bosom, and the commands of the spirits suggested to them in dreams are never known to be disobeyed. To give the greater appearance of truth to this story, Ned rigidly conformed to all the Indian ritual of puri cation, and frequently passed the whole night at the grave of Weenacoba. It was upon a solemn occasion of this sort one night, when the moon had newly risen, and his thoughts were wholly intent on the great business he was meditating, that he was surprised to see, at some distance from him, a female gure kneeling on the ground, upon which she was almost prostrate, and seemingly intent on some act of devotion. e place she had chosen was exceedingly retired; but the gleams of the moon shone strong upon her, and discovered her, notwithstanding the trees which surrounded her. A sight so uncommon excited his curiosity, for he/ never saw any serious expression of devotion among the Indians before, and he determined to be more assured if it was really such he now saw. She was so intent upon her employment, that he
approached her unperceived, and then, from behind a tree, beheld the faithful and a icted Sheerasta, a widow of only nineteen, weeping at the grave of her husband, and milking her breast on the new-made grave beside it, of her little son, whom likewise she had lately lost.
