of their dead Friend, a Bow and Arrows, that he may make Ufe of the Souls of them in the other World, as he did of their wooden Bodies in this.

There is a Tradition among the Americans, that one of their Countrymen defcended in a Vision to the great Repository of Souls, or, as we call it here, to the other World; and that upon his Return he gave his Friends a diftinct Account of every Thing he faw among thofe Regions of the Dead, the Subftance of which is as follows:

The Vifionary, whofe Name was Marraton, after having travelled for a long Space under an hollow Mountain, arrived at length on the Confines of this World of Spirits, but could not enter it by Means of a thick Foreft made up of Bushes, Brambles, and pointed Thorns," fo perplexed and interwoven with one another, that it was impoffible to find a Paffage through it. Whilft he was looking about for fome Track or Path Way that might be worn in any Part of it, he faw an huge Lion couched under the Side of it, who kept his Eyes upon him in the fame Pofture as when he watches for his Prey.

The

The Indian immediately ftarted back, whilft the Lion rofe with a Spring, and leaped towards him. Being wholly deftitute of all other Weapons, he ftooped down to take up an huge Stone in his Hand; but, to his infinite Surprize, grafped nothing, and found the fuppofed Stone to be only the Apparition of one. If he was disappointed on this Side, he was as much pleafed on the other, when he found the Lion, which had feized on his Left Shoulder, had no Power to hurt him, and was only the Ghost of that ravenous Creature which it appeared to be.

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He no fooner got rid of this impotent Enemy, but he marched up to the Wood, and, after having furveyed it for fome Time, and endeavoured to press into one Part of it that was a little thinner than the reft, to his great Surprize he found the Bushes made no Refiftance, but that he walked through Briars and Brambles with the fame Eafe as through the open Air; and, in fhort, that the whole Wood was nothing else but a Wood of Shades. He immediately concluded, that this huge Thicket of Thorns and Brakes was defigned as a Kind of Fence or Quickfet Hedge to the Ghofts it enclosed; and that, probably, their foft Substances might be torn by these fubtle Points and Prickles, which were too weak to make any Impreffions on substantial Beings.

With this Thought he refolved to travel through this intricate Wood, when, by Degrees, he felt a Gale of Perfumes breathing upon him, that grew ftronger and sweeter in * Proportion as he advanced. He had not proceeded much further, when he perceived the Thorns and Briars to end, and give Place to E

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a thousand beautiful green Trees covered with Bloffoms of the finest Scents and Colours, that formed a Wilderness of Sweets, and were a Kind of Lining to thofe ragged, Scenes, which he had before paffed through.

As he was coming out of this delightful Part of the Wood, and entering upon the Plains it enclosed, he faw feveral Horfemen rufhing by him, and a little While after heard the Cry of a Pack of Dogs. He had not liftened long, before he faw the Apparition of a milk white Steed, with a young Man on the Back of it, advancing upon full Stretch after the Souls of about an Hundred Beagles that were hunting down the Ghoft of an Hare, which ran away before them with an unfpeakable Swiftnefs. As the Man on the milk-white Steed came by him, he looked upon him very attentively, and found him to be the young Prince Nicharagua, who died about Half a Year before, and, by Reason of his great. Virtues, was at that Time lamented all over the Western Parts of America,

He had no fooner got out of the Wood, but he was entertained with a Landskip of flowery Plains, green Meadows, running Streams,

Streams, funny Hills, and fhady Vales, fuch as were not to be reprefented by his own Expreffions, nor, as he faid, by the Conception of others. This happy Region was peopled with innumerable Swarms of Spirits, who ap plied themselves to Exercifes and Diverfions, according as their Fancies led them. Some of them were toffing the Figure of a Coit, others were pitching the Shadow of a Bar, others were breaking the Apparition of a Horse, and Multitudes employed themselves upon ingenious Handicrafts, with the Souls of departed Utenfils; for that is the Name which, in the Indian Language, they give their Tools when they are burnt or broken.

As he travelled through this delightful Scene, he was very often tempted to pluck the Flowers that rose every where about him in the greatest Variety and Profufion, having never feen any of them in his own Country. But he quickly found, that though they were Objects of his Sight, they were not liable to his Touch.

He at length came to the Side of a great River, and being a good Fisherman himself, ftood upon the Banks of it fome Time to look

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