TEXAS INDIAN PAPERS, 1846-1859 349 They believe in and venerate several deities. They worship one Supreme Being, who they think inhabits a country above the sun. The Sun, Moon, and Earth are their principal objects of worship-the Sun, as the primary cause of all living things; the Moon as the God of night, and the Earth as our common mother. They believe that the will of the Great Spirit is supreme; that he dispenses good and evil at his will, also life and death. They think if they lie to the Great Spirit, he will cause them to die; and many other punishments are inflicted if they displease him. All their success in war or hunting is derived from Hirn whom they worship: it is called "making medicine." They use many charms, and are very superstitious. All charms are supposed to be derived from the Great Spirit, which they buy from their "medicine men." They offer Him many sacrifices. The first puff of smoke is offered to the Supreme, the second to the Sun, the third to the Earth, and after these, to whatever they venerate. The first morsel of what they intend to eat is presented to the Great Spirit., and then buried in the ground. All their implements of war are made by, or undergo charms from, their priests or magicians, who practise charms for the purpose. Th~1r shields are made in imitation of the sun, and before going to war they are stuck upon their lances, facing the rising sun; and no person is permitted to handle or touch them except their owners. They believe that they were made by a secondary spirit, who was sent down to the earth by the Supreme. When he first made them, they were imperfect. The spirit returned to the Supreme, and told what he had made. He was then directed to return and complete his work by giving the beings he had created sense, and instruct them how to live. He taught them how to make bows and arrows, and gave them horses, &c. &c. They have no name for the country they inhabit, or for the whole continent. They know of no great changes in their tribe, but they have increased greatly in numbers since they left Mex- ico, by their connexion with other small prairie bands, and the numerous captives taken in their wars-principally from Mex- ico. They are at present divided into eight distinct bands, each ruled by their own chiefs, and appear to have a strong connect- ing link in the similarity of habits and language, and frequently they unite in war or council; occasionally one band is a war with
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