The History of Several Towns, Manors and Patents of the County of Westchester from the First Settlement to the Present Time

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1881 edition. Excerpt: .of mysterious power, which he acknowledges to be often delegated to the native priests, or necromancers. He is not staggared by the most extraordinary stretch of fancy, in the theory of the change or transformation of animate into inanimate objects, and vice 2/erra; all things in heaven and earth, he believes to be subject to this subtle power of metamorphosis. But, whatever be the precise operating cause of the respect he pays to the imitative rolled stones, which he calls Shingaba-wossins, and also by the general phrase of Muz-in-in-a-wum, or images, he is not at liberty to pass them with_out hazarding something, in his opinion, of his chance of success in life, or the fortune of the enterprise in hand. The Indian is not precise in the matter of proportion, either in his drawing or in his attempts at statuary. He seizes upon some minute and characteristic trait, which is at once sufiicient to denote the species, and he is easily satisfied about the rest. Thus a simple cross, with a straight line from shoulder to shoulder and a dot, or circle above, to serve for a head, is the symbol of the human frame; and without any adjunct of feet or hands, it could Read More chevron_right

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1881 edition. Excerpt: .of mysterious power, which he acknowledges to be often delegated to the native priests, or necromancers. He is not staggared by the most extraordinary stretch of fancy, in the theory of the change or transformation of animate into inanimate objects, and vice 2/erra; all things in heaven and earth, he believes to be subject to this subtle power of metamorphosis. But, whatever be the precise operating cause of the respect he pays to the imitative rolled stones, which he calls Shingaba-wossins, and also by the general phrase of Muz-in-in-a-wum, or images, he is not at liberty to pass them with_out hazarding something, in his opinion, of his chance of success in life, or the fortune of the enterprise in hand. The Indian is not precise in the matter of proportion, either in his drawing or in his attempts at statuary. He seizes upon some minute and characteristic trait, which is at once sufiicient to denote the species, and he is easily satisfied about the rest. Thus a simple cross, with a straight line from shoulder to shoulder and a dot, or circle above, to serve for a head, is the symbol of the human frame; and without any adjunct of feet or hands, it could not have been mistaken for anything else-certainly for any other object in the animal creation.' There can be but little doubt this image was brought originally from the vicinity of Lake Waccabuc or Wepuc, and set up on a level spot on the summit of one of the highest hills of Candatowa, (a name that signifies High Lands,) a site well chosen, thickly shaded with trees, and bearing luxuriant grass and wild shrubbery and flowers, with here and there peeps or openings of a wide expanse of country extending all around it, embracing the Asproom. chevron_left Read Less