Original - North Central Michigan College Library

that of the Indians in general. His appearancewas greatly injured by the condition of hishead of hair, and this was the result of anextraordinary superstition.The Indians universally fixupon a particularobject as sacred to themselves; as thegiver of their prosperity, and as their preserverfrom evil. The choice is determined either bya dream, or by some strong predilection offancy, and usually falls upon an animal, orpart of an animal, or something else which is towater: but the Greatbe met with by land or byRoad had made choice of his hair placing,like Sampson, all his safety in this portion ofhis proper substance! His hair was the fountainof all his happiness; it was his strength andhis weapon, his spear and his shield. It preservedhim in battle, directed him in the chase,watched over him in the march, and gave lengthof days to his wives and children. Hair of aquality like this was not to be profaned by thetouch of human hands. I was assured that ithad never been cut nor combed from his childhoodupward; and that when any part of itfell from his head he treasured up that partwith care: meanwhile, it did not escape allcare, even while growing on the head; but wasin the special charge of a spirit, who dressed itwhile the owner slept. All this might be: butthe spirit's style of hair dressing was at leastpeculiar, the hair being suffered to remainit received no dressing at all,very much as if278