 but sensible men pay adoration to a Supreme Being, who created and
sustains the universe.« »O! what pity, (exclaimed the pious Tabby) that some
holy man has not been inspired to go and convert these poor heathens!«
    The lieutenant told her, that while he resided among them, two French
missionaries arrived, in order to convert them to the catholic religion; but
when they talked of mysteries and revelations, which they could neither explain
nor authenticate, and called in the evidence of miracles which they believed
upon hearsay; when they taught, that the Supreme Creator of Heaven and Earth had
allowed his only Son, his own equal in power and glory, to enter the bowels of a
woman, to be born as a human creature, to be insulted, flagellated, and even
executed as a malefactor; when they pretended to create God himself, to swallow,
digest, revive, and multiply him ad infinitum, by the help of a little flour and
water, the Indians were shocked at the impiety of their presumption. - They were
examined by the assembly of the sachems, who desired them to prove the divinity
of their mission by some miracle. - They answered, that it was not in their
power. - »If you were really sent by Heaven for our conversion, (said one of the
sachems) you would certainly have some supernatural endowments, at least you
would have the gift of tongues, in order to explain your doctrine to the
different nations among which you are employed; but you are so ignorant of our
language, that you cannot express yourselves even on the most trifling
subjects.«
    In a word, the assembly were convinced of their being cheats, and even
suspected them of being spies: - they ordered them a bag of Indian corn a-piece,
and appointed a guide to conduct them to the frontiers; but the missionaries
having more zeal than discretion, refused to quit the vineyard. - They persisted
in saying mass, in preaching, baptizing, and squabbling with the conjurers, or
priests of the country, till they had thrown the whole community into confusion.
- Then the assembly proceeded to try them as impious impostors, who represented
the Almighty as a trifling, weak, capricious being, and pretended to make,
unmake, and reproduce him at pleasure: they were, therefore, convicted of
blasphemy and sedition, and condemned to the stake, where they died singing
Salve regina, in a rapture of joy, for the crown of martyrdom which they had
thus obtained.
    In the course of this conversation, lieutenant Lismahago dropt some hints by
