| Show priests letters disclose early indian sacrifices north american soil has been soaked numberless times with the blood of human sacrifices old letters of father charlevoix a jesuit priest to his superiors would indicate the priest reported the sacrifices were common on the huge chunk of copper weighing two tons or more now in the smithsonian institute at washington which was a religious shrine of the indians before its removal in 1843 the indians believed the rock had been sent to their ancestors by the morning star and that in times of stress it spoke in the voice of thunder demanding a human sacrifice the sacrifice offered was usually a prisoner taken in war father charlevoix related one instance which came under his observation before setting out on a hazardous expedition the indians were told by their medicine men the rock demanded a sacrifice they accordingly selected a 15 year old oid girl prisoner told her she was to be married to the son of a chief and prepared her in the tribes richest garments the child was shown unusual deference and happy in the belief her imprisonment was to end she was led away by an escort of warriors not until she came to the rock and saw the fire blazing at its base did she realize the actual fate in store for her despite her entreaties she was tied to the rock and a warrior sent an arrow into her heart as the fire burned about her the braves then sprinkled themselves with her blood in the belief it would make them more valorous |
