against the bad dispositions of those of the assistants, whose fault it
was, that the effects of his art were obstructed. Then going round the
company, he obliges them to whisper him in the ear, whatever held the
first place in their minds; and the simplicity of the greater number is
such, as to make them reveal to him what it would be more prudent to
conceal. By these means it is, that these artful Jugglers renders
themselves formidable to the common people, and by getting into the
secrets of most of the families of the nation, acquire a hank over them.
Some, indeed, of the most sensible see through this pitiful artifice,
and look on the Jugglers in their proper light of cheats, quacks, and
tyrants; but out of fear of their established influence over the bulk of
the nation, they dare not oppose its swallowing their impostures, or its
regarding all their miserable answers as so many oracles. When the
Juggler in exercise, has collected all that he can draw from the inmost
recesses of the minds of the assistants, he replaces himself, as before,
over the mysterious bowl of water, and now knows what he has to say.
Then, after twice or thrice laying his face close to the surface of the
water, and having as often made his evocations in uncouth,
unintelligible words, he turns his face to his audience, sometimes he
will say, "I can only give a half-answer upon such an article; there is
an obstacle yet unremoved in the way, before I can obtain an entire
solution, and that is, there are some present here who are in such and
such a case. That I may succeed in what is asked of me, and that
interests the whole nation, I appoint that person, without my knowing,
as yet, who it is, to meet me at such an hour of the night. I name no
place of assignation but will let him know by a signal of lighted fire,
where he may come to me, and suffer himself to be conducted wherever I
shall carry him. The _Manitoo_ orders me to spare his reputation, and
not expose him; for if there is any harm in it to him, there is also
harm to me."