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sacrifices. Their priests before and since the flood have taught? that there were two places to which people went after death. That good people when they died went directly to God and were with Him, where it was always day & always pleasant. The road to that place was peculiar to itself & only good people travelled it. But the bad people went to a lake of fire where they would be miserable forever; just as they came to this place, an awful gulf appeared before them, across which lay a pole, with a great black dog at each end. As they went on this pole, to cross, the dogs turning it throw them in. The most ancient prayers and songs are in a language not now intelligible. The ancient trumpets use by the priests were made of long necked gourds & used for the same purposes as the silver trumpets among the Jews. The above traditions may appear surprising? on account of their similarity to the words of scripture; but I state them as I have received them from the old men, and as they say they have been handed down from one generation to another. Nutsawi Thomas Smith Andrew Sanders [[written perpendicularly, as an outer letter front, with red half spots: Harnagvill 20 January 25 Mr John Howard Payne New York City, N. York]] Dear sir, I fear the above will not answer your expectations or desires. I would gladly do anything in my power to oblige you and after Mr Ross shall have examined my researches, should he have it in his power to communicate any thing to you he would have perfect liberty to do so. Respectfully yours, D.S. Butrick