In the first edition of Early Mormonism and the Magic World View (Salt Lake City: Signature Books, 1987), we read the following on p. 167:
With
reference to Cain's statement, "I am Mahan," as part of his pact with
Satan in the 1830 Book of Moses, long before 1830, one of the names of Satan
was "Mahoun," prounounced "Mahan" (Jamieson 1808, s.v.
"Mahoun;" Jamieson 1879, 3:205; T. Davidson 1949, 278). [4] Published
in 1802, "The Sweirers and the Devil," by Scottish poet William
Dunbar, described the satanic pact as "said Mahoun, Renunce thy God, and
cum to me" (Sibbald 1802, 1:291; also T. Davidson 1949, 234). Scottish
witchcraft trials in 1662 recorded Margaret Huggon's testimony concerning a
similar pact, "immediately after your renunciation of your baptism he gave
you a new nam[e] calling you Kathrine Mahoun and Sathan's [sic] name was David
Mahoun." Janet Brugh testified that Satan "gave you one name calling
you Janet Mahoun and called his name to you Watt Mahoun" (Begg 1888, 234,
237; Craigie 1937, 4:12). Like the references to secret combinations in the
Book of Mormon, the Book of Moses seemed to portray a satanic pact.
[4]
Despite the name's spelling, an 1818 publication indicated that
"Mahoun" was pronounced "Mahan" to rhyme with region and
garrison (Sharpe 1818, xxii, note).
