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NEW

VOY

TO

North- America 4

Giving a full Account of the CultemsT Commerce, Religion, and ftrange O- pinionsof the Savages of that Country.

with Political Remarks upon the Courts of Portugal and Denmark, and the Pre'fent State of the Commerce of thofc Countries.

Never Printed before.

WRITTEN

By the Baron Lahoni an, Lord Lieutenant of the French Colony at Plaeentia in Newfoundland: Now m England.

vo

L. II.

LO NDON;

?tlZtefJ0t H- Bottom St. PauFs Church-yard ; T (h&mn Umttm, a.^ in Mut^et; and S, M^jhip ia c^

( 1 )

DISCOURSE

OF THE

Habit, Houfes, Complexion and Temperament

OF THE

SAVAGES

OF

NORTH-JMERICA

TH E Grecian Chronologers who divi- ded the courfe of Time into three Pe« riodsj namely the ilfiM»X#r, or that which is wrapt up in Obfcurity, the pvQixiv, alias itmitivy or that which was the feafon of Fi&ion and Fables, and the \seem* which af- fords us true and creditable A&ions : Thefe Chronologers^ I fay, might have fav'd them- felves the trouble of writing a Thoufand idle Stories relating to the Original of the Inhabi- tants of the Earth ,• for the invention of Wri- ting being unknown to them before the Siege of Troy9 they had no other Standard to con- A a fult

HH

2 SWe N^ ^fydgw

fult but the Fabulous Manufcripts of the E- gyptians and Chaldeans, who were a Phanatick Superfluous fort of People. But fuppofmg the Egyptians and Chaldeans to have invented the Art of Writing, what Credit can we give to the accounts of things that are faid to have happen'd before the date of that Invention ? In all pro- bability they knew no more of the matter than the Americans, and upon that fcore 'twas very hard for them to give a faithful Narrative of the Adventures and Exploits of their Anceftors. I am now fully convinced that Tradition is fo in- conftant, oblcure, uncertain and fallacious, that we cann't pretend to rely upon it. And this Notion I owe to the Savages of Canada, who being at a lofs to trace the truth of what has been tranfacfted in their own Country but 200 Years ago, gave me occafion to call in Queftion the Purity and Truth of Tradition. Upon this lay you may eafily apprehend, that thefe poor People are as little acquainted with their own Hiftory and Origin, as the Greeks and Chaldeans were with theirs. Let us therefore content our felves, my good Friend, in believing that they are defcended of honeft old Adam, as well as you and I.

I have read fome Hiftories of Canada, which were writ at feveral times by the Monks, and muftown that they have given fome plain and exad Defcriptions of fuch Countries as they knew ; but at the lame time they are widely miftaken in their Accounts of the Manners and Cuftoms of the Savages. The Recollets brand the Savages for ftupid, grofs and ruftick Perfons, uncapable of Thought or Reflection- : But the Jefuics give them ether fort of Language, for they intitle them to good Senfe, to a tenacious Memory, and to a quick Apprehenfion feafon'd

with

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3

with a folid Judgment, The former allege that 'tis to no purpofe to preach the Gofpel to a fort of People that have lefs Knowledge than the Brutes, On the other hand the latter ( I mean the Je- fuits ) give it out, that thefe Savages take Plea- sure in hearing the Word of God, and readily apprehend the meaning of the Scriptures. In the mean time, 'tis no difficult matter to point to the Reafons that influence the one and the other to fitch Allegations ; the Myftery is eafily unraveird by thofe who know that thefe two Orders cannot fet their Horfes together in Ca~

I have ken fo many impertinent Accounts of this Country, and thofe written by Authors that pafs'd for Saints ,• that I now begin to believe, that all Hiftory is one continued ^Series of Pyr~ rhonifm. Had I been unacquainted with the Language of the Savages, I might have credi- ted all that was faid of them ,• but the opportu- nity I had of Converfing with that People, ferv'd to undeceive me, and gave me to underftand, that the Recollets and the Jefuits content them- selves writh glancing at things, without taking notice of the ( almoft ) invincible Averfion of the Savages to the Truths of Chriftianity. Both the one and the other had good reafon to be cautious of touching upon that String. In the mean time fuffer me to acquaint you, that upon this Head I only fpeak of the Savages of Cana- da, excluding thofe that live beyond the River of MiJJifip, of whofe Manners and Cuftoms I could not acquire a perfedScheme,by reafon that I was unacquainted with their Languages, not to mention that I had not time to make any long ftay in their Country. In the Journal of my Voyage upon the long River, I acquainted you that they are a very polite People, which you A a 2 will

4 Some New Voyages

will likewife infer from the Circumftances men- tion^ in that Difcourfe.

Thofe who have reprefented the Savages to be as rough as Bears, never had the opportunity of feeing them ,• for they have neither Beard nor Hair in any part of their Body, not fo much as under their Arm-pits. This is true of both Sexes, if I may credit thofe who ought to know better than L Generally they are proper well made Perfons, and fitter Companions to Ame- rican than to European Women. The Iroquefe are of a larger Stature, and withal more Valiant and Cunning than the other Nations ; but at the fame time they are neither fo Nimble nor fo Dexterous at the Exercifes of War or Hunting, which they never go about but in great Num- bers. The Ittinefe, the Oumamis, and the Outa- gatnins^ with feme other adjacent Nations, are of an indifferent fize, and run like Greyhounds, if the Comparifon be allowable. The Outaouas, and moft of the other Savages to the Northward, (ex- cepting the Sauteurs and the Cllfiinos ) are cow- ardly, ugly, and ungainly Fellows ,• but the Hurons are a brave, aftive and daring People, refembling the Jroyueje in their Stature and Countenance.

All the Savages are of a Sanguine Conftituti- on, inclining to an Olive Colour, and generally fpeaking they have good Faces and proper Per- fons. 'Tis a great rarity to find any among them that are Lame, Hunch-back'd, One-ey'd, Blind, or Dumb. Their Eyes are large and black as well as their Hair ,• their Teeth are White like Ivory, and the Breath that fprings from their Mouth in expiration is as pure as the Air that they fuck in in Jnfpiration, notwithft.anding they eat no Bread ,• which fliews that we are miftaken in Europe, in fancying that the eating of M$at

without

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without Bread makes one's breath ftink. They are neither fo ftrong nor fo vigorous as moft of the French are in raifing of Weights with their Arms, or carrying of Burdens on their Backs ; but to make amends for that, they are indefati- gable and inur'd to Hardftiips, infomuch that the Inconveniences of Cold or Heat have no im- preffion upon them,* their whole time being fpent in the way of Exercife, whether in running up and down at Hunting and Fifhing, or in Dan- cing and playing at Foot-ball, or fuch Games as require the Motion of the Legs.

The Women are of an indifferent Stature, and as handfom in the Face as you can well imagine ; but then they are fo fat, unwieldy and ill-built, that they'l fcarce tempt any but Savages. Their Hair is rolled up behind with a fort of Ribband, and that Roller hangs down to their Girdle j they never offer to cut their Hair during the whole Courfe of their Lives, whereas the Men cut theirs every Month. Twere to be wiflied, that the fame good luck which led them to the obfervation of this, had thrown them upon the other Advices of St. Paul. They are covered from the Neck to under the Knee, and always put their Legs a crofs when they fit. The Girls do the fame from their Cradle ; if the Word be not improper, for there is no fuch thing as a Cradle among the Savages. The Mothers make ufe of certain little Boards fluffed with Cotton, upon which the Children lye as if their Backs were glued to them, being fwaddled in Linnen, and kept on with Swathbands run through the fides of the Boards. To thefe Boards they tye Strings, by which they hang their Children upon the^Branches of Trees, when they are a- bout any thing in the Woods.

Aa 2

The

Some New Voyages

The old and the married Men have a piece of Stuff which covers them behind, and reaches half way down their Thighs before ; whereas the young Men are ftark naked all over. They alledge that Nakednefs is no infra&ion upon the Meafures of Decency, any otherwife than as it is contrary to the Cuftom of the Europeans, and condemn'd by the Notion that they have of it. However, both the young and the old hang up- on their Backs in a carelefs way a Covering of Hide or of Scarlet , when they go abroad to Walk or to make Vifits. They have likewife a fort of Cloaks or Coats calculated for the Seafon, when they go a Hunting or upon War- like Expeditions, in order to guard off the Cold in Winter, and the Flies in Summer. Upon fuch occafions they make ufe of a fort of Caps madeun the form of a Hat, and Shooes of Elk or Hart Skins, which reach up to their mid- Leg.

Their Villages are Fortified with double Pa- liffadoes of very hard Wood, which are as thick as one's Thigh, and fifteen Foot high, with lit- tle Squares about the middle of the Courtines. Commonly their Huts or Cottages are Eighty Foot long, Twenty five or Thirty Foot deep, and Twenty Foot high. They are cover'd with the Bark of young Elms,- and have two Alco- ves, one on the right Hand and the other on the left, being a Foot high and nine Foot broad, between which they make their Fires , there being vents made in the Roof for the Smoak. Upon the fides of the two Alcoves there are little Clofets or Apartments in which the young Women or married Perfons lye upon little Beds rais'd about a Foot from the Ground. To Conclude, one Hut contains three or four Families.

The

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The Savages are very Healthy, and unac- quainted with an infinity of Difeafes, that plague the Europeans, fuch as the Palfejr, the Dropfey, the Gout, thzPhtbifick, the Afihma, the Gravel, and the Stone : But at the fame time they are liable to the Small-Vox, and to Thurifies. If a Man dies at the Age of Sixty Years, they think he dies young, for they commonly live to Eighty or an Hundred,- nay, I met with two that were turnd of an Hundred feveral Years. But there are fome among them that do not live fo long^ becaufe they voluntarily fiiorten their Lives by poyfoning themfelves, as I fhall ftiew you elfe- where. In this Point they feem to join iffue with Zeno and the Stoicks, who vindicate Self- Murther ; and from thence I conclude., that the Americans are as great Fools as thefe great Philo- fophers.

A jbort View of the Humors andCufloms of the SAVAGES.

THE Savages are utter Strangers to diftin&i- ons of Property, for what belongs to one is equally anothers. If any one of them be in danger at the Beaver Hunting the reft fly to his Affiftance without being fo much as askU IfhisFufee burfts they are ready to offer him their own. If any of his Children be -kill* d or taken by the Enemy, he is prefently furniflf d with as many Slaves as he hath occafion for. Mo- ney is in ufe with none of them but thofe that are Chriftians.who live in the Suburbs of our Towns. The others will not touch or fo much as look upon Silver., but give it the odious Nameof the French Serpent. They'l tell you that amoxigft A a 4 * m

8 Some New Voyages

us the People Murther, Plunder, Defame,and be- tray one another, for Money, that the Husbands make Merchandize of their Wives, and the Mo- thers of their Daughters, for theLucre of that Me- /l . j l y think k Accountable that one Man {"0lrd j more than another, and that the Rich mould have more Refped than the Poor. In fhort, they fay, the name of Savages which we beltow upon them would fit our felves bet- ter, fince there is nothing in our Atfions that bears an appearance of Wifdom. Such as have been in France were continually teazing us with the Faults and Diforders they obferv'd in our Towns, as being occafion'd by Money. 'Tis in vain to remonftrate to them how ufeful the Di- ftiniaon of Property is for the fupport of a So- ciety : They make a Jeft of what's to be faid on that Head. In fine, they neither Quarrel nor *ight, nor Slander one another. They feoff at Arts and Sciences, and laugh at the difference of Degrees which is obferv'd with us. They

uT rS-r0r. Slaves> and cal1 us miferable Souls, whole Life is not worth having, alledging, That we degrade our felves in fubjeaing our felves to one Man who poffefles the whole Power, and is bound bynoLaw but his own Will,That we have continual Jars among our felves ; that our Chil- dren rebel againft their Parents,- that we Impri- lon one another, and publickly promote our own Deftruftion, Befides, they value themfelves a- bove any thing that you can imagine, and this is ?„? theyalways give for't, That one's at much Mafier as another, and fince Men are all made of the fame clay there field he no Diftinaion or S(t- perwnty among them. They pretend that their contented way of Living tar furpaffes our Jsjcnes ,• That all our Siences are not i'o valu- able as the Art of leading a peaceful calm Life ,•

That

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That a Man is not a Man with us any father than Riches will make him ; but among them the true Qualifications of aMan are, to run well, to hunt, to bend the Bow and manage the Fuzee i to work a Cannoo , to underftand War, to know Forrefts, to fubfift upon a little, to build Cotta- ges, to tell Trees, and to be able to travel an hundred Leagues in a Wood without any Guide, or other Provifion than his Bow and Arrows. They lay, we are great Cheats in felling them bad Wares four times dearer than they are worth, by way of Exchange for their Beaver-skins : That our Fuzees are continually burfting and laming them, after they have paid fufficient Prices for them. I wifh I had time to recount the innume- rable Abfurdities they are guilty of relating to our Cuftoms, but to be particular upon that Head would be a Work of Ten or Twelve Days.

Their Victuals are either Boild or roafted, and^ they lap great quantities of the Broath, both of Meat and of Fiih : They cannot bear the tafte of Sak or Spices, and wonder that we are able to live fo long as thirty Year?, confidering curWincs, our Spices, and our Immoderate Uie ot Women. They dine generally Forty or Fifty in a Compa- ny, and fomtimes above Three Hundred : Two Hours before they begin they employ themfeives in Dancing, and each Man lings his Explcics,and thofe of his Anceftors ; they dance but one at a time, while the reft are fet on the Ground, and mark the Cadence with an odd Tone. He, He, He, He ; after which every one riles and dances in Lis turn.

The Warriers attempt nothing without the Ad- vice of the Council, which is compofed or the Old Men of the Nation j thru is to fey3 fuch as are above Sixty: Before they are ailembied a

Cryer

i o Some New Voyages

Oyer gives notice of it through all the Streets in the Village : Then thefe old Old Men run to a certain Cottage defign'd for that purpofe, where they feat themfelves in a Square Figure; and after they have weigh'd what is propos'd for the bene- fit of the Nation, the Speaker goes out of the Cottage, and the Young Men get about him, and Kften with great attention to the Refolves of the Old ones, crying out at the end of every Sentence Thais Good. *

They have feveral forts of Dances/The prin- cipal is that of the CW*~ met; the reft are the Chiefs or Commanders Dance , the Warriers Dance , the Marriage Dance, and the Dance of the Sacrifice. They differ from one another both in the Cadence and

Lli i r , in the LeaPs; but 'tis

impoflible to defcribe them, for that they havefo httle refemblance to ours. That of the Calumet k the mod grave and handfome • but they don't per- form that but upon certain Occafions, *Hi When Strangers pafs through their Country, or when their Enemies fend Ambaffadors to treat of a Peace. If they approach to a Village by Land, when they're ready to enter, they depute one of this Number, who advances, and proclaims, that he brings the Calumet of Peace • the reft flopping M the mean time, till he calls to them to come: Then feme of the Young Men march out of the Village, at the Gate of which they form an Oval Figure, and when the Strangers are come up to tnem, they dance all at a time, forming a Second Oval round him that bears the Calumet : This

Dance

All thefe Dances may be compared ^Minerva's Pyrrhi- che. for -while the Savages dance with a Singular Gravi- ty, they humour the Cadences Sf certain Songs, which AchiJ- hs'sMalitia called Hyperche- matica. I am at a lofs to in- form you whether the Savages bad thefe Songs from the Gre- cians , or the Grecians from the Savages.

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Dance continues half an Hour. Then they re- ceive the Travellers with fome Ceremony, and conduit them to a Feaft. The Ceremonies are the fame to thofe that come by Water, with this difference, that they fend a Canoo to the Foot of the Village, with the Calumet of Fcace, upon its Prow, in the fliape of a Maft, and one comes from the Village to meet 'em. The Dance of War is done in a Circle, during which the Sava- ges are feated on the Ground. He that dances moves from the Right Hand to the Left, finging in the mean time the Exploits of himfelf and his Anceftors. At the end of every Memorable A&i- on, he gives a great Stroke with a Club upon a Stake plac'd in the middle of the Circle, near certain Players, who beat Time upon a fort of a Kettle-Drum • Every one rifes in his turn tofing his Song : And this is commonly pra&is'd when they go to War, or are come from it.

The greateft Paffion of the Savages connfts in the Implacable Hatred they bear to their Ene- mies ; that is, all Nations with whom they are at Open War : They value themfelves mightily upon their Valour,* infomuch that they have fcarce any regard to any thing elfe. One may fay, That they are wholly govern'd by Temperament, and their Society is perfect Mechanifm. They have neither Laws, Judges, nor Priefts ,• they are na- turally inclin'd to Gravity, which makes them very circumfpedl in their Words and Actions. They obferve a certain Medium between Gayety and Melancholy. The French Air they could not away with ; and there was none but the young- er fort of them that approv'd of our Fafhi- ons.

I have fccn Savages when they've come a great way, make no other Compliment to the Family than, I am arrivd^ I wijh all of you a great deal of

Honour*

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I 2 Sowe New Voyages

Honour. Then they take their Pipe quietly with- out asking any Queftions : When that's done, they 1 fay, Heark'e Friend, I am come from fitch a Place, I faw fuch a Thing, &c When you ask a Queftion, their Anfweris exceeding concife, nn- lefs they are Members of the Council ,• otherwife you'll hear 'era fay, Thais Good ,• That Jignifies nought ; That's admirable ; That has Reafon in4t • Thais 'valiant.

If you tell a Father of a Family that his Chil- dren have fignaliz'd themfelves againft the Ene- my, and have took feveral Slaves, his Anfwer is Ihort, Thais Good, without any farther Enquiry If you tell him his Children are flain, he'll fay iml mediately, That fignifies nought, without asking how it happen'd? When ajefuit preaches to them the Truth of the Chriftian Religion, the Prophecies, Miracles, &c. they return you, a Thais wonderful', and no more. When the French tell them of the Laws of a Kingdom ,• the Juftice, Manners and Cuitoms of the Europeans , they'll repeat you a hundred times, Thais reafonable. If you difcourfe them upon an Enterprife of great importance, or tfiats difficult to execute, or which requires much tnouglu, they'll fay, Thai s Valiant, without ex- plaining themfelves, and will liften to the end of your Difcourfe with great attention : Yet 'tis to beobferved, when they're with their Friends in private they'll argue with as much boldnefs as thole of the Council. 'Tis very ftrange, that ha: nog no advantage of Education, but being dire- fted only by the Pure Light of Nature, they iaouldbeable to furnifh Matter for a Conference which often lafts above three Hours, and which turns upon all manner of Things,- and mould ac- quit themfelves of it fo well, that I never repen- ted the time I (pent with thefe truly Natural Phi- lofophers.

When

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When a Vific is paid to a Savage, at going in you muft fay, lam come to fee fuch an one: Then Fa- thers, Mothers, Wives, Children go out, or with- draw themfeives to an Apartment at one end ot the Cottage, and be who you will, come not near you to interrupt your Converfation. The Faihi- on is for him that is viiited, to offer you to eat, drink and fmoak ; and one may ufe an entire free- dom with them, for they don't much mind Com- pliments. If one means to vifit a Woman, the Ceremony's the fame; lam come to fee fuch an one j then every Body withdraws, and you tarry alone with her you come to fee ,• but you muft not mention any thing Amorous in the Day time, as I ftiall inform you elfe where.

Nothing furprizdme more than to obferve the Quarrels between their Children at play : A little after they are warm'd, they'll tell one another, Toti have no Soul, Toure wicked, Toure treacherous : la the mean time their Companions who make a Ring about them, hear all quietly, without tak- ing one fide or t'other till they fall to play again: If by chance they come to Blows, the reft divide themfeives into two Companies, and carry ths Quarrelers home.

They are as ignorant of Geography as of other Sciences, and yet they draw the moft exad Maps imaginable ot the Countries they're acquainted with, for there's nothing wanting in them but the Longitude and Latitude of Places : They fet down the True North according to the Pole Star; The Ports, Harbours, Rivers, Creeks and Coafts, of the Lakes; theRoads,Mountains,Wcods,Marfh- es, Meadows,^, counting the diftances by Jour- neys and Half-journeys of the Warriers, and al- lowing to every Journey Five Leagues. Thefe Cho- .rcgrafhical Maps are drawn upon theRind of your Binh Tree i and when the Old Men hold a Coun- cil

*4 Some New Voyages

SS: °r Humi^ th^ -l-ays fureto

The Year of the Outaoms, the Outatmis the

leveral other Savages, confifts of Twelve-Synodi-

Thii?MoSl°nthsVWith tWs diff^nce, when

2&f fF* they add one %e<™-

LoTm„ ac make, * UP' which they «U the

*£k T 'J? !u°mc thenCe be§In their Account S ,u u ter the former Method. AH thefe Months have very Stable Names,- for Inftance V/hat we name Mant> thevcall lh?w • »J ' for rhpn ,-k,=,w • , -J a11 tne Worm-Moon ,

tor then theWorms quit the Hallow Chops of the rrees where they fhelter'd themfelvesin ?t\ eW n gr. April is call'd * iuwj c/ P/ J" "Jjffigj Flown and fo of the others. 1 Yay* at he end of thefe Thirty Month, the next thatfol

Zle ^nTen^ uand "^ counted ft Ex- ample-_ We 11 fuppofe the Month of March to be

Itl arTu ^-Months, and confequently

ted the Month of .jgrtfj whereas the Lofi Moon takes place of it, and muft be over before £

Kllhetttf^ aPin' and this MoS with the others, makes about a Year and an half

th£eCFiS?ny ta^n° Weeks^ thgy ™kS from

Mnnrh? V^ Twemy ?ixth of thefe fort of Mon h d thatcontains uft tha£f f «

SS tlflT* e^»PP«»nce of theiSSa , Nl&.> t'l having fimfh'd itsCourfe it become* almoft invifiblein theMorning -andtnis thev "a

SJSST*?****- Fo'inftance "a Sa- vage will fay, /«,«,, away thefia f b M h f

aZ%L th\M°mh Indian-Corn (the fame with

and ; 7iFV ^S for the remaining three Days and a half of the Dead-Moon, during which 'tis

impoffi-

to North-America,, i 5

impoffible to be difcern'd ? they give them tho Name of the Naked Days. They make as little ufe of Hours as Weeks, having never got the way of making Clocks or Watches ; by the help of which little Inftruments, they might divide the Natural Day into equal Parts. For this Reafon, They are forc'dto reckon the Natural Day as well as the Night, by Quarters, Half, and Three-quar- ters, the Riling and the Setting-Sun, the Fore- noon and the Evening. As they have a wonder- ful Idea of any thing that depends upon the Atten- tion of the Mind, and attain to an Exacft Know- ledge of many Things by Long Experience : To crofsaForeft (Torlnftance) of a Hundred Leagues in a ftrait Line , without ftraying either to the Right or Left ,- to follow the Trad of a Man or Beaft upon the Grafs or Leaves: So they know the Hour of the Day and Night exadly, even when it is fo cloudy, that neither Sun nor Stars ap- pear. I impute this Talent to a fteddy command of Mind, which is not natural to any but thofe whofe Thoughts are as little diftra&ed as thefe Mens are.

They are more furpriz'd to fee fome little Pro- blemes of Geometry put in Pradice, than we would be to fee Water turn d into Wine. They tookmy-Grapbometerfov fomewhatDivine,being un- able to guefs how we could know the diftance of Places without meafuring them by Cords or Rods, without there were fome Supernatural Affiftance. Longimetry pleas' d them far more than Altimtry, becaufe they thought it more lie- ceflary to know the breadth of a River, than height of a Tree, &c I remember one Day in a Village of the Outaouas at MijJiUmakinac a Slave brought into the Cottage where I was, a fort of Veffel made of a chick piece of foft Wood, which he had borrowed on purpofe, in which

>ie

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Some TSlew Voyages

lie pretended to preferve Mapletree- Water. All the Savages which faw this Veffel, fell to argu- inghow much it would hold, and witli that view- call d for a Pot, and for Water to determine the matter by Meafuring. The humor took me to lay with them a Wager of a Treat, that I could tell the Quantity of Water that would fill it bet- ter than they. So that finding by my Compu- tation, that it held about 248 Pots, or therea- bouts, I went to make the Tryal, and made them not a little wonder that it fail'd but one or two Pots; upon which I perfwaded them, that the Pots that were wanting were fuck'd up by the new Wood. But what was moft pleafant they were continually begging me to teach them Stereometry, that they might make ufe of it up- on occafion: 'T was to no purpofe to tell them twas impoffible they mould underftand it, tho' there were Reafons for't that might convince any body but Savages. They prefs'd me fo much to t that I could not be quiet till I was fore'd to tell them, that no body could do it to Perfedi- on but the Jefuits.

The Savages prefer your little Convex Glaffes or two Inches Diemeter to any others, becaufe they give but a faint Reprefentation of the Pim- ples and Bloches upon their Faces. I remember that while I was at Mifdimakinac, one of the 1 edlers call'd Coureurs de Bois, brought a Con- vex Glafs that was pretty large, and confequent- ly reprefented the Face with fome Deformity. All the Savages that faw this Piece of Catop- trics, thought it no lefs Miaculous than the a- waker of a Clock, or a Magical Lanthern, or the Spring of a Marchine. But what was moft Comical, there was among the reft of the Specta- tors a Huronefe Girl who told the Pedlar in a io- cofe way, That if the Glafs had the Vertue of Mag.

nifftng

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ritffmgthe Objetts really, as it did in appearance y all her Jhe Companions would gi<Ve him in Exchange as many .Beaver Skins as. would make his Fortune.

The Savages have the moft happy Memory in the World. They can carry their Memory fo far back, that when our Governors or their Depu- ties treated with them about War, Peace or Trade, and propofed things contrary to what was offer'd Thirty or Forty Years ago ; They reply, That the French are falfe, and change their Opinion every Hour, that 'tis fo many Years fince they faid fo and fo ,• and to confirm it bring you the Porcelain Colier that was given them at that time. You remember I acquaint- ed you in my Seventh Letter, that the Coliers are the Symbols of Contra&s, without which they conclude no Bufinefs of Moment.

They pay an infinite Deverence to Old Age. the Son that Laughs at his Father's Advice fliall tremble before his Grandfather. In a Word, they take the Ancient Men for Oracles, and follow thek Counfel accordingly. If a Man tell his Son 'tis time he fliould Marry, or go to Che War, or the Hunting, or Shooting ! he fliall anfwer carleftly, That's Valiant , I thought fo, But if his Grandfather tell him fo, the Anfwer is, That's good, It Jball be done. If by chance they kill a Partrige, a Goofe, or Duck, or catch any delicate Fifli, they never fail to prefent \t to their oldeft Relations.

The Savages are wholly free from Care ; they do nothing but Eat, Drink, Sleep, and ramble a- bout in the Night when they are at their Villa- ges. Having no fet Hours for Meals, they Eat when they're hungry ,• and commonly do it in a large Company, Feafting here and there by turns. The Women and Girls do the fame a- mong themfelves, and don't admit any Men into B h their

1 8 Some TSLew Voyages

their Company at that time. The Women Slaves are employed to Sow and Reap the Indian-Corn ; and the Men Slaves have for their Bufinefs the Hunting and Shooting where there is any Fa- tigue, tho' their Matters will very ofteq help them. They have three forts of Games. Their Game of Counters is purely Numerical, and he that can Add, Subftrad, Multiply and Divide beft by thefe Counters is the Winner. This de- pends purely upon the Mind. Another Game which is Hazard and Chance, is perform'd with eight little Stones, which are Black on one fide and White on the other. They're put on a Plate which they lay on the Ground, throwing the little Stones up in the Air,and if they fall fo as to turn up the Black fide 'tis good luck. The odd number wins, and eight Whites or Blacks wins double, but that happens but feldom. They have a third Play with a Ball not unlike our Tennis, but the Balls are very large, and the Rackets refemble ours, fave that the Handle is at leaft three Foot long. The Savages, who commonly play at it in large Companies of three or four Hundred at a time, fix two Sticks at five or fix Hundred Paces diftance from each other ; They divide into two equal Parties, and tofs up the Ball about half way between the two Sticks. Each Party endeavour to tofs the Ball to their fide ; fome run to the Ball, and the reft keep at a little diftance on both fides to aflift on all Quarters. In fine this Game is fo violent that they "tear their Skins, and break their Legs very often in ftriving to raife the Ball. All thefe Games are made only for Feafts or other trifling Entertainments ,* for 'tis to be obferv'd, that 'as they hate Money3 fo they never put it in the the Ballance^ and one may fay, Intereji ts never the cccafion of Debates among them.

'Tis

to North- Am erica.

r —

I?

'Tis not to bedenied but the Savages are a very fenfible People, and are perfe&ly well acquaint- ed with the Intereft of their Nations. They are great Moraiifts, efpecially when they Criticife on the Manners of the Europeans, and are mightily upon their Guard in our Company, unlefs it be with luch as they are intimately acquainted with. In other Matters they are Incredulous and Obftinate to the laft degree, and are not able to diftinguifii between a Chimerical Suppo- sition and an undoubted Truth, or between a fair and a falfe Confequence, as youl fee in the infuing Chapter; which treats of their Belief and in which I allure you you'l meet with very odd Notions.

The Belief of the Savages, and the Obfiacks of their Qonverfion.

AL L the Savages are convinc'd that there muft be a God, becaufe they fee nothing among Material Beings that fubfifts neceffarily and by its own Nature. They prove the Ex- lftence of a Deity by the Frame of the Uni- verfe, which naturally leads us ,to a higher and Omnipotent Being, from whence it follows, fay they, that Man was not made by chance, and that he's the Work of a Being fuperior in Wif- dom and Knowledge, which they call the Great Spirit, or the Mafter of Life, and which they Adore in the moft abftratfed and fpiritual man- ner. They deliver their Thoughts of him thus, without any fatisfa&ory Definition. The Ex- lftence of God being infeparable from his Ef- fence, it contains every thing, it appears in eve- ry thing, 'ads in every thing, and gives motion \ • B b % to

2 0 ' Some ISlew Voyages .

to every thing. In fine, all that you fee, all that you can conceive, is this Divinity which fubfifts without Bounds or Limits, and without Body ; and ought not to be reprefented under the Fi- gure of an old Mao, nor of any other thing, let it be never fo fine or extenfive. For this Reafon they Adore him in every thing they fee. When they fee any thing that's fine or curious, efpecially when they look upon the Sun or Stars, they cry out, O Great Spirit, we difcern thee in every thing. And in like manner when they refled upon the meaneft Trifles they acknowledge a Creator under the Name of the Great Spirit or Mafier of Life. .

I forgot to tell you that the Savages liften to all the Jefuits Preach to them without the leaft Contradiction. They content themfelves to rail among one another at the Sermons the Fathers make at Ghurch, and if a Savage talks freely to a French-mm he muft be fully aifur'd of his Dif- cretion and Friendfliip. I have been frequently much puzzled to anfwer their impertinent Ob- jections, ( for they can make no others in rela- tion to Religion ) but I ftill brought my felf off by entreating them to give Ear to the Jefuits. To prefent you with a view of their Opinion relating to the Immortality of the Soul: They all believe it,- but not upon the plea that 'tis one fimple fubftance, and that the Deftrucftion of any Natural Being is accompliih'd by the fepara- tion of its Parts ,• they're Strangers to that Ar- gument. All they urge,is, that if the Soul were Mortal, all Men would be equally Happy in this life ,• for God being all Perfection and Wifdom> 'twould be inconfiftent with his Nature to create fome to be Happy and others to be Miferable. So they prove the Immortality of the Soul by the Hardfliips of Life to which aioft Men are

expos'd

to H^-America.

21

exposed, especially the beii of People, when they are Kilfd, Tortur'd, made Prifoners, &c. For they pretend, that by a Condud fome- what ftrange to our Apprehenfion, the Almighty orders a certain number of Creatures to fuffer in this World, that they may be fav'd in the next ; and upon that fcore they cannot en^ dure to hear the Chrifiians fay, Such a one has had the misfortune to be Kill'd, Wounded or made a Slave ,• and look upon what we call a Misfortune to be only fuch in Fancy and Idea, fince nothing comes to pafs but by the Decrees of that infinitely perfect Being, whofe Conduit cannot be Fantaftical ot Capricious, as they falfc ly pretend we Chriftians think it to be. On the contrary they think thofe Perfons have very good Fortune who are Kill'd, Burnt or taken Prifoners. 'Tis the great happinefs of thefe Poor, Blind People, that they will not fuffer them- themfelves to be inftru&ed : For their Opinions are not in all refpeds contrary to theLight of the Gofpel.They believe that God for Reafons above our reach makes ufe ot the Sufferings of good People to difplay his Juftice ,• and in this Point we cannot oppofe them, for 'tis, one of the Prin- ciples of our own Religion : But when they alledge that we look upon theDivinity as a whim- fical fantaftick Being, are they not under the greateft miftake ? The firft and fupreme caufe muft be fuppos'd to make the wifeft choice of means conducing to an end. If then 'tis true, as 'tis a Point of our Belief, that God does per- mit the Sufferings of the Innocent, 'tis our part to Adore hisWifdom3and not be fo arrogant as to Cenfure it. One of the Savages that argued the Point with me, alledg'd that we reprefented the Divinity like a Man that had but a little Arm of the Sea to crofs, and rather chofe to take a B b 3 turn

m

Some New Voyages

turn of five or fix Hundred Leagues about. This Quibble puzzled me a little : For -why, fays he, Jince God can bring Men to Eternal Happinefs by re- warding Vertue and Merit y why does not he go that Jhortefi way to Work ? Why does he conduB a jufi Man to the Eternal Beatitude by the path of Suffer- ings ? Thus 'tis that thefe poor Savages contra- dict themfelves, and from hence it appears, that Jefus Chrift, ottr Lord and Matter, is the only Author of fuch Truths as fupport themfelves, and contain not the leaft ihadow of Contradi&i- on. In a Word, the fingular madnefs of this unfortunate People confifts in denying their Af- fent to any thing but what's vifible and probable. This is the (landing and true Principle of their Religion , when you confider it abftra&edly : But if you ask them in particular why they A- dore God in the Sun, rather than in a Tree or a Mountain ; theirAnfwer is, That they choofe to admire the Deity in publick by pointing to the ffloft glorious thing that Nature affords.-

The Jefuifs ufe their utmoft Efforts to make them fenfible of the Importance of Salvation. They explain to them the Holy Scriptures, and fet forth the manner by which the Law of Chrifi Jejus took place in the World, and the change that it wrought. They lay before them the Prophecies, Revelations and Miracles, by which our Religion is inforc'd. But the poor Wretches are fuch obftinate Infidels, that all the Chara&ers of Truth, Sincerity and Divinity that fliine throughout the Scriptures, have no impreffion upon them- The greateft length that the good Fathers can bring them to, is to acqui- efce after a Savage manner, contrary to what they think. For Inftance, when the Jefuits Preach up the Incarnation of Jefus Chrij?, they'l anfwer, Thais Wonderful : When the Queftion is

put

to North-America.

2 3

put to them, whether they'l turn Chriftians,they reply, that they I conjider of it. x If the fecular Europeans follicit them to come toChurch to hear the Word of God, they reply, '7*r reasonable ,• the meaning of which is, that they'l come ; but at the bottom they have no other defign in ap- proaching to the place of Worftiip, than tofnatch away a Pipe of Tobacco, or to Ridicule the good Fathers, as I intimated above : For they have fuch happy Memories, that I knew ten of my own Acquaintance that had all the Holy Scriptures by Heart.

'Twill be worth your while to hear the thoughts of Reafon that come from thofe Peo- ple who pafs for Beafts among us. They main- tain, That a Man ought never to ftrip himfelf of the Privileges of Reafon, that being the nobleft Faculty with which God hath enrich'd him j and That forafmuch as the Religion of the Chriftians is not put to the teft of their Reafon, it cannot be but that God ridicul'd them in en- joy ning them to confult their Reafon in order diftinguifti Good from Evil. Upon this fcore they affirm that Reafon ought not to be controufd by any Law, or put under a neceffity of ap- proving what it doth not comprehend ,• and in fine, that what we call an Article of Faith is an intoxicating Potion to make Reafon reel and ftagger out of its way ,• forfomuch as the preten- ded Faith may fupport Lies as well as the Truth, if we underftand by it a readinefs to believe without diving to the bottom of things. They pretend that if they had a mind to talk in the Language of the Chriftians, they might with equal right reject the Arguments proposed by the , Chriftians againft their Opinions, and plead that their Opinions are Incomprehenfible Myfteries, and that we mult not pretend to fathom the Se- B b 4 crecs

24 Some New Voyages

Crets of the Almighty, which are plac d fo far above our weak reach.

'Tis in vain to remonftrate to them, That Reafon gives only a faint and dazzling Light which leades thofe to a Precipice that truft to its Direction and Condud: That 'tis a flave to Faith and ought to obey it blindly without disputing, Juft as an Iroquefe Captive does his Matter. "Tis needlefs to reprefent to them, that the Holy Scriptures can contain nothing that's direcftly re- pugnant to right Reafon. They make a jeft of all fuch Remonftrances, for they imagine fo great a Contradi&ion between the Scripture and Reafon, that they think it impoffible for the Advocates of the former to avoid the receiving of very dubious Opinions for certain and evident Truths. Their Prejudice proceeds from this, that they can t be convinc'd, that the Infallibility of the Scripture Is to be made out by the Light of Reafon. The Word Faith is enough to choak them ,• they make a Jeft of it, and alledge that the Writings of paft Ages are falfe, fuppofititious and alter'd,upon the Plea that the Hiftories of our own times are juft-. ly liable to the fame Genfure. They plead, That a Man muft be a Fool who believes that an Omnipotent Being, continued from all Eter- nity, in a ttate of Ina&ivity, and did not think of giving being to Creatures till within thefe five or fix Thoufand Years ; or that at that time God Created Adam on purpofe to have him tempted oy an evil Spirit to eat of an Apple, and that he occafion d all the Mifery of his Pofterity by the pretended tranfmiffion of his Sin. They ridi- cule the Dialogue between Eve and the Serpent, aliedging that we affront God in fuppofing that he wrought the Miracle of giving this Animal the ufe of Speech, with intent to deftroy all tho Humane Race.

To

to No/f/vAmerica.

25

To continue their wild Remonftrances they fay, c 'Tis a thing unheard of, that for the ex- piation of Adams Sin God fliouid put God to Death to fatisfie himfelf ; That the Peace of the World ftiould be brought about by the In- carnation of God and his fhameful Death ; That his Difciples iliould be ignorant Men that fear'd to dye, This, they fay, is ftill the more unaccountable, that the Sin of the firft Father hath done more harm than the Death of the latter hath done good, the Apple having in- tail'd Death on all Men, whereas the Blood of Jefm hath not fav'd one half of them. They ^rgue, c That upon the Humanity of this God " the Chriftians build a Religion without a Foun- dation, which is fubjed to the Changes and Viciflitudes of Humane Affairs. That this Religion being divided and fubdivided into fo many Seds, as thofe of the French, the Eng- HJh, &c. it can be no other than an Human Artifice : For had God been the Author of it, his Providence had prevented fuch diverfity of Sentiments by unambiguous Decifions. That if the Evangelical Law had defcended from Heaven it had not contain d thofe obfcure Say- ings that give rife to the Chriftian Diffenfions; for that God who forefees what is in the Womb of Futurity would have delivered his Precepts in fuch clear and precife terms as Would leave no room for Difputes. c But fuppofing ( continue they ) that this Law defcended from Heaven, which of the Chriftian Seds muft we join with ? For we underftand from an infinite number of Chrifti- ans, that in fome Communions we run the rifque of Damnation. " The great Article that they ftickle moft at is the Incarnation of God. They exclaim againft the fuppofition that the Divine

Word

2 6 Some New Voyages

Word was /hut up for nine Months in the Bow- els of a Woman, and that the fame God came to take up an Earthly Body in this World, and carry 'd it up to his Seat of Blifs. Nay, they car- ry the thing farther, for they rally upon the un- evennefs and inconftancy of Chrifls Will. Tho' he came into the World to dye, fay they, yet it appears that he had no mind to it, and that he was affraid to Die. If the Divinity and Huma- nity had made but one Perfon, he would not have needed to pray or ask for any thing ,• nay, fuppofing that his Divine Nature had not the Af- cendant within him, yet he ought not to have fear'd Death, in regard that the lofs of a Tem- poral Life is nothing to one that is affur'd of re- viving for ever ; he knew for certain where he was a going, and confequently ought to have embraced Death more chearfully than we do, when we Poyfon our felves in order to accompa- ny our Relations to the Country of Souls.

They brand St. Paul for a Phantaftical Man, alledging that he contradids himfelf every Foot, and Reaibns very forrily. They Ridicule the Credulity of the Primitive Chriftians, whom they look upon as fimple and fuperftitious Creatures ; and upon that ; Head take occafion to fay, That the Afoftle Paul would have found a great deal of difficulty in perfwading the People of Canada that he wasraviftid up to the thirdHeav 'en. There's one place of Scripture above all other that they can digeft, viz,. Many are called, but few chofen. Their Com- ment upon it is this, God hath faid, that many are calld but few chofen. and what God fays mufi needs be true. Now, if of three Men only one be favd, and the other two da?nnd, then the Condition of a Stag is pref err able to that of a Man ,• Nay:put it up- on an even lay, and let there be but one Man damn d for one favd, even then the Stag hath the better of

it.

to Norths America.

27

it. This Objection was once put to me by the Rat, or the General of the Savages, when I was a Hunting with him. I reply 'd,that we ought to in- deavour to be in the number of the Chofen by following the Law and the Precepts ofJefwChrift. But my Anfwer did not fatisfie him, for he ftill ran upon the great rifque of two Men damn'd^fbr one fav'd, and that by an immutable Decree, Upon that I refer'd him to the Jefuits, for I durft not tell him, That 'twas in his own Power to procure his Ele&ion : If I had, he had given me lefs Quarter than he did to St. Paul ; for in Religious Matters they always flick to Probabili- ty. This General was not fo void of good Senfe, but that he could think juftly and make true Re- flections upon Religious Matters ; but he was fo prepoffefs'd with an Opinion, that the Chri- ftian Faith was contrary to Reafon, that all the Attempts I made could not convince him of the contrary. When I laid before him the Revela- tions of Mofes and the Prophets, the univerfai Confent of almoft all Nations in owning and acknowledging Jefus Chrifiy the Martyrdom of his Difciples and of the Primitive Chriftians, the perpetual Succeflion of our Sacred Oracles, the entire Deftru&ion of the Jcwijh Republick, and the Deftru&ion of Jerufalem foretold by our Saviour; he ask'd me if my Father or my Grand- father had fecn all thefe Events, and whether I was fo credulous as to take our Scriptures for Truth, fince the Hiftories of Countries writ but t'other Day are found to be Fabulous. He ad- ded. That the Faith which the Jefuits beat their Brains about imported no more than to be per- fwaded of a thing either by feeing it with their Eyes, or by finding it recommended by clear and folid Proofs ,* That thefe Fathers and I were fo far from convincing them of the truth of our

Myfteriesj

28

Some New Voyages

My Aeries, that we only cover'd their Thoughts with Obfcurity and Darknefs

Such, Sir, is the Obftinacy and prepoffeflion of this People. I flatter my felf that this fhort view of their Notions may divert you without Offence. I know that you are too well confirm'd and rivetted in our moil Holy Faith, to receive any dangerous Impreffion from their impious Advances. I allure my felf that you will joyn with me in bemoaning the deplorable ftate of theie ignorant Wretches. Let us jointly admire the depth of the Divine Providence, which per- mits thofe Nations to entertain fuch an Averfion to our Divine Truths ,• and in the mean time let us make the beft ufe of the undeferv d Advan- tage we have over them. Give me leave to ac- quaint you with the Reflexions that thefe fame Savages make upon our ConduA when they confine themfelves to the Subjed of Mora- lity. The Chrijiians, fay they, contemn the Precepts of the Son of God, they make a Je(t of his Prohibiti- ons, and doubt of the Sincerity of his Expreffions * for they counteratl his Orders without intermiffion, and rob him of the Worjhip which he claims as his dues by faying it to Silver, to Beavers, and to their own Interefi. They murmur again]} Heaven and him when things go crofs with them ,• they go about their ufual Bujinefs on fuch Days as are fet apart for Works of Piety and Devotion, and fpend both that and the other parts of their time in Gaming, Drinking to excefs, Fighting and Scold'mg. Infiead of Comforting their Parents they leave them for a Sacrifice to Hunger and Mifery, and not only deride their Counfel, but wijh impatiently for their Death, In the Night time, all of them, barring the jefults, roll from Houfe to Houfe to debauch the Wo- men Savages, They Murther one another every Day upon the Plea of Theft or Affronts, or upon the fcore cf JVowen ; they Pillage and Rob one another without

any

to North-America.

2$

any regard to the tyes of Blood or Friendjhip, as often as they meat with an opportunity of doing it with im- punity. They befpatter and defame one another with outragious Calumnies ; and make no fcruple to lye when they find' twill ferve their Inter efi. They are not fa- tisfied with the Company of fwgle Women, hut de- bauch other Mens Wives ; and thefe Adulterous Wo- men bring forth in the abfeence of their Husbands a fpurious Off-fpring, that are at a lofs to know their Fathers. In fine, ( continue they ) though the Chrifiians are fo docile as to believe the Humanity of God, which is the mofl unreafonable Article that can he ; yet they feem to doubt of his Precepts, and in- cejfantly tranfgrefs them, notwithstanding they are very i pure and reafonable. I ftiould never come to ait end, if I enter'd into the Particulars of their Sa- vage way of Reafoning ; and for that reafon ' twill be more proper to take leave of this Sub- led, and pafs dire&ly to the manner of Worlhip which they offer to their great Spirit or God, call'd Kitchi Manitou. A view of that will be more agreeable than the tedious Series of this fort of Philofophy, which at the bottom is but too true, and affords matter of Grief to all good Souls that are perfwaded of the Truth of Ghii- ftianity.

The way of Worfhip, ufed by the Savages.

BEfore we launch out into the particulars of their Worfhip, 'twill be proper to remark

that the Savages give the name of Genius or Spirit to all that furpaffes their Underftanding, and proceeds from a caufe that they cannot trace. Some of thefe Spirits they take to be Good,^ and feme Bad j of the former fort are the Spirit of

Steams,

}o Some New Voyages

Dreams, the Mkhlbkhi mentioned in my lift of Animals, a Solar Quadrant, an Alarm Watch, and an infinity of other things that feem to them to be inconceivable. Of the latter fort are Thunder, Hail falling upon their Com , a great Storm and in a word every thing that tends to their Prejudice, and proceeds from a caufe that they are ignorant oh u a Fufee burft either through the fault of the Metal, or by being over Loaded, and Maims a Man they 11 tell you there was an Evil Spirit lodg d within it. If by chance the Branch of a Iree put out a Mans Eye, the efFed is owing to an Evil Spirit ,• If a fudden guft of Wind furprifes em in a Canow about the middle of their Paffage acrofs the Lakes, 'tis an Evil Spirit that difturbs the Air; if the dregs of any Violent Diftemper robs a Man of his Reafon, 'tis an Evil Spirit that Torments him. Thefe Evil Spirits they call Match Manitous, and Gold and Silver they lift into that number. However 'tis to be obferv'd that they talk of thefe Spirits in a Bantering way, or much after the fame manner that our fhrewd Eu- ropeans rally upon Magicians and Sorcerers.

Here I cannot forbear to repeat once more that the Hiftorical Accounts oi Canada, areas icarce as the Geographical Maps of that Country .- for I never met with a true one but once,and that in the hands of a«^MJendeman,theImpreffion of which was afterwards Prohibited at Paris, but for what reafon I know not. I mention this with fM j oCO their °Pinion of" the Devil; for it is alledg'd that the Savages are acquainted with the DevU. I have read a thoufand Ridiculous Stories Writ by our Clergymen, who maintain that the Savages have conferences with him, and not only coniult him, but pay him a fort of Homage. •Now all thefe advances are ridiculous; form earneft, the Devil nsver appear 'd to thefe Ame~

ricans.

to North- America.

3»

ricans. I ask'd an infinity of Savages whether the Devil was ever feen among 'era in the ftxape of a Man or any other Animal ; I likewife confulted upon this head the ingenioufeft of their Mounte- banks orjugglersj who are a very Comical fort of Fellows ( as you fttall hear anonj) and it may be reafonably prefum'd that if ever the Devil appear'd to 'em, they had been fare to have told me of it. In fine, after ufing all poffible means for a perfect knowledg of this matter; I conclu- ded that thefe Ecclefiafticks did not underftand the true importance of that great word Matchl Manitou, ( which fignifies an Evil Spirit , Matchl being the word for Evil and Manitou for Spirit * ) For by the Devil they underftand fuch things as are offenfive to 'em, which in our Language comes near to the fignification of Misfortune , Fate, Unfavourable Deftiny, &c. So that in fpeaking of the Devil they do not mean that Evii Spirit that in Europe is reprefented under the fi- gure of a Man, with a long Tail and great Horns and Claws.

The Savages never Offer Sacrifices of Living , Creatures to the Kitchi Manitou ; for their com- mon Sacrifices upon that occafion are the Goods that they take from the French in exchange for Beavers. Several perfons of good Credit have inforrn'd me, that in one day they Burnt at Miffili- makinac Fifty Thoufand Crowns worth of fuch Goods. I never faw fo Expenfive a Ceremony, my felf: But let that be as it will, the particular circumftances of the Sacrifice are thefe. The Air muft be Clear and Serene, the Weather Fair and Calm,- and then every one brings his Offering and laies it upon the Wood- Pile: When the Sun mounts higher the Children make a Ring round the Pile, with pieces of Bark Lighted, in order to fet it on Fire ; and the Warriours Dance and

Sing

3 z Some New Voyages

Sing round 'em till the whole is Burnt and Con- fumed, while the Old Men make their Harangues addrefs'd to the Kitchi Manitou , and prefent him from time to time with Pipes of Tobacco Lighted at the Sun. Thefe Dances, Songs and Harangues laft till Sun fet, only they allow them- felves fome intervals of Reft, in which they fit down and Smoak at their Eafe.

It remains only (before I make an end of this Chapter) to repeat the very Words of their Ha- rangues pronounc d by the Old Fellows, and of the Songs fung by the Warriors : € Great Spirit, c Mafter of our Lives^ Great Spirit, Mafter of all 'Things bothVifible and Invifible-,GreatSpirit,Ma- cfter of other Spirits, whether good or Evil • c command the Good Spirits to favour thy Chil- dren, thtOutaouas, &c. Command the Evil Spi- € rits to keep at a diftance from 'em. O Great € Spirit, keep up the Strength and Courage of

* our Watriors, that they may be able to ftem the c fury of our Enemies : Preferve the Old Perfons, € whofe Bodies are not quite wafted, that they € may give Counfel to the Young. Preferve our c Children, enlarge their Number, deliver 'em € from Evil Spirits, to the end that in our old Age

* they may prove our Support and Comfort ,• pre- € ferve our Harveft and ourBeafts, if thou mean'ft € that we fliould not die for Hunger : Take care

* of our Villages , and guard our Huntfmen in € their Hunting Adventures. Deliver us from all

* Fatal Surprizes, when thou ceafeft to vouchfafe € us the Light of the Sun.which fpeaks thy Gran- s deur and Power. Acquaint us by the Spirit

* of Dreams, with what thy Pleafure requires of € us, or prohibits us to do. When it pleafes thee c to put a Period to our Lives,fend us to the great c Countrey of Souls, where we may meet with

* thofe of our Fathers, our Mothers, our Wives,

'our

to Nortb-Ametica.

ll

€ our Children, and our other Relations. O Great • Spirit, Great Spirit, hear the Voice of the Nati- € on, give ear to all thy Children, and remember f them at all times.

As for the Songs which the Warriors fing till Sun fet, they are to this purpofe : c Take heart, f the Great Spirit vouchfafes fuch a Glorious Sun,- c Cheer up my Brethren : How great are his c Works ! How fine is the Day .' this Great Spirit f is all Goodnefs; 'tis he that fets all the Springs in f motion,- he ruleth over all: He is pleased to hear € us ,• Let us cheer up my Brethren, we ihall fub- c due our Enemies : Our Fields fhall bear Corn^ f our Hunting ffiall fucceed well ,• we fhall all of c us keep our Health ,• the Old Perfons ihall re- c joice , the Children fliall increafe, and the Na- c tion fhall profper. But now the Great Spirit * leaves us, his Sun withdraws, he has feen the c OHtaouasy&c. Tis done, ay, 'tis done ,♦ the Great c Spirit is fatisfied ,• my Brethren let us pluck up a c good heart.

We muft remark , that the Women likewife makeAddreffes to him, and that commonly when the Sun rifes ,• upon which Occafion they prefent and hold up their Children to that Luminary. When the^un is almoft down, theWarriors march out of the Village, to dance the Dance of the Great Spirit. But after all, there is no Day or Time fix'd for thefe Sacrifices, no more than for the ParticularDances,

Cc

Ah

34

Some Hew Voyages

;■•!

An Account of the Amours and Marriages of the Savages.

I Could recount a thoufand Curious Things re- lating to the Courtfhip, and the way of Mar- rying among the Savages ; but the Relation of fomany Particulars, would be too tedious j lor which Reafon I lhall only confine my fell to what is moft effential to that Subject

It may be juftly feid, .That the Men are as cold and indifferent as the Girls are paffionate and warm. The former love nothing but War and Hunting, and their utmoft Ambition reaches no farther. When they are at home, and have no- thing to do, they run with the Match ,• that is, they are Night-walkers. The Young Men do not marry till they are Thirty Years of Age, tor they pretend that the Enjoyment of Women does fo enervate 'em,that they have not the fame mea- fure of Strength to undergo great Fatigues, and that their Hams are too weak for long Marches, or quick Purfuits : In purluance of this Thought, 'tis alledged, That thofe who have married, or ftroled in the Nights too often, are taken by the Iromefejby reafon of theWeaknefs of their Limbs, and the decay of their Vigour. But after all, we muft not imagine that they live chafte till that Age,- for they pretend that Exceffive Conti- nence occafions Vapours, Diforders of the Kid- neys and a Suppreffion of Urine,- fo that tis ne- ceffary for their Health to have a Run once ; Week.

If the Savages were capable of being fubjeae. to the Empire of Love, they muft needs have ai Extraordinary Command ofthemfelves todilguil

to North-America.

35

thejuft Jealoufie they might have of their Mi- ftreffes, and at the fame time to carry it fair with their Rivals. I know the Humour of the Savages better than a great many French People that have liv'd among ?em all their Life-time ; for I ftudy'd their Cuftoms fo narrowly and exa&ly, that all their Coodud of Life is as perfectly well known to me, as if I had been among em all my Life- time: And 'tis thisExad Knowledge that prompts me to fay, That they are altogether Strangers to that Blind Fury which we call Love. They con- tent themfelves with a Tender Friend/hip, that is not liable to all the Extravagancies that the Paf- fion of Love raifes in fuch Breafts as harbour it: In a word, they live with fuch Tranquility, that one may call their Love Simple Goodwill, and their Difcretion upon that Head is unimaginable. Their Friendship is firm, but free of Tranfport * for they are very careful in preferving theLiberty and Freedom of their Heart, which they look up- on as the moft valuable Treafure upon Earth : From whence I conclude that they are not alto- gether fo favage as we are.

The Savages never quarrel among themfelves, neither do they reproach or affront one another ,• One man among them is as good as another, for all are upon the fame Level. They have noBifor- ders occafidn d by a Girl or a Wife, for the Wo- men are Wife, and fo are their Husbands: The Girls indeed are a little foolilh, and the Young Men play the fool with them not unfrequently : But then you muft confider that a Young Woman is allow'd to do what flie pleafes • let her ConW dud be what it will, neither Father nor Mother!, Brother nor Sifter can pretend to controul hen A Young Woman, fay they, is Matter of her own Body, and by her Natural Right of Liberty is free to do what flic pleafes. But on the other \ Cc 2 hand

3 6 Some New Voyages

hand the Married Women being allowed the Fri- viledge of quitting their Husbands when they pleafe, had as good be dead as be guilty of Adul- ' tery. In like manner, the Husbands being enti- tled to the fame Priviledge, would look upon themfelves as infamous, if they were faithleis to their Wives.

Nothing of Intrigue orCourtihip muft be men- tion^ to the Savage Ladies in the Day time, for they will not hear it ; they'll tell you the Night- time is the raoft proper feafon for that ; infomuch that if a Youth fhould by chance accoaft a Girl in the Day-time,after this manner, I love thee more than the Light of the Sun (fuch is their Phrafe) Mfi- en to what I fay 3 &c ftie would give him fome Af- front, and withdraw. This is a general Rule, that whoever defigns to win the Affe&ion of a Girl, muft fpeak to her in the Day-time, of things that lie remote from the Intrigues of Love. One may converfe with them privately as long as he will, and talk of a thoufand Adventures that hap- pen every minute, upon which they make their Replies very pleafantly ,• for you cannot imagine what a Gay and Jovial Temper they are of j they are very apt to laugh, and that with a very engag- ing Air. 7Tis at thefe Private Interviews that theSavagesfmell out theYoungWomensThoughtsj for though the Subject of their Difcourfe is of an Indifferent Strain, yet they talk over nicer Sub- 'j0s in the Language of their Eyes. After a Young Man has paid two or threeVifits tohisMi- ftrefs, and fancies that fhe has look'd upon him with a favourable Eye , he takes the follow- ing Courfe to know the Truth of the Mat- ter.

You muft take notice, that forafrauch as the Sa- vages are Strangers to Meum and Tuuniy to Superi- ority and Subordination j and live in a State of

Equality

■*■«■*

Jiff

ap/croatfiitip /vi'tA a torch to Alt mtftriffcs "ejecting his offers covers her /ace rvith tAe Coverlet .

.A Savage carrutiza cttorckio a Sec/tide of /lis mtstrtfs, tv/to s/tetvs Aer consent to admit /iimbyltbivinaoiit the Ithht

to No^-America.

37

Equality purfuant to the Principles of Nature ; they are underno apprehenfion of Robbers or Se- cret Enemies, fo that their Huts are open Night and Day. You muft know farther, that Two Hours after Sun-fet, the Old Superannuated Per- &Qfo or the Slaves (who never lie in their Ma- jors Huts) take care to cover up the Fire before they go. 'Tis then that the Young Savage ccmes well wrapt up to hisMiftrefs's Hut, and lights a fort of a Match at the Fire ; after which he opens the Door of his Miftreffes Apartment, and makes up to her Bed : If ftie blows out the Light^ he lies down by her ; but if {he pulls her Cover- ing over her Face, he retires ; that being a Sign that (he will not receive him, TheYoungWomen drink the Juice of certain Roots, which prevents their Conception, or kills the Fruit of the Womb; for if a Girl proves with Child;, (he'll never get a Husband. They'll fufFer any body to fit upon the foot of their Bed., only to have a little Chat ; and if another comes an hour after, that they like^ they do not ftand to grant him their laft Favours* As to this Cuftom, which indeed is fingular, the moft fenfible Savages gave this Reafon for k,Tlut they will not depend upon their Lovers, but re- move all ground of Suspicion both from the pne and the other:, that fo they may ad as they ® pleafe. '

The Savage Women like the French better than their own Countreymen, by reafon that the for- mer are more prodigal of their Vigour, and mind a Woman's Bufinefs more clofely. In the mean time the Jefuits ufe all Efforts to prevent their keeping Company with the French : They have Superannuated Fellows placed in all the Huts, who, like Faithful Spies, give an Account of all that they fee or hear. The French who have the Misfortune to be difcover'd, are publickly nam'd C c 3 in

5 8 Some TSLew Voyages

in the Pulpit, complain'd of to the Bifliop and the Governor General, excommunicated, and treated as Tranfgreffors of the Law : But after all the Ar- tifices and Oppofition cf theGoodFathers,a great many Intrigues are carried on in theVillages, that they know nothing of. The Jefuits never offer to check the Young Savages for keeping company with Girls ; for if they offer'd to cenfure theii- Condu<a,and ufe 'em with the fame liberty as they do the French, they would tell 'em roundly, that they're forry the Fathers have a mind to their Mi- ftreffes. This was the Anfwer that a Young Hu- ron fpoke aloud one day in the Church, when a Jefuit addreffing himfelf to him, was preaching down the Night-Rambles of the Savages with an Apoftolical Freedom.

This People cannot conceive that the Europe- ans, who value themfelves upon their Senfe and Knowledge,ftiould be fo blind and fo ignorant as not to know thatMarriage in their way is a fource of Trouble and Uneafinefs. To be ingag'd for one's Life time, to them is matter of Wonder and Surprife. They look upon it as a monftrous thing to be tied one to another without any hopes of being able to untie or break the Knot. In fine, in fpite of all the Reafons ana Argu- ments that that Subjecft affords, they lay down this for a firm and unmoveable Truth, that we Eropeans are born in Slavery,anddeferve no other Condition than that of Servitude.

In our Country, their ftate of Marriage would be juftly look'd upon as a Criminal way of Converfation. A Savage ( for Infhmce ) that has fignalis'd himfelf feveral times in the Field, and acquir'd the Reputation of a brave Warrior, hath a mind to Marry by the means of a Con- tractor rather a Leafe of Thirty Years, with the hopes of feeing in his old Age a Family defen- ded

■■

to North-Ametkz.

39

ded of himfelf, that fliall provide for him. This Hero looks out for an agreeable Girle/bnd after he and fhe have fettled the matter, they reveal their Defign to their Relations, who at the fame time cannot oppofe it, but are obliged to con- fent,and to affift at the Ceremony .They meet to- gether in the Hut of the ancienteft Relation or Parent, where a Feaft is prepar'd on a Day fix'd for that purpofe. Upon fuch Occafions the Com- pany is very numerous, and the Table is covered with all manner of Dainties in a very prodigal manner ,• and thofe who affift at the Feftival, Dance and Sing, and perform the other Diverfi- ons of the Country. After the Feafting and Merry-making is over, all the Relations of the Bridegroom retire, excepting four of the oldeft,^ after which the Bride, accompany'd with four of her ancienteft Female Relations, appears at one of the Doors of the Hut, and is receiv'd by the moft decrepit Man of the Bridegroom's Compa- ny, who conduds her to the Bridegroom at a certain place, where the two Parties ftand up- right upon a fine Mat, holding a Rod between them, while the old Men pronounce fome fliort Harangues. In this Pofture do the two married Perfons Harangue one after another, and Dance together, fmging all the while, and holding the Rod in their Hands, which they afterwards break into as many pieces as there are Witneffes to the Ceremony, in order to be diftributed among them. This done, the Bride is recondu&ed out of the Hut, where the young Women ftay for her to accompany her to her Fathers Apartment, and the Bridegroom or married Man is oblig'd to go there to find her when he has a mind to her Company, till fuch time as die brings forth a Child i then, indeed, fee conveys her deaths Cc 4 to

4© Some New Voyages

to her Husbands Apartment, and continues with him till the Marriage is diffolv'd.

Tis allowable both for the Man and the Wo- man to part when they pleafe. Commonly they give one another eight Days Warning • fome- times they offer Reafons to juftifie their Con- dud, but for the moft part the ufual Plea is, that they are fick and out of ordered that Repofe is more proper for them than the fatigue of a marri- ed Life. Then the little pieces of the Rod that were diftributed among the Relations of the married Perfons, are brought into that Hut in which the Marriage was Selemniz'd, and burnt in their Prefence. You muft obferve that this Separation is accomplifh'd without any Difpute or Quarrel. Both the Men and the Women thus unmarried may be marry'd again to whom they pleafe : But commonly they lie bye three or fix Months before they confummate their fecond Marriage. When this Separation happens the Children are divided equally between them, for the Children are the Treafure of the Savages. If their number be odd the Woman hath the better half

Though they are at their liberty to change,yet there are feveral Savages that live all their Life time with one Woman. I gave you to know above, that during the whole courfe of their married State they maintain an inviolable Fideli- ty to one another: But, which is yet more E- dirying, as foonfas the Woman is declar'd to be with Child, both me and her Bedfellow abftain horn Enjoyment, and obferve an exacft courfe of Continence from thence to the thirtieth Day after her Childbirth. When a Woman is ready to lye in, jhe withdraws to a certain Hut allotted for that uie, being attended by her (be Slaves, who ferve and affifi her as far as they can. In

fine.

to Nort/>Xmerica. 41

fine, the Female Sex in this Country deliver themfelves without the affiftance of Midwives ; for they bring forth their Children with a facili- ty that the European Women can fcarce have any Notion of, and they never lye in above two or three Days. They obferve a fort of Purificati- on for thirty Days if the Child be a Boy, and for forty if it be a Girle, and till that time is expir'd they do not return to their Husband's Apartment.

As foon as their Children come into the World they dip them in warm Water up to the Chin, after which they fwathe them down upon little Boards or Planks fluffed with Cotton,where they lye upon their Backs, as I infinuated under the Head of the Habit , Uoufes, &c. of the Sava- ges. They never make ufe of Nurfes unlefs it be when the Mothers are out of order, and they never wean their Children, but fuckle them fo long as they have Milk, with which indeed they are very plentifully provided.

The Women have no opportunity of Marriage after the Fiftieth Year of their Age ; for the Men of the like Age alledge, that fince they cannot then bear Children, 'twould be a piece of Folly to meddle with them ,• and the young Sparks affirm, that their wither'd Beauty has not force enough to Charm them,at a time when there is no fcarcity of Buxfome young Girles. In this Diftrefs, when the young Men will not ufe them as Miftreffes, and Men of riper Years refufe them for Wives, if their Complexion be any thing Amorous, they are forced to adopt fome Prifoner of War that is prefented them, in order to anfwer their preffing Neceffities.

When the Husband or Wife conies to dye, the Widowhood does not laft above fix Months ; and if in that fpace of time the Widow or Wi- dower

•#v

42 5Wze New ^oj/^j

dower dreams of their deceas'd Bedfellow, they Poyfon themfelves in cold Blood with all the Contentment imaginable ; and at the fame time fmg a fort of tune that one may fafely fay pro- ceeds from the Heart. But if the furviving Par- ty dreams but once of the Deceafed., they fay, that the Spirit of Dreams w. s not fure that the deadPerfon was uneafie in the Country of Souls, forafmuch as he only pafs'd by without return- ing3 and for that reafon they think they are not oblig'd to go keep him Company.

Thefe Savages are uncapable of Jealoufy ; that is a Paffioh they know nothing of. They jeer the Europeans upon that head ; and brand a man's diitruft of his Wife, for a piece of manifeft Folly ; as if, fay they,we were not certain that 'tis impoffible for fo weak an Animal to be true to its promifes. To purfue their fallacious way of arguing , they alledge that fufpicion is only a doubt, and that to doubt of what one fees is an argument of Blindnefs and Folly ; and in fine, that 'tis impoffible,but that the conftraint and per- petuity that attends our Marriages., or the bait of Gold and Silver, iliould oblige a Woman when Cloy'd with one and the fame Husband, to whet her Appetite in theEmbraces of another Man. I am fully convinced that a Savage would chufe rather to fufFer Mutilation than to Embrace his Neigh- bours Wife. Nor is the Chaftity of the fhe Sava- ges lefs nice, for I do not believe that in the fpace of Fifty Years there has been one Inftance among 'em of the Invafion of another Man's Bed. 'Tis true the French, being uncapable to diftinguifh between the Married and Unmarried Women, fometimes make their Addrefs to the former, when they find them alone in the Woods, or when they walk out into the Fields,- but upon _ fuch occafions they always receive this Anfwer ,• •

The

to North-America.

4*

The Fiend which is before mine Eyes hinders me to fee thee.

The Savages go always by the Mothers Name. To make this plain by an example : the Leader of the Nation ofHttrons, who is called Safiaretfi , being Married to a Daughter of another Huron Family, by whom^he has feveral Children, that General's Name is extinct at his Deaths for that his Children affume the Name of the Mother, Now, it may be ask'd how the Name of Safiaretfi has been kept up for the fpace of Seven or Eight Hundred Years among that People, and is likely to continue to future Ages ? But the Que- ftion is eafily Anfwered, if we confider, that the Sifter of this Safiaretfi being Married to another Savage, whom we fhall call Adario, the Children Springing from that Marriage, will be called Sa- fiaretfi -after the Mother, and not Adario after this Father. When I asked them the Reafon of the Caftom, they replyed, that the Children having received their Soul from their Father, and their Body from their Mother, 'twas but reafonable that the Maternial Name (bould be Perpetuated. I reprefented to them I do not know how often, that God alone was the only Creator of Souls, and that it was more reafonable to derive the original of. that Cuftom from the certainty that they had of the Mother beyond that of the Father j but they poffitively affirmed that this reafon was abfurd, without offering any proof.

When a Woman has loft a Husband that leaves Brothers who are Batcheiours, one of thefe Mar- ries the Widow Six Months after his Death, The fame is the Cafe with the Sifters of a Wife ; for when a Married Woman Diesxcmmonly one of the Sifters fupplies her place. But you mufttake notice that this Cuftom is only obferved by the Savages that pretend to be Wlfer than their

fieigh-

v

44 Sortie New Voyages

Neighbours. Some Savages continue Batchelours to their Dying day, and never appear either at Hunting or in Warlike Expeditions, as being either Lunatickor Sickly : But at the fame time they arc as much efteem'd as the Braveft and Haileft Men in the Country, or at leaftifthey rally upon 'em, ytis never done where they are prefent. Among the IlUnefe there are feveral Hermaphrodites, who go in a Womans Habit, but frequent the Com- pany of both Sexes. Thefe Illinefe are ftrangely given to Sodomy, as well as the other Savages that live near the River Mljjifift.

This, Sir, is all that I could learn of the way of Marriage and the Amours of the Americans ; who are fo far from giving a full loofe to their Venerial Appetite, that they always a£fc with a command over themfelves, being very moderate in their Adventures with Women, whom they make ufe of only for the Propagation of their Families and the Prefervation of their Healrh. Their Conduit upon this Head may ferve for a juft Reprimand to the Europeans.

I obferv'd before, that if once a Girle proves with Child, iKe never gets a Husband,' but I ought to have added that fome young Women will not hear of a Husband, through a principle of De- bauchery. That fort of Women are call'd Ickoue tie Kioujfa, i. e. Hunting Women : for they scorn- monly accompany the Huntfmen in their Diver- fions. To juftify their Conduft, they alledge that they find themfelves to be of too indifferent a temper to brook the Conjugal yoak, to be too carelefs for the bringing up of Children, and too impatient to bear the paffing of the whole Win- ter in the Villages. Thus it is, that they cover and diiguife their Lewdnefs. Their Parents or Relations dare not cenfure their Vicious Conduct ,• on. the contrary they feem to approve of it, in

declaring

to North- America.

45

declaring, as I faid before, that their Daughters have the command of their own Bodies and may difpofe of their Perfons as they think fit ,• they being at their liberty to do what they pleafe. In fliort, the Children of thefe Gommon Women are accounted a Lawful Iffue, and intitled to ail the Privileges of other Children ; abateing for one thing, namely, that the noted Warriours or Counfellours will not accept of 'em for theirSons in Law, and that they cannot enter into Alliance with certain Ancient Families ,• though at the fame time thefe Families are not poffeffed of any peculiar Right or Preheminence. The Jefuits do their utmoft to prevent the Lewd Pra&ices of thefe Whores, by Preaching to their Parents that their Indulgence is very difagreeable to the Great Spirit, that they muft anfwer before God for not confineing their Children to the meafures of Gontinency and Chaftity, and that a Fire h Kindled in the other World to Torment Jem for ever, unlefs they take more care to correct Vice.

To fuch Remonftrances the Men reply, Thais Admirable; and the Women ufually tell the Good Fathers in a deriding way, That if their Threats be well grounded ', the Mountains of the other World mufi confift of the AJhes of Souls.

A View of the Difeafes and Remedies of the

Savages.

THE Savages are a robufl: and vigorous fort of People, of a Sanguine Temperament, and an admirable Complexion. They are un- acquainted with a great many Difeafes that z&id

the

4^ Some New Voyages

the Europeans, fuch as the G«tf, Gravel, Drop!} &c. Their Health is firm, notwithftanding that they ufe no precaution to preferve it ,• for on the contrary one would think that they weaken them- felves by the Violent Exercifes of Dancing, Hun- ting, and Warlike-Expeditions, in which they have frequent returns of Heats and Colds in one day, which in Europe would occafion a Mortal Di- itemper Sometimes indeed they are feiz'd with tlurifas but thefeare as unfrequent as they are mortal- for this is the onlyDiftemper that all their Remedies cannot conquer. The SmaU-?ox are as common in the North of Canada, as the Great-Pox are to the Southward: in theWinter time theSw«0-- ■Paris very dangerous, by reafon of the difficulty of relpiration,- but notwithftanding that 'tis mor- tal, the Savages matter it fo little, that when 'tis upon em they walk about from Hut to Hut, if tney are able • or if they have not ftrength to waik are carried about by their Slaves. In the Mm(e Country, and near the Mftfift, thzVenereal Difiemper is very common. I remember, that in tne Interview I had with the Akanfas upon that great River, at the Mouth of the Miffoum (as I laid in my Sixteenth Letter) I faw a Savage, who uncovering himfelf, fhew'd me part of his Body that was ready to fall off, through Rottennefs- at

t ?¥ he Was bufy'd In *boi!in§ Roots, and af- ter! had ask'd him the ufe of 'em, he gave me to underftand by his Interpreter, that hehop'd to be curd in a Months time, by drinking the Juice of theie Roots, and eating conftantly the Broth or Deco&ion of Meat and Fiih.

Brandy makes a terrible havock among thePeo- ple of Canada, for thofe who drink it are much more numerous than thofe who have the power to abftam from it. That Liquor, which of it felf is murdering fluff, and which isbrew'dand adul- terated

to Nbrffc-America.

47

terated before 'tis imported into this Countrey, fweeps offmen fo faft, that one who has not feen the fatal effects of it can fcarce credit em : It ex- tinguifhes their Natural Heat, and throws almoft all of 'em into that Languifbing Diforder, which we call a Confumpion : They look pale, livid and ghaftly like Skeletons. Their Feafts are the banc and entire ruine of their Stomacks, as being no- thing but plentiful Entertainments, at which they value themfelves upon leaving nothing. . They pretend, that by vertue of their drinking great quantities of Water and Broth, they digeft their Victuals with greater Facility than the Europeans, who load their Stomacks withWine and other Li- quors, that produce Crudities.

The Savages are not at all alarm'd by Sicknefs, for they fear Death much lefs than the Pain and Duration of their Illnefs. When they are nek, they only drink Broth, and eat fparingly ; and if they have the good luck to fall afleep, they think themfelves cur'd : They have told me frequently, that deeping and fweating would cure the moft ftubborn Difeafes in the World. When they are > fo weak that they cannot get out of Bed, their Re- lations come and dance and make merry before 'em, in order to divert 'em. To conclude,when they are ill, they are always vifited by a fort of Quacks, (Jongleurs); of whom 'twill now be proper to fubjoin two or three Words by the bye.

& jongleur is a (ort of Phyfician,or rather a. Quack,. who being once cur'd of fome dangerous Diftem- per, has the Prefumption and Folly to fancy that he is immortal, and poffeffed of the Power of cu- ring all Difeafes, by fpeaking to the Good and Evil Spirits. Now though every Body rallies up- on thefe Fellows when they are abfent, and looks upon 'em as Fools that have loft their Senfes by

iome

^

48 Some New Voyages

fome violent Diftemper, yet they allow 'em to vi- fit the Sick ,• whether it be to divert 'em with their Idle Stories, or to have an Opportunity of feeing them rave, skip about, cry, houl, and make Grim- aces and Wry Faces, as if they were poffefs'd.When all the Buftle is over, they demand a Feaft of a Stag and fome large Trouts for the Company, who are thus regal'd at once with Diverfion and Good Cheer.

When the Quack comes to vifit the Patient, he examines him very carefully ; If the Evil Spirit be here, fays he, we Jhall quickly diflodge him. This faid, he withdraws by himfelf to a little Tent made on purpofe, where he dances and fmgs houling like an Owl,- (which gives the JefuitsOccafion to fay, That the Devil converges with "em.) After he has made an end of this Quack Jargon, he comes and rubs the Patient in fome part of his Body, and pulling fome little Bones out of his Mouth, ac- quaints the Patient, Thatthefe very Bones came out of his Body* that he ought to pluck up a good heart, in re- gard that his Diflemper is but a Trifle ; and in fine, that in order to accelerate the Cure, 'twill be convenient to fend his own and his Relations Slaves tojhoot Elks, Deer, &C. to the end they may all eat of that fort of Meat , upon which his Cure does abfolutely de- pend.

Commonly thefe Quacks bring 'em fome Juices of Plants, which are a fort of Purges, and are called Maskikik. But the Patients choofe to keep them by 'em rather than to drink them ; for they think all Purgatives inflame theMafs of theBlood, and weaken the Veins and Arteries by their vio- lent Shocks. All their Cure confifts in fweating well, in drinking Broth, in keeping themfelves very warm, in deeping if they can, and in drink- ing the Lake-water or Spring-water, in the Pa- roxyfms of Fevers, as well as in other Diftem- pers. The

to Nortb-Amtncz* 4$

They cannot conceive how we come to te fuch Fools as to make ufe of Vomits; for when ever they fee a French-m&n take down fuch & violent Remedy , they cannot forbear faying that he fwallows znlroquefe. They pleads that this fort of Remedy fhakes the whole Machine^ md makes terrible Efforts upon a!i the inward Parts. But they are yet more atfonifli'd at our :uftom of Bleeding,- For, fay they, the Blood be** ng the Taper of Life, we have more occafion to pour U n than to take out, confidering that Life Jinks when ts Principal Caufe is movd off $ from whence *t® a Natural Conference, that after lofs of Blood Nature 'tis but feebly and heavily, the Infrails are overheat- d, and all the Parts are dryd, which gives rife to all be Difeafes that afflicl the Europeans.

The Savages are never eight Days together /ithout Sweating, whether they be well or badj nly they obferve this difference, that when ley are perfeAiy well they throw thernfelves rtiile the fweating moifture is yet upon then^ uo the River in Summer, and into the Snow i Winter | whereas when they are out of or- er they go immediately into a warm Bed. Five r fix Savages may fweat conveniently in the [ace allotted for that ufe,which is a fort of Oveii r Stove cover'd with Mats,Skins,ek. In the mid- le of this Bagnio there ftands aDifli or Porrin- sr full of burning Brandy, or of great red hot tones, which occafions fuch a piercing heat, lat in the twinkling of ah Eye they fweat pro- igiouQy. They never make ufe of hot Baths id Glyfters, unlefs it be when they are over per- vaded by the Jefuits and our Phyiicians,

I remember, that in a Conference I had one

>ay with a Savage, the Barbarian- faid with a

reat deal of Senfe, that a good Air, good Water i

"id Contentment of Mind could not indeed keep a

D d Mzn$

r-

e o Some New Voyages

Man's Life from coming to an end, but that at leafi frmuftbeownd, that the fe Advantages contribute in a great measure to make a Man run through the course of ha Life without king fcnfible of any Dijorder or Inconvenient They make a Jeft of the Impa- tience of the Europeans, who would be curd as foon as they are fick. They alledge that our fear of Death, occafion'd by the invafion ot the leaft Feaver, does fo inflame and fortine the Di- feafe, that oftentimes we fall a Sacrifice to Fear it felf : whereas if we look'd upon our Illneis as a Triffle as well as Death, and kept our Bed with Patience and a good Heart, without offer- ing Violence to Nature, by cramnung down Drugs and Medicines , the good old Dame would not fail to Comfort and Refreih us b$

degrees: . . . r

The Savages are always againft the making uie

of our Surgeons and Phyficians.They amrm,that

all mixtures of Drugs are Poyfon that deftroys

Natural Heat, and confumes the Brealtj and

that Glyfters are only proper for the Europeans.

though after all they fometimes make uie o

them, when the French refort to their Villages

They are of the Opinion, that the obierving o

a Diet heats the Blood, and that 'tis of dange

rous Cofequence to baulk the Appetite as t<

what it craves, provided the Aliment hath ;

good Juice. The Meat that they eat is hm

more than half done ; but their Fifh is alway

over boyl'd. They never touch Sallade, upoj

the Plea that all cold Herbs oblige the Sto

mach to hard labour.

There's no Wound or Diflocation that the cannot cure with the Simples or Plants, who! Vertues they are well acquainted with ; anc which indeed is fingular, their Wounds neve run to a Gangrene. But after all, this is not t

tp/. %±

^

jj avaoss coimjfrdrn the ftOi>e to tmvns tnemfches mto if lake

/'■

hutt, d'v/iixq. &Ci

I'VIUTO. tXc

The relations of t/uJick person, cianctna

*Ajnoiiftivut trout Jor t/ie entcrh

, . . . ^^^^f^^s* - friznt of t/u JPAufttia.it arte/ f-m

7^ Ac re/citiotu ofir c/ececifcl A*

. .y / r v - compatii.

dancing } /

m

i^r%

JUUL"

' F\ fX J^iVV- J he inter m

lit

( -77z<.> interment of ^llp™™

%£

ur tying place for

L/J~avac/es

ific refaUoru of i/ cfecetu a dancuxa

to Noft^-America.

51

3e imputed to thefe Herbs, nor to the Air of ;he Country, but to their hail Conftitutiohj ror notwithstanding the ufe of thefe very Heme- lies a Gangrene invades the Wounds of the French, who queftionlefs are harder to cure than he Savages. This People attribute our liable- lefs to Gangrenes, and indeed all our Difeafes, o the Salt that we eat ,• for they cannot tafte ny fait thing without being fick unto Deaths nd drinking perpetually. They cannot be per- vaded to drink Ice-water, for they alledge that \ infeebles the Stomach, and retards Digeftion* uch, Sir,are their fantaftical Opinions of things, /hich proceed from their Prepoffeffion and Bi- otry with reference to their own Cuftoms and /'ays of Living. 'Tis in vain to vifit them /hen they lie at the point of Death, in order 3 prefs them to Bleed or take a Purge j for they ill make anfwer, that they caniiot confent to le forwarding of their Death by the Remedies f the French, which they take to be as bad as le Perfons who exhibit them. ,As foon as a Savage dies he is dreft as neatly > can be, and his Relations Slaves come and lourn over him ,• neither Mother,Sifter nor Bro» ler ftiews the leaft mark of Affliction ; they ty, Their decas'd Friend is happy in being thus xempted from farther Sufferings ^ for this good eople believe, and not without Reafon, that )eath is a paffage to a better Life. When the iorps are dreft they fet them upon a Mat in the ime Pofture as if the Perfon were alive ,• and is Relations being fet round him, every one in is turn addreffes him with a Harangue, recoup* ng all his Exploits as well as thofp of his An- eftors. He that fpeaks laft expreffes himfelf to lis purpoTe. c You fuch a one, you fit now a- with us, and have the fame Shapes that D d 2 ( we

long

■r-

5 2 Some New Voyages

€ we have j you want neither Arms, nor Head* € nor Legs. But at the fame time you ceafe to, ( be, and begin to evaporate like the fmoke of € a Pipe. Who is it that talk'd with us but two c Days ago ? Sure ! 5twas not you ; for then € you would fpeak to us ftiil. It muft therefore c be your Soul which is now lodg'd in the € great Country of Souls along with thofe of out c Nation. This Body which we now behold! c will in fix Months time become what it was € two Hundred Years ago. Thou feeleft no- € thing, thou knoweft nothing, and thou feeft * nothing, becaufe thou art nothing. Never* € thelefs out of the Friendfliip we had for thy c Body while animated by thy Spirit, we thus € tender the Marks of that Veneration which i$ c due to our Brethren and our Friends.

After they have made an end of their Haran- gues the Male Relations remove to make room for the Hie Friends, who make him the like Compliment, This done, they ftiut the Corps up twenty four Hours in the Hut for the Dead, and during that time are imploy'd in Dances and Feafts, which are far from bearing amoumfuJ fliew. After the twenty four Hours are expir'd the Slaves of the deceas'd Perfon carry his Corp* upon their Backs to the Burying-place, where it is laid upon Stakes that are ten Foot high, in a double Coffin of Bark, with his Arms and fome Pipes with Tobaco and Indian Corn put up in the fame Coffin. When the Slaves are carrying the Corps to the Burying-place, the Male anq Female Relations accompany them, Dancing all the while ,• and the reft of the Slaves of the de- ceas'd Perfon carry fome Baggage, which the Relations prefent to the dead Perfon and lay up- on his Coffin. The Savages that live upon th^ long River burn their Corps, as I infinuated be- fore 5

to North-America.

r$

ore; but you muft know that they keep them n Vaults or Cellars till they have a fufficient lumber to burn together, which is perfbrm'd mt of the Village, in a place fet a part for that Ceremony- In fine, the Savages know no fuch hing as Mourning, and never mention the Dead n particular ,• I mean, they never repeat their James. They deride us when they hear us re- ount the Fate of our Parents, our Kings, our Jenerals, &c

Upon the Death of a Savage his Slaves marry lie other Women Slaves, and live by themfelves i a diftinft Hut, as being then free, or fuch as ave no Mafter to ferve. The Children that )ring from this fort of Marriages, are adop- sd and reputed the Children of the Nation, y reafon of their being born in the Village and 1 the Country. There s no reafon, lay they, that tch Children fhould bear the Misfortunes of their Pa- mts, or come into the World in Slavery, Jince they mtributed nothing towards their Creation. Thefe laves take care to go every Day to the foot of tieir Matter's Coffin, and there offer up fome ipes and Tobaco, as a grateful acknowledgment t their Liberty. But now that I am got upon le Subject of Tobaco, I muft acquaint you that Imoft all the Savages fmoak, but they never hew Tobaco, nor take it in Snuff. They fow nd reap a great deal of it, but then it differs 'om what we have in Europe, though our firft eed came from America ; and in regard that 'tis i a manner good for nothing, they are fore d to uy up Brafil Tobaco, which they mix with a ertain Leaf of an agreeable Smell, call'd Saga- omi.

■ I have nothing more to fay upon this Head ;

sr I think I have given you a fufficient account

Dd 2 of

*4 Some TsLew Voyages

of fheir Difeafes and of their Remedies, which in my Opinion are as Savage as themfelves. But let that be as it will, 'tis certain they feldom die o! any other Diftemper than of a Pleurify. As m ths other Difeafes they get over them with th* greateft danger in the World, for fetting afid< their Courage and Patience which goes bey one any thing that we can imagine, they take al the ways of the the World to burft themfelve by Eating and Drinking when they have grol Feavours upon them, and when the fit is ove fmoaking that Brafil Tobaco, which without dii pute is the ftrongeft fort that we know of. [\

The Women of this Country are fubje& t the Natural Diforders as well as elfe where, an fometimes die of them. 'Tis triie they have a admirable Remedy for redrefling the Difordei that flow from that Source ,• I mean, a certai Potion ,• but it hath no Operation unlefs the abftain from all manner of Excefs, which the gre very unwilling to do. Some French Surgeoi affur'd me^that the European Women void a muc greater quantity and hold the Flux longer upo them than thefe Americans, who feldom ha\ thofe upon them above two Days at a tim Another Inconvenience that frequently anno] them, is an over- bearing quantity of Milk ; f< which they ufe to put little Puppies to fuck the Breads*

to North- America.

55

The Viverfions of Hunting and Shooting ufual among ^Savages.

I Have already defcrib'd the Hunting of the Elks and fome other Animals of Canada in my ioth and nth Letter, fo that now it remains only to give you an exa<& account of the Bea- vers, which are faid to be Amphibious Animals^ as I obferv'd in my i'6th Letter, with which I fent you the Figure of thefe Animals. And be- caufe thefe Beafts do fome things very furprifing by a wonderful Inftina:, to give you a right Notion wherein their Cunning confifts, I fend you a Draught of thofe Ponds which they know how to make more Artificially than any Man can do.

The Savages of Canada refleding on the ex- cellent Qualities of the Beavers, are wont to fay, That they have fo much Wit, Capacity and judgment ,that they cannot believe their Souls die with their Bodies. They add, That if they were permit- mitted to reafon about things invifible, and wpich fall not under their Senfes, they durfi maintain, ^hat they are Immortal like ours. But not to infill on this Chimerical Fancy, it muft be allow'd, that there are an infinite number of Men upon the Earth ( without mentioning the Tartars, the Peafants of Mufcovy, of Norway, and a Hundred other forts of People ) who have not the Hundredth part of the Underftanding which thefe Animals

have. . , .

The Beavers difcover fo much Art in thei : Works, that we cannot without offering vio- lence to our Reafon attribute their Skill to mere

D d 4 laftind,

1 6 Some Mem Voyages

Inftincft, for it is lawful to doubt of fome thing! Whereof we cannot difcover the Caufe, provi ded they have not any Connexion with Religi pn ?- I mean fuch things as appear fp ftrange tc Sence and Reafon, that we cannot give credi to them, unlefs we have feen them our feives However, I will venture to write to you mam Particulars upon this Subjed , which perhap may make you doubt of the truth of my Nam five. I will begin with affuring you, that thefi Animals join together in a Society confifting o an ^Hundred, and that they feem to talk anc reafon with one another by certaing bemoaning inarticulate Sounds. The Savages fay they have an intelligible Jargon, by means whereof thev communicate their Sentiments and Thoughts tc one another. I never was an Eye Witnefs oi this kind of Aflemblies, but many Savages ant Coun urs de Beit, who are People worthy oi Cre- dit, have affur'd me, that there is nothing more true. They add, that they confult among them- feives aoout what things they muft do to main- tarn their Cottages, their Banks and their Lakes, and about every thing that concerns the Prefer- vation of their Commonwealth. Thefe good People would perfwade me, that the Beavers let Centnes while they are cutting through great Trees, as big as Tuns, with their Teeth, in the Neighbourhood of their little Lakes, and that when thefe Centinels cry out, upon the approach of Men or Beafts, all the Beavers that are at Woik throw themfelves into the Water and fave rhemfelves by diving, till they come at then Corcages.. I mention this matter of Fa& upon, the Report or a Thoufand Peifons, who cou.u ruve no Intercit to impofe upon me with fablesjj but what follows T have obferv'd my ielf, m the Country where the Quxaganis Hunt,

which

"

to North* America. 57

which I mention d in the beginning of my 16th Letter.

The Beavers finding a Rivulet that runs crols a Meadow, fet themfelves to make Banks and Ramparts, which flopping the courfe of the Water caufe an Inundation over the whole Mea- dow* that ibmetimes is no lefs than two Leagues in Gircumflrence. This Bank is made with Trees which they cut down with their four great Hiarp Teeth, and then drag them along as they fwim in the Water. Thefe Trees being ranged a crofs at the bottom of this Meadow, the Ani- mals load themfelves with Grafs and fat Earth, which they tranfport upon their great Tails, and throw in between the Wood with fo much Art and Induftry, that the moft skilful Bricklayer can hardly make a ftronger Wall with Lime and Morter. In the Night time they are heard to Work with fo much Vigour and Diligence,^ that one would think them to be Men at Work, if he were not affur'd before hand that they are Bea- vers. Their Tails ferve them for Trouels, and their Teeth for Axes , their Paws fupply the place of Hands, and their Feet ferve inftead of Oars; In fine, they make Banks of 4 or yoo Paces in length, of 20 Feet in heighth, and 7 or 8 in thicknefs, in the fpace of $ or 6 Months, though there are not above a Hundred at moft that Work upon them. I muft obferve here by the by, that the Savages, out of a fcruple of Confcience, xnever break thefe Banks, but only bore a hole through them, as I fhall fliow you hereafter. Befides their Talent of cutting down the Trees, their Art of making them fall upon the Water appears to me altogether furpi izing j for it requires Judgment and clcfe Attention to fucceed in it, and chiefly to nick tfee time when, the Wind can affift them to make the fall of the

Tree

5 8 Some New Voyages

Tree more eafie, and to make them fall upon their little Lakes. But this is not the fineft Work of thefe Animals, that of their Cottages fur- paffes all Imagination ; for it requires both Skill and Strength to make holes at the bottom of the Water, for planting their fix Pofts which they take care to place exacftly in the middle of the Lake : Upon thefe fix Pofts they #x their little Houfe, which is built in the form of an Oven, and is made up of fat Earth, Herbs and Branches of Trees, having three Stories that they may mount up from one to the other when the Waters rife by Rains or Thaw. The Rafters are of Ruihes, and each Beaver hath an Apartment to himfelf. They enter into their Cabin under Water, thro' a great hole in the firft Floor, which is encom- pafs'd with Afp Wood cut in pieces on purpofe, that they may the more eafily drag it into their Cells when they have a mind to eat • for fince it is their common Food,they are always fo Pro- vident as to lay up great heaps of it, and chiefly during the Autumn, forefeeing that the cold Wea- ther will freeze up their Lakes, and keep them Ihut up two or three Months in their Cabins.

I fiiould never make an end if I attempted to give an account of all the feveral Artifices of thefe Ingenious Animals, the Order fettled in their little Commonwealth, and the Precautions they ufe to fecure themfelves from the purfuit of other Animals : I fhall only obferve, that all other Animals upon Earth, however Strong, A#ive and Vigorous they may be, have other Animals which they are affraid of ; but thefe I now fpeak of are not apprehenfive of any danger but only from Men, for the Wolves, the Foxes, the Bears, &c care not for offering to attack them in their Cabines, although they have the faculty of Diving ; and it is certain it

is

mt

'

J he 53 fewer hitntina Jpo/wi •of in u:io lett&r.

A . t/loTroqiieje- Jut prisma their enemies arhitritina .

H . t/ie /limisme/2 coming tn a l>0c/y to meet em

C . a Jcwac/e taAetl prisoner ofryar

13 . a Jat/aae. jttrz>ru 'c/ cine/ 4.z//c7 in the action

JL. t/irTrjatiese iruiiTi£>Li-rh firina upon */ Canoivs

G. i/teJ'ypau&fs snootiha upon if lanorvs that fit/,

W.Jauaacj f/ui/rg to their faftonss

I . Canoi VJ ofkarii

X, Jrifiaaes put to f tea tit

M. ivofnen-f/i/tna Ji/tf/i their ehcf/r/raz

tjlhutforjc huntsmen

0L AMIf \ "JT he precinct of a Ant for ten huntsmen > mir/c/te

'%

^jSy/w,;

Apoo/or /ttit/e fa4.e m u trttafft ofivhich if

Ke m u t , p hat/eiy oui/d i/ieir Henmtr

rot. i .

A

Jhe SQcartr Tumtinjf Spoken ■ pf in i/: ia fetter.

\ . fielrJejU&reJurpruuy eleven*** at/uttvim, I \ if.- huntsmen comuj m a ixji/y to me et / C ./ favaae taAenprtwner o/ryar

D. a fat -aac wrpri, 'cl ' a,u/ ' IUM 'in t/u actio

\\ . the Trocft*,* inAm^h firing upon/, U

G thelrogueseskoottna upon 1} font

\ ] i.mo/i'j oft>ar£.

i 1 , ../ , in i./<s/?nt to ///'a /it I M. womr/i/tyuTO n't'//? t/zeir f/ii'/t/rei I tj/uttforjo huntsmen

' x/te precinct of a Aut/or ten Aunti, :^f„fln,/„urtc//e

/o r /Uffa f.,f, in Anil/t{ 0/1vntei J

I Ol. A

f

m

■ ■ -j c

f f # ll t f : ~ f

to Nortfc- America.

59

is not their Intereft to do it, for the Beavers would defend themfelves very eafily with their iharp cutting Teeth j fo that they cannot be infulted but by Land, and 'tis for that reafon they never go farther than twenty Paces from the edge of their Lake, and always fet Centinels to watch, who cry out to give them notice when they hear the leaft noife.

It remains now only that I jliould give an Ac- count of the Nature of the Countries where the Beavers are hunted, fome of which are defcrib'd in my Map. And firft you muft know, that you cannot go four or five Leagues in the Woods of Canada Jbut you meet with a little Beaver-Lakes So that one may fay, that all this vaft Con- tinent is a Country for Beaver hunting ; but this is not what I mean. The Places for Hunting that I now fbeak of are a multitude of little Lakes replenimd with thefe Animals, the diftance of which from one to another is inconfiderable. For Inftance, thofe of Saguinany of V ours qui dorty of ~ the River of Vuants, are about twenty Leagues in length, and in that whole compafs of Ground their are found Sixty little Beaver Lakes more or lels, where a certain number of Savages may Hunt in the Winter time. 'Tis commonly about the end of Autumn that the Sa- vages fet out from their Villages in a Canow to go and poft themfelves in the places for Hunting, and as they know all the places much better than I do the Streets of Quebec y they agree among themfelves, as they are Travelling, to allot each Family a certain compafs of Ground, fo that when they arrive at the place they divide them- felves into Tribes. Each Hunter fixes his Houfe in the Center of that Ground which is his Di~ ihidc , as you may fee defcrib'd in this Cut; There are eight or tQtx Hunters in each Cot- tage,

60 Some New Voyages

tage, who have four or five Lakes for their fliarel In each Lake there is at leaft one Houfe or Kennel of Beavers, and fometimes two or three. After the Huntfmen have built their Huts they employ themfelves in laying Traps for Otters, Foxes, Bears , Land Beavers and Martens, upon the fides of their Lakes; and when they are fet go very orderly to look after them every Day : But above all they are fo Juft, that they would choofe rather to die for Hunger than to ftraggle out of the Bounds allotted them, or to fteal the Beafts that are taken in their Neighbours Traps. They feed well and make merry during this Hunting Seafon, which lafts for four Months ; for they find more than they have occafion for, of Trouts, Hares, Wood-Foul, Bears, and fome- time they meet with Deer and Roebucks.

The Beavers are feldom catch'd by Traps un- lefs they put in them fome pieces of * A fort of red Afp * which they love extream- * Wfflm. ly5 and is not eafie to be found. They are taken in the Autumn by making a great hole under their Banks, by which they drain all the Water out of their Lakes, and then the Beavers being left on dry Ground the Savages kill them all, except a dozen of Fe- males, and half a dozen of Males ,• after which they are very exaft in flopping up the hole they had made, which they do in fuch a manner that the Lake is fill'd with Water as before.

Their way of Hunting in the Winter time when the Lake is frozen, is by making holes round the Kennels of the Beavers, upon which they place Nets that reach from one to the o- ther, and when they are extended as they fhould be, they lay open the Kennels of thefe poor Animals with an Ax ,- upon which they throw themfelves into the V/ater, and coming to take

Breath

to North-America*

6 1

Breath at thefe Holes, are catch'd in the Nets ,• at this rate not one of them efcapes, but the Savages having no mind to extirpate en> throw back into the Holes/ the fame number oi: Beavers, Male and Female, as they ufually do at their Hunting in Autumn, as I have already told you. n m

They may likewife bekill'd when they Swim upon the Water , or when they come Aftiore to cut down Trees,- but then you muft be very well hid and not ftir, for upon the leaft noife chat they hear, they throw themfelves into the Water, and Dive till they come to their Kennels. This way of Hunting is peculiar to Travellers, who find- ing themfelves lodg'd near fome Beaver Lake, endeavour to furprize them, by Sculking be- hind fome Log or fome great Tree till Night comes on. m m

The Savages take alfo other Animals in thele Beaver-Hunting-Countries, by running up and down. I have already told you, that they fet Traps, in which Foxes, Wolves, Martens jind o- thers are catch'd when they bite at the Bait. I ' have tfifo explain'd to you the way of making this fort of Traps, in my nth Letter. Thefe Engines do not differ from one another, but only in bulk : Thofe for the Bears are the ftrongeft, but they are of no ufe till the beginning of Win- ter j for then the Bears feek out great Trees which are Hollow, where the Branches begin to fpread, that they may Neftle in them. Many People will hardly believe that thefe Animals can live 3 Months in fuch Prifons, without any other Food but the Juice of their Paws which they fuck continually : And yet the matter of Fad is undeniably true. But I reckon it yet more ftrange, that they are able to climb up to thofe Lurking- Holes, efpecialiy at a time when they are fo Fat,

that

6i

Some TSlew Voyage*

that 2 Savages condud them whither they pleafe with Poles, they being fcarce able to walk. This I law ? or 4 times during the Winter in 1687 when I Wmtcr'd at Fort St. Jofepb; fortheiW or Gamtfouan brought fome of them off, which enter d the Fort without any relu&ancy.

The Savages make likewife Traps for the Land- Beavers, which for the reafon given in my 16th Letter, neftle on the Land, like Foxes, Conies and Badgers : And notwithftanding that they are pur- iud by the other Beavers, yet they make their Dens about the Lakes, Brooks and Rivers. They are eafily taken in thefe Traps, efpecially when they are Baited with the Head of an Oner : For there is fo great an Antipathy between thefe 2 iorts of Animals, that they are continually at War with one another.

The Savages inform'd me, that they faw a great Company of Otters Affembled together a- bout the Month of May, who had the boldnefs to attack the Beavers in their Huts, but were beaten back and driven from the Lake with lofs. They added , that a Beaver can defend him- lelt againft 3 Otters, by the help of his Teeth and Tail. In fine, 'tis certain that the Lake Beavers are feldom taken in Traps, unlefs they b£ Baited with fome Afpwood, as I have already oblerv d. I acquainted you above that the Sava- ges^ vifit their Traps every day, and carry into their Cottages the Prey that they find catch'd. Immediately after that, the Slaves Flea theBeafts that are taken, and itretch out their Skins in the Air, or on the Ice to dry them. This Imploy- ment lafts as long as the time of Hunting, which ends with the great Thaw ,• and then they put up their Skins in Bundles, and carry them to the place where they left the Canows when they firft came into this Hunting-Country.

Altho

to Nor^-America.

H

Altho the Savages have great reafon to be a- fraid of their Enemies, while they lye difperfed up and down in a Country, which is no lels than 20 Leagues in Compafs, as I intimated above ; yet they fcarce ever ufe the Precaution of fend- ing out Scouts upon all hands, and for want of it are often Surpriz'd , when they leaft think of it. I could relate 20 fatal Excurfions of the Iroquefe into the Hunting-Countries I have been fpeaking of, in which they cut the Throats of many of our Friends and Allies. I did all that I could to perfuade our Allies that their Conduca was faulty upon this occafion, fince they could eafily fecure themfelves from fuch Infults, by Building their Cottages at a place where they might poll a Guard of Centinels, to watch and difcover any Enemies, that might advance to the Frontiers of thefe Hunting-Countries. They only made anfwer ; that this indeed was rea/onahle3 and that it was true, they did not Jleep in fafety for want of that 'Precaution. In fine, they imagine that their Enemies are bufied in Hunting on their own Coafts,- and upon that Apprehenfion, are ^fuch Fools as not to ufe any Precaution. But this I know, that the Iroquefe take quite another Method , having their Scouts and advanc'd Guards, which are always in Motion j by which means they are fcarce ever difturb'd in their Hunting. Neverthelefs, I think I ought not to conclude this Chapter, without giving you an account of 2 Attempts wherein the Iroquefe mifs'd of their defign to furprize their Enemies, tho they had very good Succefs upon many other oc-

cafions. . ,

In the year 1680. The Oumamis and llmeje be- ing at Hunting near the River Oumamis • a Party of 400 Iroyuefe furpriz d them, kill'd go or 40 Hunters, and took 300 Prifoners , including

Women

^4

Some New Voyages

Women and Children. After they had refted at little while, they prepar'd to return Home by fhort Journeys , becaufe they had reafon to be- lieve that they ftiould reach their own Villages before the Ilinefe and Oumamis could have time to Rally, and give notice of their Difafter to fuch of the Nations as were Hunting in remoter Pla- ces. But they were fo much deceiv'd, that the Ilinefe and Oumamis Rallied to the number of 200, and refolv'd to die Fighting rather than fuflfer their Countrymen to be carried away by the Iroquefe. In the mean time, becaufe their Party was not an equal Match for the Enemies, they contrived a notable Stratagem : For after they had well confider'd in what manner they fliould Attack them, they concluded that they ought to follow them at a fmall diftance till it began to Rain. Their Project fucceeded, and the Hea- vens feem'd to favour it : For while it Rain'd continually one whole day from Morning to Night, they fo quicken d their pace, from the time that the Rain begun to fall, that they pafs'd by on one fide at 2 Leagues diftance from the Iroquefe, and fo got before them to lay an Ambuf* cade in the middle of a Meadow, which the E- nemy was to crofs in order to reach a Wood, where they had a mind to make a halt and kindle great Fires. ; The Ilinefe and Oumamis lying upon their Belly among the Fern, waited till the Iro- quefe were got into the middle of them before they Shot off their Arrows ,• and then they At- tack'd them fo vigoroufly with their Clubs 5 that the Enemy finding their Fire- Arms un- ferviceable, by reafon that their Prime was wet, were forc'd to throw them down on the Ground, and defend themfelves with the fame Arms wherewith they were Attacked, ( I mean with Clubs. ) But as I obferv'd before, that the

ilinefe.

to North* America. 6j

Uineje are fomething more dextrous and nimble ;han the Iroquefe, fo the latter wfereforc'd to yield :o the former-, and retreated Fighting till Night :ame oil, after they had loft 180 Soldiers. The Fight which lafted but one hour, had continued til Night, if the Conquerorshad not been afraid^ eft their Countrymen being ftill Bound and left >ehind 'em, fliould be exposed to fome Sur« >rize in the dark : And therefore after they had ejoyn'd them, and feiz'd all the Fire- Arms of heir Enemies who were fled and difpers'd up nd down, they return d into their own Coun-* ry, without taking one Iroquefe, for fear of weak- ling themielves.

The 2d Attempt hapned 3 years after this, in be Hunting-Country of the Outagamis ,• where he Governor of that Nation, as I inform'd you 1 my 1 6th Letter, gave me 10 Soldiers to ac- ompany me to the Long River, The Blow ien given was after this manner. A Body of 000 Iroquefe being come in their Canows about ie end of Autumn, as far as the Bay of Mifi fagues, in the Lake of the Hurcns, without being ifcover'd, Landed at this place ,- and being very umerous, march'd up the Country with their lets, in order to Fifh in the little Lakes and ivers, till the Frofty Seafon fhould come on, 'hich hapned a few days after. After the Ice 'as ftrong enough to bear them, they continued leir Courfe, coafting along the great Lake of le Hiitons, till they were 5 or 6 Leagues below le Fall cali'd Saut Sainte Marle^ which they 'culd not approach to for fear of meeting with )ine Coureurs de hois in the Fort of the Jesuits. [aving crofs'd the Bay, they judg'd it convent tit to make very fliort Journies, for fe^r oc be-* ig difcover'd. And they were fo cautious 5 to march all in a Row upon the Snow ,• that if E e by

66 Some New Voyages

by chance any one fliould difcover their Foot- fteps, it might be thought that they were not above Thirty or Forty at the moft. After this manner they TravelVd till the i yth or 20th of February, without being perceiv'd, but at laft they had the misfortune to be difcover'd by four Sau- tmrsy who feeing fo great a number pafs over a little Lake, run with all fpeed to the Hunting Country of the Outagamis to give them notice^ notwithftanding that theSauteursweve then atWar with the Outagamis. In the mean time the ThaW coming on fuddenly contrary to the Expe&atioa of the Iroquefe, who reekon'd upon Twenty Days of Froft to come, according to the com- mon courfe of the Seafon ,• this made them mend their pace, and look out for the narroweft and leaft frequented Paffes. The Outagamu were mightily perplex'd what courfe to take ii£ this cafe, It was certain that they might gel back again to their Villages in fafety, but the| they would be fore d to abandon their Wiv^l and Children, who had not ftrength to run ai the Men. In fine, after they had held a Coun- cil among themfelves, they refolv'd to advana as far as a certain Pafs about half a League ii length and Thirty Paces in breadth,between tw< little Lakes, which way they faw plainly tha the Ircquefe were oblig'd to pafs.

The Outagamis being no more than four Hun dred thought fit to divide themfelves into twl Bodies, and it was agreed, that two Hundrd Jhould be polled at the end of a Pafs which the; ibould Fortifie immediately with a Range o Stakes from one Lake to another ,• and that di other two Hundred ibould go about' a quarter c a League off of the other end of the Pafs, thti which the Iroquefe were to march, to the era that every one having cut down a Stake the

migfc

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67

might all run quickly in to flop up that end of the Paffage, and that immediately after the Iro- juefe had entred the Defile, the Scouts appointed :o obferve their March fliould come and give :hem notice ; all which was pun&ually put in Execution: For as foon as that great Multitude, vho induftrioufly pitch'd upon the narrow loads, was entred into this Pafs, the two Hun- ired Outagamis, who were about a quarter of a -eague to one fide of it,runin with all theirMight md carried with them a fufficient number of >ales to enclofe that little piece of Land which ^as bounded by the two little Lakes, fo that they lad time enough to fet them up and fatten them vith Earth, before the Iroquefe, being aftonifli'd

0 find their way block'd up at the other end, ould return back the fame way, to fee them- rfves fhut up between two Barricadoes. Now he Savages, as I have often told you, are never ;> rafli as to attack a Redoubt of Fifty Palifa- oes, yet thefe Iroquefe were refolv'd to venture pon an Attack, and with that view run up with 11 expedition to force the new Barricado ,• but ley flacken'd their pace after the firft difcharge rhich the Outagamis made through the intervalls f the Pales, for they had not time to joyn lem as they fhould be. The Iroquefe feeing lemfelves thus fhut up, took the number of the Outagamis to be much greater than realy it was* a the mean time the great Queftion was, how

1 get out of this Prifon ? For to throw them- jives into the Water and fwim over one of thefe Jakes, was to run tthe hazard of ones Life, be- des that one muft be long-winded and have a pod Heart to fwim over a broad Lake, at, a time fhen the Water was cold, the Ice being not uite melted. This Confutation gave the Outa- mis time to fortifie their Barricadoes, and to

E e 2 fend

68 Some New Voyages

fend out Scouts who were plac'd at a diftance from one another , upon the Banks of thefe two Lakes, to knock all on the Head that offer'd to fwim to the flxore.

Notwithftanding all thefe Precautions the Iro- quefe found out a wonderful Expedient, which was to make Floats of the Trees wherewith they were encompafs'd,- but the blows of the Ax made too great a noife, which difcover'd their Defign to the Outagamis, and therefore they made Canows of Hart-skins to run backward and forward upon the two Lakes in the Nighc time. Thefe Boats were made in five or fi& Days, during which time the Iroquefe fifti'd and cateh'd abundance of Trouts in the fight of the Outagamis, who could not hinder them. After, this no body doubted, but they muft crofs one of the Lakes, and fight ftoutly when they came to the Landing place, in cafe their fecret Navi- gation was difcover'd. That they might the bet- ter fucceed in their Defign they made a Feint^ which had infallibly anfwerd their end if th$ bottom of the Lake had not been Clay : For a* bout Midnight having Sacrific'd Twenty Slaves upon one of the Lakes, whom they forc'd to pufii a Float along, they made account to pafs the other the fame way, making ufe of Poles inftead of Oars : But in regard that the Poles funk fo deep into the Clay, that the Steerfmen could not pull them out again without great dif- ficulty, they made but flow difpatch ,• infomuch that the Outagamis, that at firft were under a miftake in joyning themfelves to the Slaves, had time to run to the other Lake, where they found the Iroyuefe about a Musket-fhot off the Shore. As foon as the Iroqucfe came to have but three Foot Water they threw themfelves into the Water with their Guns cock'd, fuffering at

the

to North-America.

69

he fame time the Fire of the Qutagamis, who were not above three Hundred, there being Fif- :y of them left to guard each Barricado. 'Tis t wonder the Iroquefe were not all cut off in the Landing, for they funk in the Clay up to their Cnees. 'Tis true, 'twas in the Night time, and br that reafon all the Enemy's Fire might not >ear upon them. However five Hundred of. hem fell in the Water, and the reft having ;ain'd the Shoar notwithftanding all the oppo- ition of the Outagamis, attack'd them with fuch ?ury that if the Hundred Men that were left for Guard to the Barricadoes had not run in to heir Afliftance upon the firft noife of the Guns, lie poor Outagamis were in danger of falling up- n the Spot. They fought till the break of )ay with wonderful fury, and that in the great- ft Confufion imaginable, being difpers'd up nd down a Wood, infomuch that feveral were ilfd by their own Men, who could not diftin- uifh who was who* The Iroqmfe were obfti- ately refolv'd not to yield the Field of Battel, ut of regard to their wounded Men, and in anfideration that they would not have the Ou- tgamis to take the Hair of their Dead. But at [ft they were oblig'd to give way, without be- lg purfued, and fled half a League off where ley rally'd. I was informed by feveral Iroquefe )meYears after this Engagement happen d, that lofe who furviv'd the Engagement were for enturing upon a new Brufii; but confidering lat they wanted Powder, and that they were blig'd to return home through the Country of le Sauteurs, or thofe who live on the Confines f the great Water Falls, they chang'd their Re- )lution. But after all they were much out in ot coming to a frefli Engagement } for being ill three Hundred ftrong they could not but ■ E e % have

,

70 Some TStew Voyages

have the better of it, for the Outagamis were not fo numerous by one third, having loft half their number in that {harp Engagement, not to men- tion that of the two Hundred which remain'd there wereThirtyWounded.In fliort thcOutagamis having intrenched themfelves in the fame place where the Fight was, took care in the firft place to drefs the Wounds both of their own Men and of their Prifoners ; and after taking the Hail off the Heads of all their dead Enemies, fent out Scouts to obferve the Enemy, after which they returnd home in fafety.

When the Outagamis arriv'd at their Villages, the firft thing they did was a return of Thanks t< the four Sauteurs that had given them Intelli gence of the approach of the Iraquefe. The] proclaim'd them to be great Matters of War, an< prefented em with one half of what they ha< got at Hunting, which amounted to Sixty Thou fand Growns3 pretending farther, that thefe fou Savages ought to inherit the Beaver and othe Skins belonging to thofe of the Outagamis tha were kill'd in the Battle. In fine, atter enter taining thofe Intelligencers with good Chear,an< all the Marks of Honour that were poflible ii their way, they fent them in a Canow to San St. Mary5 by the way of the Bay of Puanies, wit] a Guard of Fifty Warriors. The Sauteurs refus' both their Prefents and their Convoy, upon th account that the two Nations were then at Wa with one another : But the Outagamis forc'd ther upon 'em, and 'twas this that procured a Peac between them at the end of four Months.

This, Sir, as I take it is fufficient to give yo an Idea of the Hazards that the Savages run i their Beaver Hunting. In the mean time, th< I have but juft made an end of two Militar Adventures, yet I allot the very next Chapt*

fc

to North- America/ y\

for an account of their Military Art, in which youl meet with fomethings that will ferve far Diverfion to your felf and and Entertainment to your Friends.

the Military Art of the Savages.

THE Savage call'd Rat, whom Ihavemen* tiond fo often in my Letters, has faid to me feveral times, that the only thing in the World that vex d and difturb'd his Mind was the feeing Men wage War with Men. Prithee, my Brother, faid he, do but look ; our Dogs agree per* feBly well with the Iroquefe Dogs, and thofe of the Iroquefe bear no Enmity to the Dogs that come from France. I do not know any Animal that wages War with others of Its own Species, excepting Man, who upon this [core Is more Unnatural than the Beafis: For my part ( continues he ) lam of the Opinion, that If the Brutes could Think and Reafon, and com- municate their Thoughts, 'twould be an eajie matter for them to extrlpate the Human Race : For, in ear- nejt, if the Bears and Wolves were but capable of forming a Republick , who could hinder them to draw together a Body of ten or twelve Thoufand, and to fall upon us ? If fuch a thing jhould happen, what defence can we make? They would fcale our Villa- ges with the greatest Facility Imaginable, and after the pulling down of our Huts devour our felves. Could we In fuch a Cafe undertake a Hunting Expedition, without running the rifque of being torn in Pieces ? We jhould then be reducdto live upon Accorns and Roots, without Arms and without Cloaths, and tq run the perpetual hazard of falling Into the Clutches of thefe Animals. Their Strength and Nimblenefs would fink all Oppofition from us, and command us to yield.

Ee 4

Let

7 1 Some ISlew Voyages

Let us conclude therefore, my dear Brother, that this Reafon which Man hoaffis fo much of is the greatefi Jnfirument of his Mifery ,- and that if Meniere with- out that Faculty of Thinking, Arguing and Speaking, they would not imbarque in mutual Wars as they now do, without any regard to Humanity or Sacred Tro- mifes.

Such, Sir, are the Moral Thoughts of a Sa- vage , who pretends to Philofophife upon the Cuftom that we have of killing Men with Juftice and Honour. The Jefuits do their uttnoft to remoye this Scruple by fuch Reafons as they have, as they do upon feveral other Subjefts, and the Savages hear 'em very gravely, but at the lame time they tell em that they do not under- ftand em.

The Wars of the Savages are grounded upon the Right of Hunting, or of a Paffage upon fuch and fuch Grounds ,• for their Limits are adjufted, and every Nation is perfectly well acquainted With the Boundaries of their own Country. Now thefe Americans are 3s Cruel to their Enemies, as they are True to their Allies ,• for foroe Nations among them ufe their Prifoners with the laft de- gree of Inhumanity } as I mall (hew you more at large in the Sequel. When the Europeans offer to Cenfure the Savages for their barbarous and cruel Ufage, they reply very coldiy, That Life is nothing, that they are not revengd on their Enemies by cutting their Throats, hut by putting them to along, tedious, Jiarp and lafiing Torture ; and that Women would be as chearful Warriors as Men, if there ivzre nothing to be fear d but bare Death. At the Age of begin to bear Arms, and lay 'em _Jf they happen to Lear Aims 'tis only in the way of maraud % not lifted into the number

•• >wh ar Fifn

. 'it cr later

in

for the)' a: ^jrridis,

ox

Th«

to Kor th» America.

71

The Strength of the lroquefe lies in engaging with Fire- Arms in a Forreft ,* for they flioot ve- ry dexteroufly ; befides that they are very well vers'd in making the beft advantage of every thing, by covering themfelves with Trees, be- hind which they ftand ftock ftill after they have difcharg'd, though their Enemies be twice their Number. But in regard that they are more clumfy and not fo clever as the more Southern Americans, they have no Dexerity in handling a Club ; and thus it comes to pafs, that they are always worfted in the open Fields where the i Clubs are the only Weapons ,• for which Reafon they avoid any Engagement in Meadows or o- pen Fields as much as is poflible.

The Savages never court an Engagement but by way of Surprifal, that is, the fide which makes the firft difcovery is almoft always fure of having the better of it ,♦ for they have it in their choice to make the Attack either in the open Field, or in the mod dangerous Defiles or Paffes.

In the Day time they take all the Precaution \ in the World to cover their March, by fending out Scouts on all Hands, unlefs it be that the Party is fo ftrong as to fear nothing ,• for then, indeed, they March all in a clofe Body. But they are as Negligent in the Night time, as they are Vigilant in the Day ,* for they place neither Centries nor Guards at the entry of their Camp, and when they go a Hunting or Shooting of Bea- vers, they are equally fecure or carelefs. When I enquir'd into the reafon of this bad Difcipline, I was affur'd that the Savages did it by way of Preemption, as reckoning fo much upon the Reputation of their Valour, that, they imagine their Eqemies will not not be To bol^ as to At- tack them : And when they fend out Scouts in jhe Day time, that Precaution proceeds more

from

74 Some %&& Voyages

from an itch to furprife their Enemies, than from the fear of being furpris'd themfelves.

There are a great many Savage Nations in Canada that tremble at the very Name of the Itch quefe, for the latter are a brave fort of People ; they are expert Warriors, ready upon all Enter- priles, and capable to put them in Execution, with all due Dexterity, Tis true, they are not fo fprightly as moft of their Enemies, nor fo happy in fighting with Clubs,- and 'tis for that Reafon that they never march but in numerous Bodies, and that by flower Marches than thofe of the other Savages. In fine, you'l fee in my Lift of the Nations of Canada , which of 'em are Warlike, and which are only qualify 'd for Hunting.

The Savages have a wonderful Talent in fur- prifing their Enemies j for they can trace the Footfteps of Men and Beafts upon Grafs and Leaves, better than the Europeans can upon Snow or wet Sand. Nay, which is more, they can diftinguifli with a great deal of Facility between frefti Tra&s and thofe of longer ftanding, and can make a juftEftimate of the number and kind that made them. Thefe Tra&s they follow whole Days without being miftaken. This I have feen fo often with my own Eyes, that there's no room left for the leaft doubt upon the matter.

The Warriors never undertake any thing without the Advice of the Ancient Men, to whom they propofe their Projeds. Upon a Pro- pofal thus made the old Men meet and confult upon it ,• after which their Speaker walks out of the Council-Hut, and with a loud Voice Pro- claims the Refolution of the Council, that all the Village may have due Information of the fame.

You

to North-Amenca.*

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■Mf

You muft obferve that each Village hath its General or Great Head of the Warriors, who in confideration of his Valour, Capacity and Ex- perience is proclaim'd fuch by an unanimous Confent. But after all, this Title invefts him with no Power over the Warriors; for thefe Peo^ pie are Strangers to a Military as well as to a Civil Subordination. Nay, they are fo far from it, that if the great Leader ftiould order the filly- eft and moft pittiful Fellow in his Army to do fo and fo, why truly, this fliaddow of a Captain would receive this Anfwer from the Centine!, That what he orders another to do he ought to do it hirnfelf. But 'tis fuch an uncommon thing for the Leader to ad fo indifcreetly, that I Queftion if there be one Inftance of it. However this mutual Independance is of no ill Confequence ; for though the great Leader is not invefted with Power and Authority, yet they acquiefce entire- ly in what he Propofes. He no fooner opens his Mouth in faying, I think fuch and fuch a thing proper, let's detach Ten or Twenty Men, &c. than 'tis put in Execution, without the leaft Oppofi- tion. Befides the great Leader there are fome other Leaders that Head a certain number of Warriors who follow them out of Friendftiip and Refped ; and thefe are not look'd upon as as Leaders or Commanders by any other than their own Family or Followers.

When the old Men think it proper that aParty of Warriors Ihould take the Field,the Great Leader who always affifts at the Council, hath the privi- lege of making his choice whether he'll Head them hirnfelf, or ftay at home in the Village. If he hath a mind to go himfelf,he orders the Oyer of that Nation to make publick Proclamation in all the Streets of the Village, That on fuch a Day he gives the Feaft of War to thofe who

pleafe

7 6 Some New Voyages

pleafe to be prefent. Then, thofe who have a mind to go in chat Party, fend their Dirties to the General's Houfe on the appointed day, and are fure to be there themfelves before noon. When the Company is all gathered, the General walks out to a publick place with his Club in his hand, being followed by the Warriours who fit down round him. This done, there comes fix Savages, with as many Kettle-Drums, which make a Clut- ter, rather than a Warlike Sound. Thefe Drum- mers fit down fquat upon their Tails by a Poft fix d in the Center ol the great Ring : And at the fame time, the General fixes his Eyes upon the Sun, ail the Company following his example, and makes his Addreffes to the Great Spirit • aftsr which a Sacrifice is commonly offer'd up. When this Ceremony is over, he fings the Song of War, the Drummers beating Time to him af- ter their way ,• and at the end of every Period, which contains one of his Exploits, he knocks a- gainft the Poft with his Club. When he has made an end of his Song, each Warriour fings in his turn after the fame fafliion, provided he has made a Campagne before ,• for if he has not, he's doom'd to Silence. This done, the whole Company returns to the General's Hutt, where they find their Dinner ready for them.

If the General do's not think it fit to Command the Party in Perfon, and choofes to ftay at home ; the Warriours that defign to go upon the Party, choofe one of the Under-Leaders that I mention d but now : And the Under-Leader thus chofen, obferves the fame Ceremonies of Ad- dreffing the Great Spirit , Sacrificing, Singing, and Feafting. The laft Ceremony is continued every day till they March out.

Some of chafe Parties go half way, or thres quarters of their way in Canows ; particularly •

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thofe who live upon the Banks of Lakes,, as .well as the kcyuefe. The Iroyuefe havp this advantage over their Enemies, that they ate all Arni'd with good Fire-Locks,- whereas the others who ufe thole Engines only for the Shooting of Beafts, have not above half their number provided with 'em: And 'tis for this re^fon, that the nearer they come to their Enemies Country, the lefs they fpread out in Hunting or Shooting, efpeci- ally with Fire- Arms, the report of which might Alarm the Enemy. When they come within thirty or forty Leagues of danger, they give over Hunting and Shooting, being afraid to fire their Guns,- and content themfelves with the Indian Corn, of which each of them carries a Bag often pound weight ,• and upon which they feed, after 'tis mix'd with a little Water without Boiling.

When the Ittinefe, the Outagawisy the Hurms, and the Sauteurs wage War with the Ircquefe, and have a mind to make a bold Attempt ,- if there be but thirty of theni, they'll march dire&ly up to the end of the Village, prefuming that incaie of a difcovery, they can eafiiy fave themfelves by their good- Heels. In the mean time, they have the Precaution to March one after another f and he that comes laft takes care to ftrow the Ground with Leaves, in order to cover their fbotfteps. After they have palt the Village, and are got in- to the Iroquefc Country, they run all night ; and in the day time lye flat upon their Bellies, in the Copfes and Thickets, being fometimes difpers'd, and fometimes all in a Body. Towards the Eve- ning, or as foon as the Sun fets, they Spring out from their Ambufcade, and fall- upon every one they meet, without fparing either Age or Sex : For 'tis a cuftomary thing with thefe ' Warriours to ftiew no Mercy, not to' Children and Women, After they have fintilid their Maffaere^ and taken

the

7 8 Some Kern Voyages

the Hair off the Heads of the Dead, they have the boldnefs to make a Funeral Cry. If they fee any Iroqaefe at a diftance, they ftrain their Voices to acquaint em that they have kill'd fome of their Folks, whom they may take care to Bury: That the A&ion was accomplilh'd by fuch a Lea- der and fuch a Nation. This done, they all betake themfelves to Flight by different Roads, and run with their utmoft fpeed till they come to a general place of Rendezvous, about thirty or forty Leagues off In the mean time, the bomuf* do not give themfelves the trouble of purfuing them, as being fenfible that they are not fo nim- ble Footed as to overtake 'em.

If thefe Parties are two or three hundred Men ftrong, they'll venture to enter the Village in the Night time ,• making one or two of their War- nours to Scale the Paliffadoes and open the Gates, in cafe they are fhut. But you mull know, that the Outaouas, as well as the other Savages that have not fo much Courage and Adivity, content themfelves with purfuing the Iroquefe'm the Coun- tries where they Hunt or Filh : For they dare not come within forty Leagues of their Villages, unlets they know of a place of Refuge, in cafe or a difcovery or purfuit : And there can be no other Refuge than fome little Forts kept up by the French. . ."

The Savages never take any Prifoners at the Gates of their Enemies Villages ,• by reafon of the Expedition they are oblig'd to make in run- ning Night and Day to lave themfelves : "Tis in the Hunting and Filliing Countries, and in the other places that afford them an opportunity of lurprizing their Enemy , that they take 'em '"'°"e.rs : For upon fuch occafions, the weaker lide being forc'd to give way, and to maintain a running Fight without any Order, or Difcipline,

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while every one flies his own way, 'tis not pof- fible but that the Conquerors muft take Prifon- ers : And there's always fome ftrong brawny Sa- vages who know how to throw down the Pri- soner dextroufly, and to bind him in a moment. But there are fome of the defeated Parties, who choofe rather to kill themfelves than to be took Prifoners ,* and others are fo obftinate that they muft be Wounded before they can be catch'd. As foon as a Savage is Fetterd, he fings his Death Song, after the manner defcrib'd in my 23d Letter. The Iroquefe that have the misfor- tune to be catch'd, have nothing to expeft but fearful Torture, if they fall into the hands of the Oumamisy the Outaouas, the Algonkins, and the Savages of Canada : For thefe People areextream cruel to their Prifoners. The leaft Puniftiment they inflid upon 'em, is, that of obliging the poor Wretches to put their Finger into the mouth of a lighted Pipe ,• which makes an agreeable di- verfion to the Conqueror in his Journey home. The other Nations ufe their Prifoners with much more Humanity. From hence we may con- clude, that we ought to make a great difference between the* feveral Nations of Canada ; fome of which are Warlike, others Cowardly ,• fome a lively A&ive People, others Heavy and Dull : In a Word, the Cafe is the fame in America as it is in Europe, where every Nation has not the Vir- tues or Vices of another. For the Iroquefe, and the other Nations that I nam'd along with them, burn all their Prifoners ; whereas the other Na- tions content themfelves with the keeping of them in Slavery, without putting any to Death, 'Tis the firft fort that I mean to fpeak of in the three enfuing Paragraphs,

As

8<

Some Wt&> Voyages

As foon as a party of Barbarians approach their own Village, they make as many Dead-Cries as they have loft Men ; and when they come with* in a Mufquet-Shot of the Village, they renew the mournful Tune ,• and repeat it for a certain number of times anfwerable to the number of the flain among the Enemies. Then the Youths under fixteen, and above twelve years of age, Arm themfelves with Sticks, and make a Lane in order to beat the Prifoners, which they put in execution as foon as the Warriours have made their entry, carrying the Hair of thofethey have flain upon the end of their Bows.

The next day, the old Men meet in Council upon the diftribution of the Prifoners, which are commonly prefented to fuch Married Women or Maids as have loft Relations in the Expedition, and to thofe that want Slaves. After the diftri- bution is adjufted, three or four Young Scoun- drels of the Age of fifteen, take the Prifoners and condud them to thefe Women or Girles. Now, if the Woman to whom the prefent is made, means that the poor Wretch mould die, fhe gives him to underftand that her Father, her Brother, her Husband., &c having no Slaves to ferve them in the Country of the Dead, it be- hoves him to take a Journey thither out of hand. If evidence be brought that the poor Slave has kilfd either Women or Children in his lifetime, the young Executioners lead him to a Woodpile, where he is forc'd to undergo the difmal Tor- ments mentioned in my 23d Letter,- and fome- times fomewhat that is yet more terrible. But it the unfortunate Prifoner can make it appear that he only kill'd Men, they content themfelves with the Shooting of him. If the Woman or Girl has a mind to fave the Prifoners life ( which often happens) fhe takes him by the hand ,* and

after

/

a. So.

yi Bo iv 'Jul' call'd Caffe-tztc

■ft "nAmr

>aoi taken in ivar cmd i/tttbif his Enemies

^4 woman tfiat condemns to dtath a prifenet* thatu

to KorthAmmci.

i

after conducing him into the Hut, cuts his Bonds and orders him Cloaths, Arms, Victuals and To- bacco. This favour is ufually aecompany'd with :hefe words. I have given thee thy life, 1 hava knocked off thy chains, pluck up a good heart, ferve me well, be not ill minded, and thou [halt have where- ipon to comfort thee for the lofi of thy Country and thy delations. Sometimes the Iroquefe Women adopt :he Slaves that are prefented to 'em , and then hey are look'd upon as Members of the Nation. Is for the Women Prifoners they are diftributed imong the Men, who are fure to grant ?em heir lives.

You muft take notice that the Savages of Ca* wda never exchange their Prifoners. As foon as hey are put in Chains, their Relations and the /hole Nation to which they retain, look upon ;m as dead,* unlefs it be that they were fo much bounded when they were taken, that they ould not poflibly kill themfelves. Thefe indeed [iey receive when they make their efcape ,• but : the other Prifoners fliould offer to return, they /ould be contemnd by their neareft Relations, nd no body would receive 'em. The way of raging War among the Savages is fo hadh, that ne muft have a Body of Steel to bear the Fa- gues they are oblig d to undergo. Now if we )yn to this inconveniency that of their giving ut little Quarter to one another,- and for the 10ft part, without any regard either to Women r Children, we will not think it ftrange that le number of their Warriours is fo fmall, that )metimes one Nation can icarce mufter up a loufand.

The Savages are never rafh in declaring War,* ley hold frequent Councils before they refolve pon it, and muft be very well aiTur'd of the :e4dinefs of the Neighbouring Nations, whofe

Ff

Alliance

Sx Some New Voyages

Alliance or Neutrality they require. Befides, before they come to fuch a refolution, they make it their bufinefsto fathom the Minds of fuch Na- tions as lye remote ; to the end that they may take juft meafures, by weighing all the Confe- quences ferioufly, and endeavouring to forefee all the accidents that may happen. They ufe the Pre- caution offending Deputies to the People whom they propofe for their Allies,to make a narrow in- quiry whether their Old Men have Heads well turn d for Government, and for the giving ol judicious and feafonabl? Counfels to their War- riours, whofe number they want to know as well as their Valour and Experience. The next thin£ that they have in view, is the carrying on of th< Trade of Skins with the French without difad* vantage, and the Hunting of Beavers in Winte: without expofing themfelves to danger. Afte; all, they make this propofal to their Allies ^ tha they ftiall engage not to put an end to the Wa till their Enemies are intirely deftroy'd, or elf oblig'd to abdicate their Country.

Their way of declaring War is this : The; 1 fend back to the Nation that they have a mind * quarrel with, a Slave of the fame Country ,• wit. orders to carry to the Village of his own Nati on an Axe, the Handle of which is painted re and black. Sometimes they fend three or fou fuch Slaves, obliging them to promife befoi hand, that they (hall not bear Arms againft them and commonly this Promife is religioufly ol ferv'd,

It remains only to acquaint you how the make Peace ; you muft know that the Savage never think of an Accommodation till after long War : But when they are fenfible that 't their Intereft to come to it they detach five, j ten, or fifteen, or twenty Warriors, to make

Pr<

to North- Ammcz.

H

Propofal to the Enemies. Thefe Gommiffioneri go fometimes by Land, and fometimes in Ga~ nows, and always carry the great Calumet of Peace in their Hand, much after the fame man- ner as a Cornet carries his Standard. I fet forth in my Seventh Letter what a profound Venerati- on all the Savages of CanaJa'h&ve for this famous Pipe. There was not one Inftance of their Vio- lating the Sacred Rights of this Pipe before the Embaffy of Chevalier Do3 at which time they took occafion to revenge the Bufinefs of the Rat3 as I gave you to know in my Seventeenth Let- ter. If the Commiffioners of Peace march !>y Land;, as foon as they arrive within a Musket- [not of the Village, fome young Men march out md poft themfelves in an oval Figure. This lone, the Commiffioner that carries that great ign of Peace., makes up towards them., finging md dancing the Calumet Dance $ which he rontinues to do while the old Men meet in Council. If the Inhabitants of the Village do lot think it proper to accept of the Propofal of *£ace, their Orator or Speaker makes a Haran- ;ue to the Envoy that carries the Calumet, who ipon that goes and rejoins his Company. This ^aciftck Retinue is regal'd with Prefents of rents, Corn, Meat and FiJlij but at the fame ime they are acquainted that they muft depart heir Country the next Day. If on the other fond, the old Men agree to the conclufioh of a >eace, they march out and meet the Commiffi- >ners, and after conduding the whole Company nto the Village, provide them with extraordina- y good Lodgings and a plentiful Table, during he whole courfe of the Negotiation. When the commiffioners come by Water they fend out a 2anow while the reft lye by ;. and as foon as his Canow comes near to the Village, the Inba- F f 2 tanfs

84 Some New Voyages

bitants of the Village fend out another to meet it, and condud the Propofer of Peace to their Habitations, where the Ceremonies are per- formed after the fame manner as before. This great Calumet is likewife made ufe of by the Confederate Savages, that demand Paffage thro* the Country of their Allies, whether by Land or Water, in purfuance of Warlike or Hunting Expeditions.

A View of the Heraldry \ or the Coats of Arms of ffo Savages.

AFter a perufal of the former Accounts 1 fent you of the Ignorance of the Savages with reference to Sciences, you will not think it ftrange that they are unacquainted with Heral- dry. The Figures you have reprefented in this Cut will certainly appear ridiculous to you, anc indeed they are nothing lefs : But after all you ! content your felf with excufing thefe pool Wretches, without rallying upon their extraya gant Fancies. They make ufe of the Blazoning reprefented in the Cut, for the following Pur pofes .

When a Party of Savages have routed their E nemies in any Place wjiatfoever, the Conque- rours take care to pull the Bark off the Tree for the height of five or fix Foot in all Place where they flop in returning to their own Coun try ; and in honour of their Vicftory paint cer tain Images with Coal pounded and beat u] with Fat and Oyl. Thefe Pictures, which ar< defign'd and explain'd in the infuing Chapter continue upon the peel' d Tree for ten or twelv<

Years

~F*4\

J. fie arms of t/i,° Outag emits cailcl

TAe arms of the Outc/upoues alias Jfauteai's

-

to North- America.

sy

Years, as if they were Grav'd, without being defacdby the Rain.

This they do to give all Paffangers to under- ftand what Exploits they have don§. The Arms For the Nation, and fometimes a particular Mark r0r the Leader of the Party, are painted in Co- lours upon thefe ftrip'd Trees ; and for that rea- fon 'twil not be improper to fubjoin a Defcripti-* on of 'em.

The five Outaouafe Nations have a Sinople or Sreen Field, with four Elks in Sable Canton'd, md looking to the four Corners of the Efcutch- ?on, there being a heap of Sand in the mid- dle.

The Mnefe bear a Beech Leaf with a Butterfly Urgent.

The Nadoueffis or Scieux have a Squirrel Gules, jnawing a Citron On

The Hurons bear a Beaver Sable, fet fquat upon t Beaver Kennel Argent, the midft of a Pool )x Lake.

The Outagamis bear a Meadow Sinople, crofs'd >y a winding River Pale3 with two Foxes Gules I the two Extremities of the River, in Chief and toint.

The Pouteoutamis call'd Tuants bear a Dog in Urgent, fleeping upon a Mat £ Or. Thefe Peo- ple obferve the Rules of Blazoning lefs than the )ther Nations,

The Oumamis have a Bear Sable, pulling down vith his two Paws a Tree Sinople moffy3 and aid along the Efcutcheon.

The Oucahipoues, call'd Sauteurs, have an Ea- jle Sable, pearching upon the top of a Rock Urgent, and devouring an Owl Gules.

Ff 3

m

$6 Some New Voyages

An Explication of the Hieroglyphicks that fiand cppofite to the Letters ABCDEt 6 H I K, being placd at the fide of a Co* lumn reprefenting the Foot of a fuppost Tree.

IF we take the Word Hieroglyfhkk in its natti ral Senfe> 'tis only a Reprefentation of Sa ored and Divine Objeds,, Calculated according to the Ideas we have of em. But without am regard to the Etymology, I choofe rather tj make ufe of the common Priviledge of an infi siity of Authors, in beftowing the Title of Hie roglyphick Symbols upon all thefe Figures tha eorrefpond to the following Letters.

A. Oppofite to this Letter you fee the Arm of France, with an Ax above. Now the Ax i a Symbol of War among the Savages, as th Calumet is the Bond of Peace : So that this im ports,, that the French have taken up the Ax, o have made a Warlike Expedition with as man; tens of Men as there are Marks or Points roun< the Figure. Thefe Marks you fee are Eigh teen in number, and io they fignifie an Hun dred and eighty Warriors.

B, Over againft this Letter you meet with Mountain that reprefents the City of Monreai (according to theSavages)and the Fowl upon th Wing at the top fignifies Departure. The Mooj ppon the Back of the Stag fignifies the fir! Quarter of the July Moon, which is calfd th St a 2~- Ale on.

?. Oppo

UhJiAAA

*jQl jj,J3

L^ytfih"^ f f P^Fj J3_jl3

© © ©

© © © @ © © © ©

H^i -> ->. ~~^

> -v

->

~>

> -> -> ->

i£i

"

to North- America.

«7

C. Oppofite to this Letter you defcry aCa« now, importing that they have travel'd by Wa- ter as many Days as you fee Huts in the Figure, i. e. 21 Days,

D. Upon the fame parallel with this Letter you fee a Foot, importing that after their Voy- age by Water they march'd on Foot as manyDays as there are Huts defign'd ,• that is, feven Days Journeys for Warriors, each Days Journey being as much as five common French Leagues, or five of thofe which are reckoned to be twenty in a Degree.

E. By this Letter you perceive a Hand and three Huts, which fignifie that they are got with- in three Days Journey of the Iroqtiefe Tfonmnto- uansy whofe Arms are a Hut with two Trees leaning downwards, as you fee them drawn. The Sun imports that they were juft to the Eaft- ward of the Village : For you muft obferve, that if they had march'd to the Weftward the Arms of thefe Savages had been placd where the Hand is, and the Hand had been turn'd and plac'd where you now fee the Hut with the two Trees.

F. Oppofite to this Letter you perceive twelve : Marks, fignifying fo many times ten Men, like J thofe at the Letter A. The Hut with the two

Trees being the Arms of the Tfonnontouans fiiews that they were of that Nation ,• and the Man in a lying pofture fpeaks that they were furpris'd.

G. In the row which anfwers to this Letter there appears a Club and eleven Heads, import- ing that they had kill'd eleven Tfonnontcuam3 and the five Men ftanding upright upon the five Marks fignifie, that they took as many times t^n Prifoners of War.

Ff

H. Oppo-

88 Some New Voyages

H. Oppofite to this Letter you fee nine Heads s in an Arch, the meaning of which is, that nine of the Aggreffors or of the Vidorious fide (which Ifuppofedto ht French) were kilfd • and the twelve Marks underneath fignifie that as many were Wounded.

1.^ Oppofite to this Letter you fee Arrows fly- ing in the Air, fome to one fide and fome to the other, importing a vigorous Defence on both fides.

K. At this Letter you fee the Arrows all point- ed one way, which fpeaks the worfted Party ei- ther flying or fighting upon a Retreat in dif- order.

The meaning of the whole is in a few Words as follows. An Hundred and eighty French Men fet out from Monreal in the firft Quarter of the July Moon, and faifd twenty one Days,- after which they march'd thirty five Leagues over Land and furpris'd a hundred and twenty Tfon- mntouans on the Eaft fide of their Village, eleven of whom were Kill'd, and fifty taken Prifoners,- the French fuftaining the lofs of nine Kiird and twelve Wounded, after a very obfti- nate Engagement.

This may ferve to prompt you and me to re- turn thanks to God for vouchfafing to us the means of exprefling our Thoughts by the bare ranking of twenty three Letters, and above all of Writing in lefs than a Minute a Difcourfe that the Americans cannot Decypher with their impertinent Hieroglyphicks in the fpace of an Hour. Though the number of thofe dark Sym- bols is of no large extent, yet 'tis very perplex- ing to an European; for which Reafon I have contented my felf in learning only fuch of 'em as are moft Bffentialj the knowledge of which

I owe

"

to Kortfc-America,

89

I owe to Neceffity more than Curiofity. I could fend you others that are as extravagant as thefe I now fend you ; but confidering that they will be of no ufe to you, Ichoofe to fave my felf the labour of drawing them upon Paper, and you the trouble of looking 'em over.

lam. Sir,

Yours, &c*

( 9° )

CONFERENCE

O R

DIALOGUE

BETWEEN THE

JVTHOR and JVJKIO,

A Noted Man among the

SAVAGES.

CONTAINING

A dra/mflantial View of the Cuftoms and Humours of that People.

Lahon- *W" Am infinitely well pleas'd, my dear fan. § Adario, that I have an opportunity of feafoning with you upon a Sub- JjL je& of the greateft Importance • for my bufmefs is to unfold to you the great Truths of Chriftianity.

AclariOj I am ready to hear thee, my dear Bro- ther, in order to be informed of a great many things that the Jefuits have been Preaching up

for

to Nort/;- Am erica- p i

for a long time ; and I would have us to dif- courfe together with all the freedom that may be. If your Belief is the fame with that of the Jefuits, 'tis in vain to enter into a Conference ; for they have entertain d me with fo many Fabu- lous and Romantick Stories, that all the credit I can give 'em 3 is to believe, that they have more Senfe than to believe themfelves.

Lahontan, I do not know what they have faid to you ; but I am apt to believe that their Words and mine will agree very well together. The Chriftian Religion is a Religion that Men ought to profefs in order to obtain a place in Heaven. God hath permitted the difcovery of America, meaning to fave all Nations that will follow the Laws of Chriftianity. 'Twas his Divine Piea- furethat the Gofpel fhould be Preach'd to thy Nation, that they may be informed of the true way to Paradife, the bleffed Manfion of good Souls. 'Tis pity thou wilt not be perfwaded to make the beft ufe of the Favours and the Talents that God hath beftow'd upon thee. Life is ftort,* v the Hour of our Death is uncertain, and Time is precious. Undeceive thy felf therefore, as to the imagin d Severity of Chriftianity., and im~ brace it without delay, regrating the lofs of thofe Days thou has fpent in Ignorance, without a due fenfe of Religion and Worfhip, and without the knowlege of the true God.

Adario. How do you mzmpvhhoui the Knowledge of the True God? What! areyoumad ? Doft thou believe we are void of Religion, alter thou haft dwelt fo longamongft us ? Do'ftnot thee know in the firft place, that we acknowledge a Creator of the Univerfe, under the Title of the Great Spirit or Mailer of Life ; whom we believe to be in every thing, and to be .unconfin'd to Limits ?

That we own the Immortality of the

5CUl.

That

i— ■ — —

pi Some New Voyages

3. That the Great Spirit has furnifh'd us with a Rational Faculty , capable of diftinguifliing Good from Evil, as much as Heaven from Earth; to the end that we might Religioufly obferve the true Meafures of Juftice and Wifdom. 4. That the Tranquility and Serenity of the Soul pleafes the Great Matter of Life : And on the other hand, that he abhors trouble and anxiety of Mind, becaufe it renders Men Wicked. 5. That Life is a Dream, and Death the Seafon of Awa- king, in which the Soul fees and knows the Na- ture and Quality of all things, whether vifible orir, vifible. 6. That the utmoft reach of our Minds cane go one Inch above the Surface of the Earth : So that we ought not to corrupt and fpoil it by endeavouring to pry into Invifible and Improbable things. This my dear Friend is Our Belief, and we ad up to it with the greateft Ex- aanefs. We believe that we fliall go to the Country of Souls after death; but we have no fuch apprehenfion as you have, of a good and bad Manfion after this Life, provided for the good and bad Souls ,• for we cannot tell whether every thing that appears faulty to Men, is fo in the Eyes of God. If your Religion differs from ours, it do's not follow that we have none at all. Thou knoweft that I have been in France, 'New- York and Quebec ; where I Study'd the Cuftoms and Doctrines of the EngliJI) and French. The Jefmts allege, that out of five or fix hundred forts of Religions , there's only one that is the good and the true Religion, and that's their own ; out of which no Man fball Ycape the Flames of a Fire that will burn his Soul to all Eternity. This is their allegation : But when they have faid all, they cannot offer any Proof for it.

La-*

to North- America.

n

Lahontan. They have a great deal of reafon, Adarb, to affert that there are bad Souls ; for without draggling far for a Proof, they need on- ly to give thine for an Inftance. He that is un- acquainted with the Truths of the Chrifiian Re- ligion, is not capable of receiving a Proof. AH that thou haft offerd in thy own defence is pro- digious Madnefs, The Country of Souls that thou fpeakeft of is only a Chimerical. Hunting Country : Whereas our Holy Scriptures inform us of a Paradife, Seated above the remoteft Stars, where God does actually refide ,• being incircled with Glory, and the Souls of all the Faithful Chriftians. The fame very Scriptures make mention of a Hell, which we take to be Situa- ted in the Centre of the Earth : And in which the Souls of all fuch as reje& Ghriftianity, as well as thofe of bad Chriftians, will burn for ever without Confumption. This is a Truth that you ought to think of

Adario. Thefe Holy Scriptures that thou quo- teft every foot, as well as the Jefuits, require that mighty Faith which the Good Fathers are always teazing us with. But this can be nothing but a perfuafion : To believe, Importsno more than to be perfuaded of a thing : and to be perfuaded or convinc'd, is to fee a thing with one's eyes, or to have it recommended by clear and foiid Truths. Now how can I have that Faith, (ihce thou canft neither prove a tittle of what thou fay'ft, nor fhew it me before my eyes. Believe me, my Friend,- do not wrap up thy Mind in obfcurity ; give over the vifionary thoughts of thefe Holy Scriptures, or elfe let us make an end of our Conferences upon that Head; for according to our Principles, we m'uft have probability in eve- ry thing we admit of. What Ground haft thou

for the Deftiny of the good Souls,

who are ledg'd

94 Some New Voyagei

lodg'd with the Great Spirit above the Stars/ or the Face of the bad ones that ftiall burn for ever in the Centre of the Earth ? Thou canft not but charge God with Tyranny, if thou believeft that he Created but one fingle Man, with intent to render him eternally Miferable amidft the Flames in the Centre of the Earth. I know you'll pretend, that the Holy Scriptures prove that Great Truth : But granting it to be fo, then the Earth muft be of eternal Duration ; which the Jefuits deny. That flaming Place muft therefore ceafe to be, when the Earth comes to be con- fum'd. Befides, how canft thou imagine, that the Soul which is a pure Spirit, a thoufand times fub- tiler and lighter than Smoak ,• how canft thou imagine, I fay, that this airy Being fliould move to the Centre of the Earth, contrary to its na- tural tendency ? 'Tis more likely, it fliould mount upwards and fly to the Sun, where you may fix that fiery place morereafonably • efpecially con* fidering that this Star is much bigger, and infi- nitely more hot than the Earth.

Lahontan. Hark ye me, my dear Adarioy thy Biindnefs is fcrew'd up to an extremity, and the hardnefs of thy Heart makes thed reject this Faith and thefe Scriptures ,• the truth of which does eafily appear, if one would but lay afide Preju- dices : For you have nothing to do but to call your Eye upon the Prophecies contain'd in the Sacred Pages ,• which beyond all difpute were Written before they came to pais. This Sacred Hiftory is confirm'd by Heathen Authors, and by the Monuments of greateft Antiquity, and thole the moft uncontefted that paft Ages can afford* Believe me, if thou wouldft but reflet upon the manner in which the Religion of Jefus Cbrlfi was Eftabiiflrd in the World,and the Change that it wrought i if thou hadft but a juft view of the

Cha^

—

to North- America.

95

Chara&ers of Truths Sincerity and Divinity that ftiinein the Scriptures: In a word, if thou didft but enter into the particulars of our Religion •' thou wouldft fee and be fenfible, that its Do&- rines and Precepts,, its Promifes and Threats, are not chargeable with any abfurdky ; nor with any ill defign, or any thing that runs contrary to our natural Sentiments : And that nothing is more fuitableto right Reafon, and the Principles of Confcience.

Adarlo. This is the fame Stuff that the Jefttits have had up above a hundred times. They will have it, that fome five or fix thoufand years ago, all that is fincecome to pafs, was then unchange- ably decreed. They lay down the way in which the Heavens and the Earth were Created ; and tell you, that Man was made of the Duft of the Earth, and the Woman out of oneof his Ribs, as if God had not made her of the fame Stuff,- that a Serpent tempted this Man in a Garden of Fruit- Trees to eat of an Apple, which was the occafi- on that the Great Spirit put his own Son to Death, on purpofe to fave all men. If I fliould Xay that thefe advances have a greater appearance of fabuloufnefs than of truth, you would clofe upon me with Reafons feteh'd from your Bible : But according to your own words, this Scrip- ture of yours had not always a Being ,• the in- vention of it bears the date of fome three thou- fand years ago ; and 'twas not Printed till with- in thefe four or five Centuries. Now, confider- ing the divers events that come round in the courfe of feveral Ages, one nitift certainly ^ be very credulous in giving credit to fo many idle Stories as are huddled up in that great Book that the Chriftians would have us to believe. I have feen fome of the Books that the Jejults. Writ o| cur Country j and thefe who knew how to react

9 6 Some New Voyages

'em, explain'd to me the.fenfe of 'em in the Language that I fpeak ; but I found they con- tain cl an infinity of Lyes and Fi&ions heap'd up one above another. Now, if we fee with our eyes that Lyes are in Print, and that things are not reprefented in Paper as they really are ,• how can you prefs me to believe the Sincerity of your Bible that was Writ fo many Ages ago, and Tranflated out of feveral Languages by ignorant Men that could not reach the juft Senfe, or by Lyars who have alter'd, interpolated, or pared the Words you now read, I could mention fe- veral other Objections, which in the end will perhaps influence thee in fome meafure, to own- that I have fome reafon to confine my Belief to fuch things as are vifible and probable.

Lahontan. Poor Adario, I have laid before thee, the certainty and evidence of the Chriftian Re- ligion ,• but inftead of being convincd, thou look'ft upon my Proofs as Chimerical, and offer- eft the moft foolifti Reafons in the World. You quote the Falflioods Written in the Accounts of your Country that you have feen ; as if the Je* fuits who Wifit 'em could not have been impos'd upon by thofe who fupplied them with fuch Me- moirs. You muft confider, that thefe Defcrip- tions of Canada are Bawbles that cannot come into the Ballance with the Books that treat of Sacred things ,• fuch things as a hundred different Authours have Writ of, without contradicting one another.

Adario. How do you mean5 without contradict- ing one another ? Why ! That Book of Holy Things, is not it full of Contradi&ions ? Thefe Gofpels that the Jefuits fpeak of, do not they oc- caiion difcord between the French and the Eng- lijh ? And yet if we take your word for it, eve- ry Period of that Book fprung from the Mouth

of

to North-Ammca.

9?

if the Great Spirit. But if the Great Spirit ieand that his Words fliould be underftoodj rhy did he talk fo confufedly, and cloath his ^ords with an ambiguous Senfe ? One or two lings muft follow from this advance. If he was orn and died upon the Earth, and ntadefpeech- ; here, why, then his difcourfes muft be loft * >r he would certainly have fpoke fo diftincSUy id plainly, that the very Children might con- nive his meaning. Or, if you will have the ofpels to be his genuine Words, and contain tthing but what flow'd from him ,• why, then J muft have Come to raife Wars in the World ftead of Peace ; which cannot be. The Eng- h have told me that tho' their Gofpels contain e fame Words with the French, yet there's as eat a difference between their Religion and >urs, as between Night and Day. They fay >fitively that theirs is the beft ,• and on the O'- er hand, the Jefuits allege, that the Religion

the EngHJh, and of a thoufand Nations befide^ good for nothing. If there be but one true sligion upon Earth, who muft I believe in this fe ? Who is it that do's not rake their own Reli- Dnto be the moft perfed ?How can theCapaci- of Man be able to fingle out that Divine Reii- )n from amongft fo many more, that lay claim

the fame Title? Believe me, mydearBro- sr, the Great Spirit is Wife, all his Works are rfed ; 'tis he that made us, and he knows per- Sfcly well what will become of use 'Tis our rt to aft freely , without perplexing our oughts about future things. He order d thee

be Born in France, with intent that thou )uldeft believe what thou neither feeft nor con* iveft ,* and me he has caus'd to be Born a flfc- j£ to the end that I fltould give credit to no- ing but what I tfnderftaftd, arid what my rea- a teaches m€, G g 'hi*

pg Some New Voyages

Lahontan. Reafon teaches thee to be a Ghtift

an andyetyourefufetobefuch. Ifyouwoul

you might underftand the Truths of our Gofp<

in which all things are of a piece, and nothii

can be found that favours of Contradiaion. T

Emli(h are Chriftians as well as the Bench ; a:

tho5 thefe two Nations have fome difference u

on the fcore of Religion, it only relates

fome PalTages of Scripture, that they underfta

different ways. The firft and principal Po

that occafions fo many difputes, is this. 1

French believe that fince the Son of God la

that his Body was in a morfel of Bread ,: we

bound to take it for a truth, in regard that

could not lie. He told his Apoftles that

Bread was truly his Body, and that they ou;

to eat it, and to perpetuate that Ceremony

Commemoration of him. Accordingly this 1

cept is obferv'd ; for fince the death of thatC

made Man, the Sacrifice of the Mafsis perior:

every day among the French, who make no dc

of the real prefence of the Son of God in)

bit of Bread. But the Englijh pretend, that

Son of God being in Heaven, cannot be C

porally prefent upon Earth, and that his w<

infuing upon that Inftitution ( the repetitio

which would be tedious to thee J are evicU

that he is only Spiritually prefent in the Br

This is all the difference between them and

for as to the other Points, they are fo trif

that we could eafily come to an accommoda

upon 'em. c

Adario. I perceive then, the words^ oi the of the Great Spirit are chargeable with fell- trn diction or obfcurity ,• for as much as you the Englijh difpute about his meaning wii much hep and animofity : And this feems t the principal Spring of the hatred that theie

Na

to North-America, pn

STatiojis bear to one another. But that is not vhat I infift upon. Doft thou hear, my Brother | >qth the one and the other muft needs be fools* rrbelieving the Incarnation of a God,,- confider- ng the ambiguity of thofe Difcourfes mention d i your Gofpel. There you meet with an infi- ity of things which are too grofs to come from le Mouth of fo perfed: a Being. The Jefuits (lure us, that the Son of the Great Spirit de- lar'd that he fincerely defired the Salvation of all ten. Now, if he defires it, doubtlefs it muft ?me to pais ,• and yet they are not all Sav'd nei- ier, for as much as he has faid ,• many are caffd, | few are chofen. This I take to be a plain ontradi&iom The Fathers reply, that God >es defire the Salvation of men, but upon the widition that they defire it themfelves. But ter all, we do not find that God has added at Claufe, for if he had, he had not fpoke fo rfitively. But the Myftery lies here. The Je- its have a mind to pry into the Secrets of the [mighty, and to affume what himfelf did not etend to, for he mention'd no fuch condition. lie cafe is the fame, as if the great Captain sneral of the French ihould give notice by his ceroy, that 'tis his pleafure that all the Slaves panada fhould be Tranfported to France^ where iy might all grow rich,- and thereupon the ives fhould make anfwer that they will not go, caufe that great Captain cannot defire it un- "s they be of the fame mind themfelves. Is not true, my Brother, that their anfwer would be licufd, and they would be fore'd to go to ance againft their will? Can you offer any ing to the contrary ? In a word, the Jefuits ve commented to me upon fo many Expreffi- is in that Book that contradict one another, at I'm amaz d to find that they ftill call it the Gg 2 Holy

IOO

Some TSLew Voyages

Holy Scriptures. "lis written there, that the

fir ft man whom the Great Spirit made with hi<

own Hands, did eat of a forbidden Fruit, foi

which both he and his Wife were punifti 'd, a:

being equally Criminal. Now, let's fuppofe th<

Punifhment infli&ed upon the account of tin

Apple to be what you will ; this poor Man ha<

nothing to complain of, but that the Great Spiri

knowing that he would eat of it, fliould hav

Created him to be Miferable. But let's confide

the cafe of hisPofterity, who according to th

Jefuits are involv'd in his Overthrow : Are th

Children Blame-worthy for the Gluttony of the:

Father and their Mother ? If a man Murder'

one of our Kings, muft the Puniihment reach t

his whole Generation ; to Fathers, Mother

Uncles, Coufins, Sifters, Brothers, and all h

other Relations ? Shall we fuppofe, therefor

that when the Great Spirit gave this Man a B<

ing, he knew not what he might do after h

Creation ? But that cannot be. But let's fu]

pofe again that all his Pofterity were accomplic

of the Crime, ( which at the fame time is an uj

juft fuppofition ) do's not your Scripture mal

this Great Spirit to be a Being of luch Men

and Clemency, that his Loving-Kindnefs to tl

Human Race leaves all Conception far behind i

Is not he fo great and fo puiflant, that if all tl

Spirits of men that either are, or have been, <

are to come, were united in one Perfon, 'twou

be impoflible for that Mighty one to compreher

the leaft tittle of his Omnipotence ? Now, fin*

his goodnefs and mercy arefo tranfcendent, car

he by one Word vouchfafe a Pardon to that mi

and all his defcendants ? And fince he is fo po\

erful and gr^at, how improbable is it, that fu<

an Incomprehenfible Being ihould turn himf<

into a Man. and not only Uyq a miferable Lii

b

—

to North- America. 101

ut die an infamous Death ; in order to expiate le Sin of fo mean a Creature, that is as much r more beneath him, as a Flie is beneath the alb and the Stars ? Where would that infinite bwer be then ? Whatufe would it be of to hinv id what advantage would he make of it ? To y mind, 'to believe the debafing of the Divine ature, fpeaks a doubt of the Incomprehenfible ach of his Omnipotence, and an extravagant ^fumption with refpe<5i to our felves; JLahontan. Do'ft not thou perceive, my de^r iario, that the Great Spirit being fo powerful, d intitledto thePerfeciions you have nam'd,the i of our Primitive Father muft by confequence

the mod enormous and heinous Crime that (agination it felf can reach ? To make the cafe lin by an example ,• If I beat one of my Sol- jrs, there's no harm done, but if I offer'd an ront to the King, my Crime would beinflam'd the 1 aft degree, and be juftly accounted un- rdonable. Now, Adam having offer'd a piece Indignity to the King of Kings, we come in- the lift of his Accomplices, as being part of

Soul ; and confequently the Divine Juftice Jukes fuch a Satisfa&ion as the Death of his n. 'Tis true, God could have Pardon d us with e Word ,• but for reafons that I cannot give u eafily tounderftand, hewasgracioufly pleas'd jive and to die for all Mankind. I own that is merciful, and that he might have acquit- i Adam the fame day that the Crime was com- tted ,• for his Mercy is the ground of all the pes we have of Salvation : But if he had not bnted Adams Difobedience, his Prohibition & been a jeft. Had he overlook'd it, the con- [uence would have been that he did not fpesk ioufly • and upon that foot, all the World mid have had a juft Plea for doing what they ■as'd. G g 3 Adario,

ioi Some New Voyages

Adario. Hitherto thou proveft nothing j an<

the more I fift the pretended Incarnation, I fin<

it the lefs probable. What ! To think that thi

Great and Ineomprehenfible Being, the Create

of the Earth, of the Seas, and of this vaft Fii

mament, fliould be capable of debafing himfe

fo far, as to lye nine Months Prifoner in tl

Bowels of a Woman, and expofe himfelf to tfc

miferable Life of his Fellow Sinners, that Wr

the Books of your Gofpelj to be Beaten, Whijn

and Crucify'd like an unhappy Wretch ,• this,

fay, is what can't enter into my thoughts. "I

written, that he came upon the Earth on p^

pofe to die there, and with the fame Breath 1

faid that he was afraid to die. This implies

Contradidion two ways. In the firft place,

his defign was to be Born, in order to die, !

ought not to have dreaded death,* for, what

the ground of the fear of death ? The dread

death proceeds from this, that one do's not kn«;

what will become of 'em when they depart t]

Life. But he was not unacquainted with t

place he was bound for, fo that he had no real

to be afraid. You know very well that we &

our Wives Poyfon our felves frequently, in ore

to keep one another Company in the Regions

the dead, when one or t'other is fnatch'd aw;

So you fee plainly the lofs of Life does not fc;

us, tho' at the fame time, we are not cert;

what courfe our Souls will fteer. What anf\A

canft thee give me upon this Head ? In a feco

place ; Since the Son of the Great Spirit was i

vefted with a Power equal to that of his 1

ther ,• he had no occafion to pray his Father

favehis Life, in regard that he was able to gj|

off Death by his own Power ,• and that in pr;

ing to his Father he pray'd to himfelf. As

my part, my dear Brother, I can't have any r

ti

to North- America. io^

ion of what thou wouldeft have me to Con- eive.

Lahontan. I find you were in the right of it in filing me but now,, that your capacity would ot reach an inch above the furface of the Earth. rour way of Reafoning is fufficient Proof of our Affertion. Now that I have heard this, I o not think it ftrange that the Jefuits have fo mch trouble in Preaching to you., and giving ou to underftand the Sacred Truths, i play le fool in reafoning with a Savage, that is not fpable of diftinguifhing a Chimerical Suppo- fion from a certain and a {landing Principle, or Confequence well drawn from a falfe Inference. o give you an inliance. When you fpake of lis truth, that God wa> willing to lave all men, id at the fame time that they are but few who *e fav'd • you charg d a Contradiction upon it, id at the fame time there's no fuch thing in the tfe : For he defires to fave all men that wifh icir own Salvation, by obferving his Law and is Precepts ,• that is, fuch as believe his Incar- ition, the truth of the Gofpels, the rewards ^ovided for the Good, the punilliments prepa- id for the Wicked, and a State of Futurity, ut in regard that few fuch will be found, all te reft are doom'd to the everlafting Flames of lat Fire that you make a jeft of. Take care you re not one of the latter Clafs. If it ftiould hap- fti fo, 'twould be a great trouble to me, becaufe lou art my Friend. You will not fay then, lat the Gofpel is crarnm'd with Contradi&ions id Chimera's ,• you will not then require grofs roofs for all the Truths I have laid before you ,• du'11 repent in earneft of having branded our vangelifts for weak and filly Tale-tellers, But, le worft is, 'twill' then be too late. Prithee, link of all this, and be not fo very obftinate ,• G g 4 for3

I ©4 Some Mew Voyages

for, in earneft, if thou doft not yield to the un-

conteftable Reafons that I produce for cur Myfte-

ries, I will never fpeak to thee as long as I live.

Adario. Ha ! my Brother, do not trouble thj

head , I do not pretend to provoke thee by ot

fering my Reafons. I do not hinder thee to be

lieve the Gofpels : I only beg the favour tha

ihou'lt fuffer me to doubt the truth of all th<

Advances thou haft made. Nothing can be mon

natural to the Chriftians than to believe the Hoh

Scriptures, upon the account, that from their In

fancy they have heard fo much of 'em, that ii

imitation of fo many People Educated in th

fame Faith, they have 'em fo much Imprinte<

upon their Imagination, that Reafon has no fai

ther influence upon their Minds, they being al

ready prepoffefs'd with a firm belief of the trut

of the Gofpels. To People that are void of Pre

judice, fuch as the Hurons, there's nothing f

reafonable, as to examine things narrowly. Novi

after frequent reflexions for the courle of te;

years upon what ^he Jefuits Preach'd of the Lii

and Death of the Son of the Great Spirit,

muft tell you, that all my Hurons will give the

fourty reafons to the contrary. As for my ow

part, I have always maintained that if 'twei

poflible that the Great Spirit had been fo meal

as to defcend to the Earth, he had ftiewn hirr

felf to all the Inhabitants of the Earth ,• he ha

defcended in Triumph, and in publick view, wit

Splendour and Majefty ; he had rais'd thedeac

reftor'd fight to the blina, made the lame to wal

upright, cur'd all the difeafes upon the Earth

Jri finp, he had fpoke and commanded all th

he had a mind to have done, he had gone froi

Nation to Nation to work thefe great Miracle;

and to give the fame Laws to the whole Worl<

Had he done fo, we had been all" of the fam

* '■"" Reli

to Korf^-America.

!OJ

Religion, and that great Uniformity fpread over the face of the Earth, would be a lafting Proof to our Pofterity for ten thoufand years to come, of the truth of a Religion that was known and receiv'd with equal approbation in the four Cor- ners of the Earth. But inftead of that Unifor- mity, we find five or fix hundred Religions, a- mong which that Profefs'd by the French , is according ta your Argument the only true one, the only one that is Good and Holy. In fine, after I had reflected a thoufand times upon thofe Riddles that you call Myfteries,I was of the Opi- nion that a Man muft be Born beyond the great Lake ,• that is,, he muft be an Engliftj-man or a French-man^ that can form any Idea of 'era. For when they allege that God, who can't be repre- fented under any Figure • could produce a Son under the Figure of a Man : I am ready to re- ply, that a Woman can't bring forth a Beaver ,• by reafon that in the courfe of Nature, every Species produces its like. Befides, if before the coming of the Son of God all men were devoted to the Devil, what reafon have we to think that he would affume the Form of fuch Creatures as were lifted into the Service of the Devil. Could not he take upon him another Form, which might be finer and more pompous than the Hu- mane ? That he might, is the more reafonable, fince the third Perfon of that Trinity ( which is fo inconfiftent with Unity ) affunfd the Form of a Dove.

Lahontan. Thou haft drawn up a Savage fort of a Syftem by inventing Chimera's that are no- thing to the purpofe. Give me leave to tell thee once more, that I fee 'tis in vain for mc to at- tempt to convince thee by folid Reafons/ in re- gard that thou art not capable of underftanding 'em. I muft therefore refer you to the Jefuits.

In

io6 Some New Voyages

In the mean time, I have a mind to give you to underftand one thing that's very plain, and that will fall within the Verge of your Genius, viz,. That 'tis not the bare believing of the Great Truths of the Gofpel which you deny, that is fufficient to condud one to the Manfions of the Great Spirit. Over and above the belief, one muft inviolably obferve the Precepts of the Law that is there deliver'd ,• that is to fay, one muft not adore any thing but the Great Spirit alone, one muft not work on the days allotted for folemn Prayer, one muft honour their Father and their Mother, and not only avoid the embraces of Girles, but be free from an inclination that way, unlefs it be upon the foot of Marriage. 5Tis requir d for this end, that we fliould not kill or promote the killing of any one ,• that we ihould not fpsak ill of our Brethren, or utter Lies, or touch another man's Wife, or incroach upon the property of our Brethren. We muft go to Mafs on the days appointed for that purpofe by the Jcfuits, and Faft fome days of the week. For tho; you believ'd the Holy Scriptures as much as we do, unlefs you obferve the Precepts they contain , you'll be doom'd to ererlafting Flames after your death.

Adario. So, my dear Brother, this is what I expeded. 'Tis a long time fince I knew all that thou haft now fet forrh ,• and indeed I take it to be a very reafonable Article in your Gofpel. No- thing can be jufter and more plaufible than thofe Precepts you fpeak of. You ad difingenuoufly in faying that unlefs the Commandments are pun&ually obferv'd and pradis'd, the giving Faith and Credit to the Gofpel will not avail : For, pray, how comes it about that xht French be- lieve the Gofpel, and yet make a jeft of its Pre- cepts. This I take to be a manifeft Contradicti- on :

to Nar^-America.

107

on; For, in the firft place, as to the Adoration of the Great Spirit, I fee no fign of it in your A&ions, fo that your Worftiip ccraifts only in Words, and fee.ms to be Calculated to cheat us* To give you an inftance,* do not you fee every day that year Merchants when they bargain with us for Beaver-Skins, do commonly lay, my Goods coft me fo much, 'tis true as I Adore the Al- mighty ,• I lofe fo much by you, 'tis as true as that God is in Heaven. But I do not find that they offer him the Sacrifice of their moft valuable Goods, as we do after we have bought em from them, when we burn 'em before their Faces* In the next place, as for Working on the days fet apart for Worfhip., I do not find that you make any difference between Holy-Days and Work-Days ,• for I have frequently feen the French bargain for Skins on your Holy-Days, as well as make Nets, Game, Quarrel, beat one another, get Drunk, and commit a hundred ex- travagant Adieus. In a third place, touching the Veneration we have for our Fathers or An- ceftoun, 'tis but feldom that you follow their * Counfel ,• you fuffer 'em to die for Hunger, you leave 'em and take up feparate Habitations ; you are always ready to ask fomething of 'em, but never to give 'em any thing ; and if you e^ped any thing from 'em, you wiili for their death ; or at leaft you expecft it with impatience. In the fourth place, as for Continence with refped to the tender Sex ,* who is it among you (abating for the Jefuits ) that has ever a&ed up to it ; do not we fee every day that your Youths purfue our Daughters and our Wives, even to the very Fields, with a defign to inveigle 'em by prefents? Do not they Roll every Night from Hutt to Hutt in our Village, in order to debauch /em ? And doft not thee know how many fuch Adventures

tliere

io8 Some TSlew Voyages

there are among thy own Soldiers? In the fifth place, to touch upon the head of Murder ; 'tis fuch a common thing among you, that upon the leafl: accident, you clap your Hands to your Swords and Butcher one another. I remember when I was at Paris, People were run thro5 in the Streets every night, j and upon the Road be- tween 7 arts and Rcchel, I was told that I was in danger of my life. Sixthly. Lying and Slander- ing your Brethren, is a thing that you can as lit-; tie refrain as Eating and Drinking. I never heard four French-Men Converk together, with* out fpeaking ill of fome body ,• and if you knew what I have heard 'em fay publickly of the Vice- roy, the Intendant, thejefuits, and of a thou- fand People that you know, not excepting your Self, you would be convine'd that the French are very well vers'd in Defamations. And as to the buiinefs of Lying, I affirm it for a truth, that there is not one Merchant in this Country that wiil not tell you twenty Lies in felling the worth of a Beavers Skin in Goods,- not to mention the lies they invent in order to defame their Neigh- bours. In a feventh place, to adjuft the Point of ingaging with Married Women, we need no other Proof than to hear your Difcourfes when youhave got a little Drink in your Heads ,• then you'll entertain us with a great many fine Stories of your Adventures that way. But to go no farther, pray reckon up how many Children are got upon the Wives of the Coureurs de Bois during their Husbands abfence. In the eighth place, to come to the Article of not encroaching upon our Neighbours Property, how many Thefts or Robberies have you feen committed among the Coureurs de Bois fince you came to this Country