JOHN LEDYARD. 279 



extremely hot and suffocating. I soon understood 

 this was a hot bath, of which I was asked to make 

 use in a friendly manner. The apparatus being a 

 little curious, I consented to it; but, before I had 

 finished undressing myself, I was overcome by the 

 sudden change of the air, fainted away, and fell 

 back on the platform I was sitting on. I was, how- 

 ever, soon relieved by having cold and lukewarm 

 water administered to my face and different parts 

 of my body. I finished undressing and proceeded 

 as I saw the rest do, who were now all undressed. 

 The Indians who served us brought us, as we sat or 

 extended ourselves on the platforms, water of differ- 

 ent temperatures, from that which was as hot as we 

 could bear to quite cold. The hot water was ac- 

 companied with some hard soap and a flesh-brush : 

 it was not, however, thrown on the body from the 

 dish, but sprinkled on with the green bushes. After 

 this the water made use of was less warm, and 

 by several gradations became at last quite cold, 

 which concluded the ceremony. We again dressed 

 and returned to our lodgings, where our breakfast 

 was smoking on the table : but the flavor of our 

 feast, as well as its appearance, had nearly produced 

 a relapse in my spirits, and no doubt would if I 

 had not had recourse to some of the brandy I had 

 brought, which happily saved me. I was a good 



