9% ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
between the periods, which were filled up with long-drawn utterances of 
the musical interjection, Haih-haih, without which an Iroquois chant 
seems impossible. With this exception, if such it can be called, the chief’s 
remarkable memory enabled him to follow the traditionary words quite 
accurately, and even to recite in proper order the long list of names of 
ancient towns, where there was nothing in the sense to guide his recol- 
lection. I thus learned—what I had not before understood—that this 
portion of the Book of Rites was intended to be, not spoken, but sung. 
Subsequently it appeared that the remainder of the book, including even 
the “ Laws of the League,” was in the same category. 
When the blind singer had finished and was led back to his place, 
Chief Wage advanced, and, holding some strings of Wampum in his hand; 
made in his ordinary tones a brief address of condolence, to which a chief 
on our side responded in the same manner. At this point the pipe should 
have been lighted at the fire of welcome and passed around. Why this 
part of the ancient ceremony was omitted I did not at the moment think 
of inquiring. It was perhaps to save time, as the day was well advanced. 
Suddenly, at the close of their spokesman’s address, our chiefs arose, and 
led the way in loose procession to the Council House, followed by their 
people, and at a little distance by their guests in a separate file. Many 
more women and children had then come up, and now joined in the line. 
As the long varicoloured train wound through the trees and across the 
valley, it made a pretty view, and we got a glimpse at last of what the 
assembling of a Condoling Council of the ancient times may have been. * 
On our arrival at the Council House the chiefs in our party set them- 
selves in some haste to arrange the benches in what was deemed a suit- 
able style. The house is the same large edifice of hewed logs which I 
first visited in September, 1871, and then described in my journal. Its 
one apartment, forming a spacious oblong hall, about fifty feet in length 
by twenty-five in width, is now improved in appearance by a ceiling of 

1 To show the persistence of Indian usages, it may be interesting to note that 
this reception of guests with a bonfire of welcome conforms exactly to that which 
the explorer Jacques Cartier experienced in his first approach to the ‘ City of 
Hochelaga,” in October, 1535. In the narrative of his voyage, as rendered by 
Hakluyt, we read :—‘‘ The City of Hochelaga is six miles from the riverside, and the 
road thither is as well-beaten and frequented as can be, leading through as fine a 
country as can be seen, full of fine oaks as any in France, the whole ground being 
strewn over with fine acorns. When we had gone four or five miles we were met by 
one of the great lords of the city, accompanied by a great many natives, who made 
us understand by signs that we must stop at a place where they had made a large 
fire, which we did accordingly. When we had rested there some time, the chief 
made a long discourse in token of welcome and friendship, showing a joyful counten- 
ance and every mark of goodwill.” The Hurons of Hochelaga were, as the words of 
their language preserved by Cartier sufficiently prove, nearly akin to the Iroquois of 
New York,—though at the time of Cartier’s visit the two kindred communities were 
involved in a deadly warfare, brought on, according to their traditions, by the fault 
of the Hochelagans, and ending in their defeat and dispersion. 
