MILITARY ORGANIZATION. ]x\\\ 



SO, in endless prolixity, through particulars without num- 

 ber.^ 



The Hurons were notorious thieves ; and perhaps tlie 

 Iroquois were not much better, though the contrary has 

 been asserted. Among both, the robbed was permitted 

 not only to retake his property by force, if he could, but 

 to strip the robber of all he had. This apparently acted 

 as a restraint in favor only of the strong, leaving the 

 weak a prey to the plunderer ; but here the tie of family 

 and clan intervened to aid him. Relatives and clansmen 

 espoused the quarrel of him who could not right him- 

 self.2 



Witches, with whom the Hurons and Iroquois were 

 grievously infested, were objects of utter abomination to 

 both, and any one might kill them at any time. If any 

 person was guilty of treason, or by his character and 

 conduct made liimself dangerous or obnoxious to the 

 public, the council of chiefs and old men held a secret 

 session on his case, condemned him to death, and ap 

 pointed some young man to kill him. The executioner, 

 watching his opportunity, brained or stabbed him una- 

 wares, usually in the dark porch of one of the houses. 

 Acting by authority, he could not be held answerable ; 

 and the relatives of the slain had no redress, even if they 

 desired it. The council, however, commonly obviated all 

 difficulty in advance, by charging the culprit with witch- 

 craft, thus alienating liis best friends. 



The military organization of the Iroquois was exceed- 



1 Ragueneau, Relation des Hurons, 1648, gives a description of one of 

 these ceremonies at length. Those of the Iroquois on such occasions 

 were similar. Many other tribes had the same custom, but attended with 

 much less form and ceremony. Compare Perrot, 73-76. 



2 The proceedings for detecting thieves were regular and methodical, 

 after established customs. According to Bressani, no thief ever incul- 

 pated the innocent. 



