yO THE FEAST OF THE DEAD. [1637. 



among friends." The best food was prepared for 

 him, and his captors vied with each other in offices 

 of good-will.^ He had been given, according to 

 Indian custom, to a warrior Avho had lost a near 

 relative in battle, and the captive was supposed to 

 be adopted in place of the slain. His actual doom 

 was, however, not for a moment in doubt. The 

 Huron received him affectionately, and, having 

 seated him in his lodge, addressed him in a tone 

 of extreme kindness. " My nephew, when I heard 

 that you were coming, I was very glad, thinking 

 that you would remain with me to take the place 

 of him I have lost. But now that I see your con- 

 dition, and your hands crushed and torn so that 

 you will never use them, I change my mind. 

 Therefore take courage, and prepare to die to- 

 night like a brave man." 



The prisoner coolly asked what should be the 

 manner of his death. 



" By fire," was the reply. 



''It is well," returned the Iroquois. 



Meanwhile, the sister of the slain Huron, in 

 whose place the prisoner was to have been adopted, 

 brought him a dish of food, and, her eyes flowing 

 with tears, placed it before him with an air of 

 the utmost tenderness ; while, at the same time, the 

 warrior brought him a pipe, wiped the sweat from 

 his brow, and fanned him with a fan of feathers. 



About noon he gave his farewell feast, after the 



1 This pretended kindness in the treatment of a prisoner destined to 

 the torture was not exceptional. The Hurons sometimes even supplied 

 their intended victim with a temporary wife. 



