HISTORY OF VERMONT. 255 



peared to derive their chief subsistence from 

 fishing and tillage, but in the lower parts of the 

 river, hunting seemed to be the chief employ- 

 ment : But at both places, the sachem, or chief 

 man of Hochelaga was considered as the sover- 

 eign, to whom the people were in subjection, 

 and paid tribute. 



In the centre of the town there was a large 

 open squai'e : to that place Cartier and his com- 

 pany was conducted, and mats were spread on 

 the ground for the new guests to sit on. The 

 Indian men seated themselves in a large circle 

 round them ; but the women came weeping, 

 with joy, rubbing their hands and faces, and 

 bringing tlieir children to be touched by their' 

 new visitors. At length the sovereign, the In- 

 dian King, was brought on the shoulders of ten 

 men, and placed on a mat next to Cartier. The 

 monarch of the savages had a covering made of 

 the quills of the porcupine, died red ; this he 

 took off and gave to the French captain, request- 

 ing him at the same time to rub his arms and 

 legs, which were much affected with a palsy. 

 Several other persons declining with age or 

 sickness, were also brought to be touched and 

 healed by the strangers. Cartier saw at once 

 that the Indians viewed him and his company 

 as gods ; 6r at least as a race of beings far su- 

 perior to tliemselves ; and resolved to avail 

 himself of their weakness and superstition. He 

 laid his hands on them, cast his eyes to heaven, 

 repeated some devotional passages from his ser- 

 vice book, and assumed such features and ges- 

 tures as he supposed would most engage and* 

 affect a savaee miud and tribco The , Indians 



