1 62 Sarnia to Toronto. 



Indian Reserve, granted to the Six Nation Indians in 1784 

 for ever. A number of other tribes, or rather remnants of 

 tribes, have since joined the settlement, amongst whom are 

 the Cayugas, Onendagas, Delawares, &c., many of whom are 

 still heathens. The sportsman will here have splendid 

 opportunities of obtaining information in the adept cunning 

 of the Indian hunter ; and the fishing in the Grand River 

 and its tributaries is fair. Should the traveller possess any 

 degree of curiosity as to the manner and mode of life among 

 the Indians, he has every chance here of gratifying his 

 curiosity. Many of them keep up their old customs with 

 great strictness — such as the war-dance, the funeral dance, 

 the dog-feast, &c. The last is such a peculiar ceremony, 

 and attended with such revolting customs, that it is to be 

 hoped civilization will ere long put a stop to these proceed- 

 ings. The following description of it is from an eye-witness : 

 " The idea that lies at the bottom of the rite is this, that by 

 eating of a dog's liver the heart is made strong. The first 

 step in the ceremony was for the Indians to seat themselves 

 in a circle around a large pole, and devote a few moments to 

 smoking. Suddenly a whoop was given, and the whole 

 party commenced dancing to the monotonous music of a 

 drum. Then broke upon the ear the howl, and in a moment 

 more the dying groan of a dog, from without the circle of 

 dancers. The carcass was then thrown into their midst by 

 a woman. A chorus of yells resounded through the air, the 

 dog was immediately opened, his liver taken out, suspended 

 to the pole by a string,.and the dance resumed. A moment 

 had hardly elapsed, however, before the dancers, one after 

 another, stepped up and took a bite of the yet warm and 

 quivering liver. As soon as this was eaten, the same 

 horrible ceremony was repeated, and so they continued 

 until the carcasses of several dogs were lying at the foot of 

 the pole in the centre of the dancing crowd." Here, too, 

 may be had an opportunity of witnessing the- game of La 



