LOUISIANA. 



57 



Ton of the Prince de Lamhcfc^ of the houfe of 

 Lorrain. 



The Hatches who lived here formerly were a 

 very confiderable nation. They formed feveral 

 villages, that were under fome peculiar chiefs ; 

 and thefe laft again, obeyed one grand chief of 

 the whole nation. All thefe princes bore the 

 name of Suns ; there were five hundred of them, 

 all relations of the great Sun, their common fove- 

 reign, who carried on his breaft the image of 

 the fun, from which he pretended to trace his 

 origin, and which was adored under the name 

 of M^achily which fignifies the great fire or they^- 

 fr erne fire. 



The manner in which the Hatches "rendered 

 divine fervice to the fun, has fomething folemn 

 in it. The high-prieft got up before fun-rifing, 

 and marched at the head of the people with a 

 grave pace, and the calumet of peace in hand ; 

 he fmoked in honour of the fun, and blew the 

 firfl mouthful of fmoke towards him. On the 

 appearance of that luminous body, all the by- 

 Itanders began to howl by turns after the high- 

 prieft, and contemplated it with their arms ex- 

 tended to heaven. Then they threw themfelves 

 on the ground 5 and their women brought their 

 D 3 children. 



