LOUISIANA. 99 



I faw one of them, who, in my prefence, per- 

 formed a trick which will appear incredible to 

 you ; after fome wry mouths, he fwallowed a 

 rib of a flag feventeen inches long, held it with 

 his fingers, and drew it out of his ftomach again. 

 He went to New Orleans to fhew his agiliry to 

 the governor and the officers of the garx-ifon j 

 this the Indians call acting the phyfician. 



The Akanzas declare war with the following 

 ceremonies. They make a feafl in the hut of 

 the chief, where dog's fiefh is ferved up, which 

 is the principal food of warriors ; becaufe they 

 fay, that a creature which is fo brave as to be 

 killed in the defence of his mafter, mufl give them 

 valour. He that kills one of the enemy's dogs 

 is likewife received as a warrior ; but he mull 

 bring the fcalp of the dog, that is, the flcin from 

 the head, as if it were the fcalp of a man, with- 

 out which the others would not believe him. 

 The Indians have dogs in great numbers, both 

 for hunting, and to fecure them from being fur- 

 prifed by the enemies. 



After the feafl of which I have fpoken, the 

 great chief calls together an afTembly of war- 

 riors. 



H 2 The 



