L O U I S I A N A. 165 



was however not without ambition. As he was 

 on the point of concluding the match with her 

 relations, the warriors, full of indignation on 

 feeing a coward boaft with a mark due only to 

 military merit, held an affembly of chiefs of 

 war, in order to punifh fuch audacioufnefs. 

 The council agreed, that, to obviate fuch an 

 abufe, which would confound brave men with 

 cowards, he who had wrongfully adorned him- 

 felf with the figure of a club on his fl<.in, with- 

 out ever having ftruck a blow at war, fhouid 

 have the mark torn off, that is, the place fhould 

 be flayed, and that the fame fliould be done to 

 all who would offend in the lame cafe. 



As there was no pardon to hope for, his con- 

 demnation being pronounced by an adl of this 

 Indian fenate, who is jealous of maintaining the 

 honour of the nation, I offered, in commifera- 

 tion of the poor v/rctch, to cure him in the 

 French manner j I faid I would takeoff the flcin 

 and the mark without hurting him, and that my 

 remedy would change the blood into water. The 

 Indians,, ignorant of my fecret, believed I jefb- 

 ed with them : therefore, counterfeiting their 

 jugglers, I gave the pretended bravo a calabafli 

 full of fyrup of the maple-tree, into which I had 

 put a dofe of opium ♦, and, whilft he was afleep, 

 M 3 1 ap- 



