LOUISIANA. 235 



Phyfic, war, hunting and filhing are the only- 

 arts which the Indians are ambitious of knowing. 

 They educate their children very hardy, and 

 make them bathe and Iwim in winter time at 

 day-break •, which done the young men come of 

 their own accord before their chief warrior, who 

 holds a fpeech to them, telling them never to 

 fear the water , that they may be purfued by 

 their enemies ; and that if they are taken they 

 are burnt alive ; that they muft on this occafion 

 prove that they are true men, by uttering no 

 complaints •-. 



When the harangue is finiihed, the chief fca- 

 rifies their thighs, breafl and back, in order to 

 ufe them to pain, and he then gives them great 

 blows with leather ilraps -f. The young men 

 are then allowed to take place among the war- 

 riors ; and when they have done fome great ac- 

 tion in the wars, they are marked with needles, 



in 



* The Indians are obliged to fupport bad lack with heroic 

 conftancy, in order that their valour may defcend to their 

 jpolierity. 



t Thefe leather ftraps are of the breadth of three fingers. 

 The Indians ufe them for carrying their bundUs when they 

 ftt .out on a journey. 



