SUPPLEMENTAL NOTE," 
BURIAL CEREMONIES OF THE HURONS.? 
Our savages are not savages as regards the duties which nature herself requires us 
to render to the dead. They do not yield in this respect to several nations much more 
civilized. You would say that all their laber and efforts were for scarcely anything 
but to amass means of honoring the dead. They have nothing too valuable for this 
purpose: they devote to this use the robes, the hatchets, and the shell beads in such 
quantities, that you would think to see them, on these occasions, that they were con- 
sidered of no great value, and yet they are all the riches of the country ; you may 
often see them in midwinter almost entirely naked, while they have good and fine 
robes in their chests, which they are keeping in reserve for the dead; this is, indeed, 
their point of honor. It ison this occasion especially that they wish to appear magnifi- 
cent. But I speak here only of their peculiar funerals. ; 
These good people are not like many Christians, who cannotsuffer death to be spoken 
of, and who, in a mortalsickness, hesitate to break the news to the sick one for fear of 
hastening his death. Here, when the recovery of any one is despaired of, not only 
do they not hesitate to tell him that his end is near, but they even prepare in his 
presence all that is necessary for the burial; they often show him the shroud, the 
hose, the shoes, and the girdle which he is to wear; frequently they are enshrouded, 
after their custom, before they have expired, and they hold a feast of farewell to their 
friends, during which they sing, sometimes without showing any apprehension of 
death, which they regard very indifferently, considering it only as a change to a life 
very little different from this. As soon as the dying man has drawn his last breath, 
they arrange the body in the same position that is to be preserved in the tomb ; they 
do not lay it out horizontally, as is our custom, but crouched, like a ball (en peloton), 
“quasi en la mesme posture que les enfants sont au ventre de la mere.” Until this 
time they restrain their mourning. After having performed these duties, ali in the 
cabin begin to utter sighs, groans, and lamentations; the children cry Aistan, if itis 
their father, and the mother dien, dien, ‘‘ My son, my son.” Noone seeing them thus 
weeping and mourning would think that they were only ceremonial lamentations ; 
they blend their voices all in one accord and in a Jugubrious tone, until some one in 
authority calls for peace; at once they cease and the captain hastens to announce 
through all the cabins that such a one is dead. Upon the arrival of the friends they 
resume their mourning. Frequently some one of mote :xportance will begin tospeak 
and will console the mother and the children, now extolling the deceased, praising 
his patience, his kindness, his liberality, his magnificence, and, if he was a warrior, 
his great courage ; now saying, ‘‘ What do you wish ? there is no longer any remedy ; 
it was necessary for him to die; we are all subject to death ;” and then, ‘He lingered 
a very long time,” &c. It is true that on this occasion they do not lack for conver- 
sation; Iam sometimes surprised to see them discourse a long time on this subject, 
and bring up, with much discretion, all considerations that may afford any consola- 
tion to the friends of the deceased. 

‘Referred to on p. 71. 
° Translated from Relations des Jésuites, 1636, pp. 128-139, by Miss Nora Thomas. 
110 
