Travels in North America. 29 



all the Nations of this Continent, have greatly diminilhed the 

 Number of Inhabitants. The Age and Infirmities of fome of 

 their antient Paftors had alfo made fome Breaches in their firil 

 Fervour ; but it was not difficult to recover them ; and he that 

 governs them at prefent, has nothing to do but to keep Things 

 upon the Footing he found them. It is true, that they take all 

 Manner of Precautions to hinder their falling off again. Strong 

 Liquors, the moil common, and almoft the only Stumbling- 

 Block, which makes the Savages fall, are forbid by a folemn 

 Vow, the Tranfgreffion of which is punifhed with publick Pe- 

 nance, as well as every other Fault which caufes Scandal ; and 

 the fécond Offence generally fuflices to banifli the Guilty, with- 

 out Hope of Return, from a Place which ought to be the impene- 

 trable Afylum of Piety and Innocence. Peace and Subordina- 

 tion reign here intirely ; and the w^hole Village ieems to make 

 but one Family, regulated upon the pureil Maxims of the 

 Gofpei. This always furprizes every one who knows how far 

 îhefe People (and the Hurons efpecially) do naturally carry Pride 

 and the Spirit of Independence. 



The greateft, and perhaps the only Trouble of a Miflionary 

 here, is to find Proviflon for his Flock. The Diflrid they poiTefs, 

 cannot fulHciently fupply them; and there ai^. good Reafons 

 w^hy they do not permit them to abandon it. — Monfieur and 

 Madam Begon were of our Pilgrimage, and were received by 

 thefe good People with a Refpe6l due to Perfoas of their Rank, 

 and who never let them want Necefîaries. After a Reception 

 entirely military on the Part of the Warriors, and the Shouts of 

 the Multitude, they began the Exercifes of Piety, which was 

 mutually edifying : They were followed by a general Feaft, at 

 the Expence of Madam Begon, who received all the Honours of 

 it. The Men, according to Cuftom, eat in one Houfe, and the 

 Women and Children in another : I fay Houfe, and not Cabin ; 

 for thefe Savages are lately lodged after the French Manner. The 

 Women on thefe Occafions ufed only to ihew their Gratitude by 

 their Silence and Modefty ; but becaufe it was a Lady of the 

 lirft Rank that was then in the Colony, who treated the whole 

 Village, they granted the Huron Women an Orator, by whom 

 they difplayed to their illuftrious Benefadrefs all the Sentiments? 

 of their Flearts. As for the Men, after the Chief had made a 

 Speech to the Intendant, they danced and fung as long as we 

 pleafed. Nothing, Madam, is lefs diverting, than thefe Songs 

 and Dances : Firft, all are feated upon the Earth like Apes, 

 v/ithout any Order. From Time to Time a Man rifes up and 

 comes forward Howly into the Midft of the Place, always 

 keeping Time, as they fay, he turns his Head from Side to Side, 



figns 



