Travels in North America. ^ 49 



koué flill continued. The Women renewed from Time to Time 

 their Dances and their Song. The Savage danced all the Time ; 

 but as he was only to be diftinguiflied by the faint Gloom of the 

 lighted Coal which he had in his Mouth, he appeared like a 

 Speftre, and made a horrible Sight. This Mixture of Dances, 

 Songs, Inftruments, and the Fire of the Coal which dill kept 

 lighted, had fomething odd and favage, which amufed us for 

 half an Hour ; after which we went out of the Cabin, but the 

 Sport continued till Day-light. And this is all, Madam, that I 

 have feen of the Fire-Dance, I could never learn what pafTed 

 the reft of the Night. The Mufick, which 1 heard ftill feme 

 Time, was more tolerable at a Dillance than near. The Con- 

 traft of the Voices of the Men and Women, at a certain Di- 

 ftance, had an EfFed that was pretty enough ; and one may fay, 

 that if the Women Savages had a good Manner of finging, it 

 would be a Pleafure to hear them fmg. 



I had a great Defire to know how a Man could hold a lighted 

 Coal fo long in his Mouth, without burning 



A btory ontbîs without its being extinguilhed ; but 



Subje^. all that I could learn of it was, that the Sa- 



\^ages know a Plant which fecures the Part that is rubbed with 

 it from being burnt, and that they would never communicate 

 the Knowledge of it to the Europeans, We know that Garlick 

 and Onions will produce the fame Effe£l, but then it is only for a 

 jfhortTime (a). On the other Hand, how could this Coal conti- 

 nue fo long on Fire ? However this may be, I remember to have 

 read in the Letters of one of our antient Miffionaries of Canada 

 fomething like this, and which he had from another Miffionary 

 who was a Witnefs thereof. This lail Ihewed him one Day a 

 Stone, which a Juggler had thrown into the Fire in his Prefence, 

 and left it there till it was thoroughly heated ; after which, 

 growing, as it were furious, he took it between his Teeth, and 

 carrying it all the Way thus, he went to fee a fick Perfon, whi- 

 ther the MilTionary followed him. Upon entering the Cabin, he i 

 threw the Stone upon the Ground ; and the MifTionary having 

 taken it up, he found printed in it the Marks of the Teeth of 

 the Savage, in whofe Mouth he perceived no Marks of Burning. 

 The Milfionary does not fay what the Juggler did afterwards 



for the Relief of the fick Perfon. ^^The following is a Fad of 



the fame Kind, which comes from the fame Source, and of 

 which you may make what Judgment you pleafe. 



(a ) They fay that the Leaf of the Plant of the Anemony of Canada^ 

 fchough of a cauftick Nature in itfeif, has this Virtue. 



9 



A Huron 



