î8o An Hijiorical Journal of 



have rendered formerly to this Supreme Deity; and the faint 

 Marks, which we obferve, even in their mofl indiiFerent Adions 

 of the an tient Belief, and the primitive Religion, may bring 

 them more ealily than we think, into the W ay of Truth, and 

 make their Converfion. to Chriftianlty to be m.ore eafily effefted 

 than that of more civilized Nations. In Faft, we learn from 

 Experiîincej that Policy, Knowledge, and Maxims of State, create 

 in the laft an Attachment and a Prejudice for their falfe Belief, 

 which all the Skill, and all the Zeal of the Labourers of the 

 Gofpel have much Pains to overcome. So that there is Need 

 of Grace ailing more powerfully on enlightened Infidels, who 

 are almoft always blinded by their Prefumption, than on thofe 

 who have nothing to oppofe to it but a very limited Know- 

 ledge. 



The greatefl: Part of the People of this Continent have a Kind 

 A General Idea Ariftocratic Government, which varies aU 

 f their Govern Infinity. For altho' each Village has 



y <?' - Chief, who is independent of all the o- 



^^^^ * thers of the fame Nation, and on whom his 



Subjeéls depend in very fev/ Things ; neverthelefs, no Affair of 

 any Importance is concluded without the Advice of the Elders. 

 Towards the Sachems were more abfolute, and it does not 



appear that they were obliged as the Chiefs are in almoft all 

 other Places, to beftow Bounties on private Perfons. On the 

 contrary, they received a Kind of IVibute from their Subjeds, 

 and "by no Means thought it a Part of the^r Grandeur to referve 

 nothing for themfelves. But there is Realbn to think tliat 

 the Diiperfion of thefe Savages of Acadia, and perhaps alfo their 

 Intercourfe with the Fre?zch, have occafioned many Changes in 

 their old Form cf Government, concerning which Lejcarhot and 

 Champlain are the only Authors who^ have given us any Parti- 

 culars. 



Many Nations have each three Families, or principal Tribes, 



cTh n r an tient, in all Probability, as their Ori- 



r Y\r '^''^^ gin. They are neverthelefs derived from the 

 of the Nattons tn- r^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ j^^j,^^ 



to 1 rites* upon as the JirJ}, which has a Sort of Pre- 



eminence over the two others, who ftile thofe of this Tribe Bro- 

 thers , whereas between themfelves they ilile each other Coujins, 

 Thefe Tribes are mixed, without being, confounded, each has 

 Its diilin6l Chief in every Village; and in the Affairs which con- 

 cern the whole Nation, theie Chiefs afTemble to deliberate 

 thereon. Each Tribe bears the Name of fome Animal, and the 

 whole Nation has alTo one, whofe Name they take, and whofe 

 Figure is their Mark, or, as one m.ay fay, their Coat of Arms. 

 They fign Treaties no otherwife than by tracing thefe Figures 



