184 -^n Hijlorical Journal of 



one would fcarce believe could enter into tHe Thoughts of fucl^ 

 Barbarians. It is alfo true, that they poiTefs, in the highell De- 

 gree, the great Art of concealing their Proceedings. For the 

 moll Part, the Glory of the Nation, and the Motives of Ho- 

 nour, are the chief Springs of all their Undertakings. What 

 we cannot excufe in them, is, that generally they place all their 

 Honour in revenging themfelves, and give no Bounds to their 

 Revenge : A Fault which Chriftianity alone can throughly re- 

 form, and which all our Folitenefs and our Religion does not 

 always correél. 



Each Tribe has its Orator in every Village, and there are few 

 Of the Orators ^^^^^ Orators who have a Right to fpeak 



J ^ ^ ^ ' in the public Councils, and in the general 

 Affemblies. They always fpeak well, and to the Purpofe. Be- 

 lides that natural Eloquence, which none of thofe who have been 

 acquainted with them will difpute, they have a perfeél Know- 

 ledge of the Interells of thofe who employ them, and a Dexte- 

 rity in placing their Rights in the faireil: Light, that nothing 

 can exceed. On fome Occafions, the Women have an Orator, 

 w^ho fpeaks in their Name, and as if he was folely their Interpre- 

 ter. 



One would think that People, who we may fay have no Pof- 

 O^ h Inierefîs ^^^^"^ public or private, and v»^ho 



r 1 r r> ^J^^-^ ^ have no Ambition to extend themfelves, 

 cj tbeje reop^e. ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^^ Things to adjufl with 



each other. But the Spirit of Man, naturally reftlefs, cannot 

 remain without Action, and is ingenious in finding itfelf Em- 

 ployment. This is certai#^ that our Savages negotiate continu- 

 ally, and have always fome Affair on the Carpet. There are 

 fome Treaties to conclude, or to renew, OiFers of Service, mu- 

 tual Civilities-, Alliances they court. Invitations to join in 

 making War, Condolences on the Death of a Chief, or of 

 fome confiderable Perfon. All this is done with a Dignity, an 

 Attention, I will even venture to fay with an Ability, worthy 

 of the moft important Affairs : And they are fometimes more fo 

 than they feem to be ; for thofe they depute for thefe Purpofes, 

 have almoil always fome fecret Inftr unions, and the apparent 

 Motive of their Deputation is only a Vail that hides another of 

 more Confequence. 



The Iroquois Nation has for the two laft Ages made the greateft 

 tr/. P /• Figure in Canada. By their Succeffes in 



^^^{9 ^ War they have gained over the greateft Part 

 ibe Iroquois. ^^^^^ Nations a Superiority, which 



none of them at prefent are in a Condition to difpute ; and 

 from a peaceable Nation, as they were formerly, they are be- 

 come very reftlefs and intriguing. But nothing has contributed 



more 



