T ravels in North America. i B 7 



k tinpuniflied, as even Parricide itfelf is among the Savages. 

 Were it ftill mo^e uncommon than it is, this Impunity is a Blot 

 which nothing can efface, and which appears entirely barba- 

 rous. There are, however, in all this, fome Exceptions, which 

 I fliall mention prefently ; but, in general, fuch is the Spirit 

 that prevails among our Savages. ^ 



They are not only perfuaded that a Perfon who is not in his 



a-j n ' i"isht Senfes is not to be reprehended, or at 



The Pnnaples , . ^ u -ru j u * 



7 • ZL v> leaR not to be punilhed ; but they imagine 



gemment is efîa ' unworthy of a Man to defend 



^Vn^ï^ /J ej a- himfelf againft a Woman or a Child ; but it 



^ * is always underftood, where there is no Dan- 



ger of Life, or of being maimed ; yet in this Cafe, if it is 

 poffible, they get away. But if a Savage kills another belong- 

 ing to his Cabin, if he is drunk, (and they often counterfeit 

 Prunkennefs when they intend to commit fuch A(5lions) all the 

 Confequence is, that they pity and weep for the Dead. // is a 

 Misfortune, (^^^7 ^^X) Murderer kneiv not ^hat he did. 



If he did it in cool Blood, they readily conclude that he had 

 good Eeafons for coming to this Extremity : If it is plain he 

 had none, it belongs to tkofe of his Cabin, as the only Perfons 

 concerned, to punilh him : They may put him to Death, but 

 they feldom do it ; and if they do, it is without any Form of 

 Juftice ; fo that his Death has lefs the Appearance of a lawful 

 Puniihment than the Revenge of a private Perfon. Sometimes 

 a Chief will be glad of the Opportunity to get rid of a bad 

 Subje6l. In a Word, the Crime is not punifhed in a Manner 

 that fatisfes Juftice^ and which .eilablilhes the public Peace 

 and Safety. 



An Affallination which afFeds feveral Cabins, would al- 

 always have bad Confequences. Oftentimes there needs no 

 jnore to fet a whole Village in a Flame, and even a whole Na- 

 tion : For which Reafon, on thefe Occafions, the Council of the 

 Elders negle6l no Means to reconcile the Parties betimes ; and 

 if they fucceed, it is commonly the Public who make the Pre- 

 fents, and take all the Meafures to appeafe the Family offended, 

 ^he fpeedy Puniihment of the Guilty, would at once put an End 

 to the Affair ; and if the Relations of the Dead can get the 

 Murderer in their Power, they may punifli him as they pleafe ; 

 but the People of his Cabin think it is not for their Honour to 

 facrifice him ; and often the Village, or the Nation, does not 

 îîhink it proper to conftrain them to do it. 



I have read in a Letter of Father Brebeuf who lived amongfl 



Tj w TT ^ Hurons. that they ufed to punilli Murder 



/i<?at; //b^ Hurons . ' m/ i -j 5 j j t> j 



, -fu.j 7\/r J this Manner. They laid the dead Body 



jMmJ^ed M^rda: ^^^^ p^j^^^ ^j^^ ^.J^ ^ ^i^^^ 



B b 2 Murderer 



