2 î 6 An Hijhrical fourmi of 



«nîy breed Cowards. Nothing is more common, than to fee 

 Perfons of all Ages, and of both Sexes, fuffer for many Hours, 

 and fometimes many Days together, the iharpeft EfFeds of Fire, 

 and all that the moft indullrious Fury can invent to make it 

 mod painful, without letting a Sigh efcape. They are em- 

 ployed for the moll: Part, during their Sufferings, in encou- 

 raging their Tormenters by the moll in ful ting Reproaches. 



An Outagami, who was burnt by the Illinois-^iih. the utmoft 

 Cruelty, perceiving a Frenchman among the Speftators, begged 

 of him that he would help his Enemies to torment him ; and 

 upon his alking why he made this Requeft, he replied, Be-^ 

 caufe I fhould ha<ve the Comfort of dying by the Hands of a Man^ 

 My greatefi Grief (adds he) is y that I ne^er killed a Man J* 

 But (faid an Illinois) you ha<ve killed fuch and fuch a Perfon^* 

 Js for t^e Illinois, (replied the Prifoner) 1 ha^e killed enough 

 ** of ihe?n, hut they are no Men,** 



What I haveobferved in another Place, Madam, to leffen the 

 Aftonilhment which fuch an Infenfibility fills one with, does not 

 hinder us from allowing that fuch a Behaviour Ihews a great 

 deal of Bravery. There muft always be, to elevate the Soui 

 above the Senfe of Pain to fuch a Degree, an Effort which com- 

 mon Souls are not capable of. The Savages exercife themfelves 

 in this all their Lives, and accuftom their Children to it from 

 their tendereft Years. We have feen little Boys and Girls tie 

 themfelves together by one Arm, and put a lighted Coal be- 

 tween them, to fee which would fhake it off firft. In fhort, we 

 mull: alfo allow, that according to Cicero's Remark, an Habit 

 of Labour makes us bear Pain more eafily (a). But there are 

 perhaps no Men in the World who fatigue themfelves more than 

 the Savages, either in their Huntings, or in their Journies. 

 Laftly, what proves that this Kind of Infenfibility is in thefe 

 Barbarians the Effed of a true Courage, is, that it is not found 

 in all of them. 



It is not furprifing that with this Greatnefs of Soul, and thefe 

 elevated Sentiments, the Savages fhould be intrepid in Danger, 

 and of a Courage, Proof againil every Thing. It is true, that 

 in their Wars they expofe themfelves as little as may be, becaufe 

 they make it their chief Glory never to buy the Viftory at a 

 dear Rate; and becaufe of their Nations not being numerous, 

 they have made it a Maxim not to v/eaken them : But when 

 they mull fight, they do it like Lions, and the Sight of their 

 Blood does but encreafe their Strength and Courage. They 

 have been in many A6i:ions wdth our brave Men, who have feen 

 them perform Things almoft incredible. 



(a) Confuetudo enim laborum perpeffîonem doiorum efficit faciliorem. 



9 A Miffionary 



