Travels in North America. 259 



of the Matter ; and if it muft be fought for five hundred Leagues 

 off, it muft be found at any Rate ; and it is not to expreffed 

 with how much Care, they keep it when they have got it. If 

 it is an inanimate Thing, they are more eafy, but if it is an 

 Animal, its Death caufes furprizing Uneafmefs. 



The Affair is more ferions ftiJl, if any one takes it into his 

 Head to dream that he knocks another's Brains out, for he does 

 it in Fadl if he can ; but he muft expeft the fame if any o- 

 ther takes a Fancy in his Turn to dream that he revenges thç 

 dead. On the other Hand, with a little Prefence of Mind, it is 

 cafy to get out of this Trouble : It is only knowing how to op- 

 pofe immediately fuch a Dream with another that contradi<às 

 it. Then fays the the firft Dreamer, I fee plainly that your 

 Spirit is ftronger than mine, therefore let us talk no more 

 about it.'* Neverthelefs, they are not all fo eafily quieted ; 

 but there are few that are not fatisfied, or whofe Genius is not 

 appeafed by fome Prefent. 



\Jl know not if Religion has ever had any Share in what they ge- 

 Of the Fefîi^al ^^^^^^X Feftp-ual of Dreams^ and which 



/ ^"^^ Iroquoisy and fome others, have more pro- 



of Drea?ns. , n j w . • ^ d • n^i.- • 



*^ P^^V ^^^J^^d the turning of the hrain» 1 his is 



a Kind of BacthanaU which commonly lafts fifteen Days, and is 

 celebrated about the End of Winter. 



They ad at this Time all Kinds of Fooleries, and every one 

 runs from Cabin to Cabin, difguifed in a thoufand ridiculous 

 Ways : They break and overfet every Thing, and no Body dares 

 to contradict it. Whoever chufes not to be prefent in fuch 7h 

 Confufion, nor to be expofed to all the Tricks they play, muft 

 keep out of the Way. If they meet any one, they defire him to 

 guefs their Dream, and if they guefs, it is at their Expence, 

 he muft give the Thing they dreamt of. When it ends, 

 they return every Thing, they make a great Feaft, and they only , 

 think how to repair the fad EfFeds of the Mafquerade, for moft 

 commonly it is no trifling Bufinefs : For this is alfo one of thofe 

 Opportunities which they wait for, without faying any Thing, 

 to give thofe a good Drubbing who they think have done them 

 any Wrong. But when the Feftival is over, every Thing muft 

 be forgot. 



I find the Defcription of one of thefe Feftival s in the Journal 

 ADefcrittionof ^ -'^^^^"^^X (^)'> who was forced to be a 

 r {jr ^i^^a- Spedlator of it much againft his Will, at On- 

 €ne of thefe Jt efti- ^ ^ r j r 



^ah nontagiie, it was thus oblerved : It v/as 



proclaimed the 2|d of February , and it was 

 done by the Elders, with as muçh Gravity a^ if it had been a 



(a) Father Claude Dahhn. 



h 1 2 



weighty 



