27B An Hijîoricaî Journal of 



cKsîfe the King of the Feail, whofe Duty it is to give Orders fof 

 every Thing, and to invite the neighbouring Villages. The 

 Day appointed being come, all the Savages aflemble, and go in 

 Proceffion two and two to the Barying-Place. There every one 

 labours to uncover the Bodies ; then they continue Tome Time 

 contemplating in Silence a Spe6lacle fo capable of exciting the 

 moù. ferions Reflexions, The Women firft interrupt this religi- 

 ous Silence, by fending forth mournful Cries, which encreafe 

 the Horror with which every one is iilled. 



This firft Adl being ended, they take up the Carcafles, and pick 

 Bp the dry and feparated Bones, and put them in Parcels ; and 

 thofe who are ordered to carry them, take them on their Shoul- 

 ders. If there are any Bodies not entirely decayed, they wafh 

 them; they clean av/ay the corrupted Flefli, and all the Filth, and 

 wrap them in new Robes of Beaver Skins : Then they return in 

 the fame Order as they came; and when the ProceiTion is come 

 into the Village, every one lays in his Cabin the Burden he was 

 charged with. During the March, the Women continue their 

 Lamentations, and the Men Ihew the fame Signs of Grief as 

 they did on the Day of the Death of thofe whofe Remains they 

 have been taking up. And this fécond Atï is followed by a 

 Feafl in each Cabin, in Honour of the Dead of the Family. 



The following Days they make public Feafts ; and they are 

 accompanied, as on the Day of the Funeral, with Dances, Games, 

 and Combats, for which there are alfo Prizes propofed. From 

 Time to Time they make certain Cries, which they call the 

 Cries of the Souls, They make Prefents to Strangers, among 

 whom there are fometimes feme who come an hundred and. iihj 

 Leagues, and they receive Prefents from them. They alfo take 

 Advantage of thefe Opportunities to treat of common AFairs, 

 ;Or for the EIe£lion of a Chief. Every Thing paffes with a 

 great deal of Order, Decency, and Modefty ; and every one 

 appears to entertain Sentiments fuitable jta the principal Ac- 

 tion. Every Thing, even in the Dances and Songs, carries 

 an Air of Sadnefs and Mourning; and one can fee in all. Hearts 

 pierced with the fharpefi Sorrow. The moll Infenfible would 

 be aiFeded at the Sight of this Spectacle. After fome Days are 

 pall, they go again in ProcelHon to a great Council-Room built 

 for the Purpofe : They hang up againft the V/alls the Bones and 

 the Carcafies in the fame Condition they took them from the 

 Burying-Pîace, and they lay forth the Prefents defigned for the 

 Dead. If among thefe fad Remains there happens to be thofe 

 of a Chief, his Succeiibr gives a great Feaft in his Name, and 

 £ngs his Song. In many Places the Bones are carried from Vil- 

 lage to Village, are received every where with great Demonftra- 

 tions of Grief and Tejidernefs, and every wliere they make 



thejmi 



