Sr ravels in North Âmerica. 315 



would be his Servant, nor follow him into the other World for the 

 Honour of ferving him there, as it often happens among the Nat* 

 chez» 



Garcilaffb de la Vega fpeaks of this Nation as of a powerful 

 People, and about fix Years ago they reckoned among them four 

 thoufand Warriors.' It appears that they were more numerous 

 in the Time of M. de la Sale, and even when M. d^Iber'ville dif* 

 covered the Mouth of the MiJJîfflppi. At prefent the Natchez 

 cannot raife two thoufand fighting Men. They attribute this 

 Decreafe to feme contagious Difeafes, which in thefe lail Years 

 have made a great Ravage among them. 



The Great Chief of t^'n.Q Natchez bears the Name of the Suk ; 



Of he Great always>. as among the Huronsy the 



7 Son of the Woman who is nearell related to 



i.bte/, ^na tk>e j^.^^ ^^^^ fucceeds him. They give this 

 t^oman-Lhiej. Woman the Title oî Woman Chief y and 

 though in general fhe does not meddle with the Government, 

 they pay her great Honours. She has alfo, as well as the Great , 

 Chief, the Power of Life and Death. As foon as any one has 

 had the Misfortune to difpJeafe either of them, they order their 

 Guards, whom they call Allouez, to kill him. Go and rid me 

 ** of that Dogy"^ fay they ; and they are immediately obeyed. 

 Their Subjeds, and even the Chiefs of the Villages, never ap- 

 proach them, but they falute them threeTimes, fetting up a Cry, 

 which is a Kind of Howling. They do the fame when they 

 retire, and they retire walking backwards. When they meet 

 them, they muft flop, and range themfelves on both Sides 

 of the Way, and make the fame Cries till they are gone 

 paft. Their Subjefts are alfo obliged to carry them the bell of 

 their Harveft, and of their Hunting and Fifhing. Laftly, no 

 Perfon, not even their neareft Relations, and thofe who are of 

 noble Families, when they have the Honour to eat with them, 

 have a Right to put their Hand to the fame Difii, or to drink 

 out of the fame Vefi^el. 



Every Morning, as foon as the Sun appears, the Great Chief 

 comes to the Door of his Cabin, turns himfelf to the Eaft, and 

 howls three Times, bowing down to the Earth. Then they 

 bring him a Calumet, which ferves only for this Purpofe, he 

 fmokes, and blov/s the Smoke of his Tobacco towards the Sun ; 

 then he does the fame Thing towards the other three Parts of 

 the World. He acknowledges no Superior but the Sun, from 

 which he pretends to derive his Origin. He exercifes an unli* 

 miied Power over his Subjeéls, can difpofe of their Goods and 

 Lives, and for whatever Labours he req,uires of them, they can- 

 not demand any Recompence. 



% iz Whca 



