3 î 6 Hijiorlcal Journal of 



When this Great Chief, or the Woman Chief dies, all their 

 Whathappensat Z^r to follow 



the Death of the ^"^^ ^^^^^ World : But they arc 



Great Chief U the î-*"^. ""^^^ P^fons who have this Honour ; 

 Woman Ate f ^? ^^^^ reckoned among them, and is 



greatly fought after. —The Death of a 



Chief fometimes colls the Lives of more than a hundred 

 Perfons ; and I have been affiired that very few principal Per- 

 fons oîxkt Natchez die, without being efcorted'to the Country of 

 Souls by fome of their Relations, their Friends, or their Ser- 

 vants. It appears by the various Relations which I have feen 

 of thefe horrible Ceremonies, that they differ greatly. — I fhall 

 here defcribe the Obfequies of a Woman-Chief, as I had it from 

 a Traveller, who was a Witnefs of them, and on whofe Sincerity 

 I have good Reafon to depend. 



The Hulhand of this Woman not being noble, that is to fay^ 

 of the Family of the Great Chief, his eldeft Son ftrangled him, 

 according to Cuilom : Then they cleared the Cabin of all it 

 contained, and they ereéled in it a Kind of Triumphal Car, in 

 which the Body of the deceafed Woman, and that of her Huf- 

 band, were placed. A Moment after they ranged round thefe 

 CarcafTes twelve little Children, which their Parents had 

 Itrangled by Order of the eldefc Daughter of the Woman- 

 Chief, and who fucceeded to the Dignity of her Mother. This 

 being done, they erected in the public Place fourteen Scaffolds, 

 adorned with Branches of Trees, and Cloths on which they had 

 painted various Figures. Thefe Scaffolds were defigned for as 

 many Perfons, who were to accompany the Woman-Chief into 

 the other World. Their Relations were all round them, and 

 çfceemed as a great Honour for their Families the Permiffion that 

 they had obtained to facriiice themfelves in this Manner. They 

 apply fometimes ten Years before-hand to obtain this Favour ; 

 and the Perfons that have obtained it, mull themfelves make the 

 Cord with which they are to be ftrangled. 



They appear on their Scaffolds dreffed in their richeft Ha- 

 bits, holding in their Right Hand a great Shell. Their nearefl 

 'Relation is on their Right Hand, having under their Left Arm 

 the Cord which is to ferve for the Execution, and in their Right 

 Hand a fighting Club. From Time to Time their neareft Re- 

 lation makes the Cry of Death ; and at this Cry the fourteen 

 Vidims defcend from their Scaffolds, and go and dance all toge- 

 ther in the Middle of the open Place that is before the Temple, 

 and before the Cabin of the Woman-Chief. 



That Day and the following ones they fhew them great Re- 

 fpeft : They have each five Servants, and their Faces are painted 

 réd. Some add, that during the eight Days thatprecede their Death, 



' ' they 



