Tmvels in Norih\jmerka. 317 



they wear a red Ribbon round one of their Legs ; and that du- 

 ring this Time, evéry Body drives who fhall be the firlî: to feafl 

 them. However that may be, on the Occafion I am fpeaking 

 of, the Fathers and Mothers who had ftrangled their Children, 

 took them up in their Hands and ranged themfelves on both 

 Sides the Cabin : The fourteen Perfons, who were alfo deftined 

 to die, placed themfelves in the fame Manner, and were followed 

 by the Relations and Friends of the Deceafed, all in Mourn- 

 ing ; /to is to /ay, their Hair cut olf : They all made the Air 

 refound with fuch frightful Cries, that one would have faid 

 that all the Devils in Hell were come to howl in the Place. 

 This was followed by the Dances of thofe who were to die, and 

 by the Songs of the Relations of the Woman -Chief. 



At laft they began the ProcelTion. The Fathers and Mothers, 

 who carried the dead Children, appeared the firfî:, marching 

 two and two, and came immediately before the Bier on which 

 was the Body of the Woman-Chief, which four Men carried on 

 their Shoulders. All the others came after in the fame Order as 

 the firfl. At every ten Paces, the Fathers and Mothers let their 

 Children fall upon the Ground : Thofe who carried the Bier, 

 walked upon them, then turned quite round them ; fo that when 

 the Proceffion arrived at the Temple, thefe little Bodies were all 

 in Pieces. 



While they buried the Body of the Woman-Chief in the 

 Temple, they undreffed the fourteen Perfons who v/ere to die : 

 They made them iit on the Ground before the Door, each having 

 two Savages by him ; one of whom fat on his Knees, and the 

 other held his Arms behind. Then they put a Cord about his 

 Neck, and covered his Head with a Roe-Buck's Skin They 

 made him fwallow three Pills of Tobacco, and drink a Glafs of 

 Water ; and the Relations of the Woman-Chief drew the two 

 Ends of the Cord, finging, till he was ftrangled. After which, 

 they threw all the CarcafTes into the fame Pit, which they covered 

 with Earth. 



When the Great Chief dies, if his Nurfe is living, Ihe muH 



die alfo. The French not being able to hinder this Barbarity, 



have often obtained Leave to baptize the young Children that 

 - were to be flirangled ; and who of Confequence did not accoM- 

 pany thofe, in whofe Honour they were facrificed, in their pre- 

 tended Paradife. 



We know no Nation on this Continent, where the Female Sex 

 Manners of the "lore irregular, than in this. They are 

 Natchez even forced by the Great Chief and his Subal- 



terns to proilitute themfelves to all Comers : 

 And a Woman, for being common, is not the lefs erteemed. Al- 

 though Polygamy is permitted, and the Number of Y/omen 



they 



