Grovels in North Jmerka. 319 



liing. Seven or eight Women threw their Children into the 

 midft of the Flames to appeafe the Genii, The Great Chief 

 immediately fent for thefe Heroines, gave them publicly great 

 Praifes, and finijfhed his Difconrfe by exhorting the other Wo- 

 men to follow their great Example on a like Occafion. 



The Fathers of Families never fail to bring to the Temple 



rhe ûr(î Fruits ^^^^"^ ^"^^""^ ^^^>' S^t^^^i- 5 



Ibe Jirjt fruits ^^^^ ^ Prefents that 



offered m the Tem^ are made to the Nation. They expofe 

 ^ ^* them at the Door of the Temple, the Keeper 



of which, after having prefented them to the Spirits, carries 

 them to the Great Chief, who diftributes them to whom he 

 pleafes. The Seeds are in like M^ner offered before the 

 Temple with great Ceremony : But the Offerings which are made 

 there of Bread and Flour every new Moon, are for the Ufe of 

 the Keepers of the Temple. 



The Marriages of the Natchezy are very little different from 

 Of their Mar ^^^^^ Savages of Canada : The prin- 



, J ^ ' cipal DifFerence we find in them conliiis in that 



^^^Z^^* here the future Spoufe begins by making, to 



the Relations of the Wt)man, fuch Prefents as have been agreed 

 upon ; and that the Wedding is followed by a great Feafl. The 

 Reafon why there are few but the Chiefs who have feveral Wives, 

 is, that as they can get their Fields cultivated by the People 

 without any Charge, their Wives are no Burthen to them. The 

 Chiefs marry v/ith lefs Ceremony ftill than the others. It is 

 enough for them to give Notice to the Relations of the Woman 

 on whom they have call their Eyes, that they place her in the 

 Number of their Wives. But they keep but one or two in their 

 Cabins; the others remain with their Relations, where their 

 Hufbands vifit them when they pleafe. No Jealoufy reigns in 

 thefe Marriages : The Natchez lend one another their Wives 

 without any DifHculty ; and 'tis probably from hence that 

 proceeds the Readinefs with which they part v/itb them to take 

 Others. 



When a War Chief v/ants to levy a Party of Soldiers, he 

 Of lev in Sol P^^"^^' ^ Place marked out for that Pur- 

 diers ^'^'^^^^^ ^ pofe, two Trees adorned with Feathers, Ar* 

 rows, and Fighting-Clubs, all painted red;^ 

 as well as the Trees, v/hich are alfo pricked on that Side which 

 is towards the Place whither they intend to carry the War. 

 Thofe vv^ho would enliii, prefent themfelves to the Chief, well 

 dreffed, their Faces frneared with various Colours^ and declare 

 to him the Defire they have to learn the Art of War under his 

 Orders ; that they are difpofed to endure all the Fatigues of 

 War, and ready to die, if needful, for their Country. 



Wheu 



