\ ( if 2 



a promife to act with perfect unanimity and in con- 

 cert. Befides, the engagement they lay themfelves 

 under, requires great acknowledgements on the part 

 of the chief, tor inftance, as often as any one in 

 the public dances ftrikes the poft with his hatchet, 

 and recals to memory his moil fignal exploits, as is 

 always the cuflom, the chief under whole conduce 

 he performed them, is obliged to make him a pre- 

 lent j at leait this is ufual among fome nations. 



Thefe fongs are followed with dances fometimes 

 this is no more than a fierce fort of march, but in 

 cadence ; at others it is done by very lively geftures, 

 expreffrve of the operations of a campaign, and al- 

 ways in cadence. Laftly, the whole ceremony con- 

 cludes with a feaft. The war chief is no more than 

 a fpectator of it, with his pipe in his mouth ; it is 

 even common enough in every confiderable feafl, 

 for him who does the honours of it, to touch no- 

 thing at all himfelf. The following days, and till 

 the departure of the warriors, many things pafs, 

 the recital of which is not worth notice, and which 

 arevbefides neither eflential nor generally practifed : 

 but i cannot forget a cuflom fingular enough, and 

 with which the Iroquois in particular never difpenfe: 

 it feems to have been deviled to difcover fuch per* 

 ions as are endued with natural good fenfe, and what 

 is called mother -wit, and are capable of govern- 

 ing themfelves as well as others ; for thefe Indians 

 whom we imagine barbarous people, believe it im- 

 poffible for any one to pollers true courage without 

 being abfolute mailer of his paffions, or if he can- 

 not endure the' mod cruel reverfes that can poffi- 

 bly happen. The affair is this. 



The mofl ancient of the military company treat 

 the young people, at leaft fuch as have never feen 



an 



