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On the eve of their departure, that is, on the 

 29th, a Mifliiuague regaled us with a feftival, which 

 has fomething in it lingular enough. It was quite 

 dark when it began, and on entering the cabin of 

 this Indian, we found a fire lighted, near which fat 

 a man beating on a kind of drum ; another was 

 conftantly making his Chichi 'coue, and ringing at 

 the fame time. This lafted two hours, and tired 

 us very much as they were always repeating the 

 fame thing over again, or rather uttering half arti- 

 culated founds, and that without the leaft variation. 

 We entreated our hoft not to carry this prelude any 

 further, who with a good deal of difficulty fhewed 

 us this mark of complaifance. 



Next, five or fix women made their appearance, 

 drawing up in a line, in very clofe order, their arms 

 hanging down, and dancing and finging at the 

 fame time, that is to fay, they moved fome paces 

 forwards, and then as many backwards, without 

 breaking the rank. When they had continued this 

 exercife about a quarter of an hour, the fire, which 

 was all that gave light in the cabbin, was put out, 

 and then nothing was to be perceived but an Indian 

 dancing with a lighted coal in his mouth. The 

 concert of the drum and chichicoue ftill continued, 

 the women repeated their dances and finging from 

 time to time ; the Indian danced all the while, but 

 as he could only be diftinguiflied by the light of the 

 coal in his mouth he appeared like a goblin, and 

 was horrible to fee. This medley of dancing, and 

 finging, and inftruments, and that fire which never 

 went out, had a very wild and whimfical appear- 

 ance, and diverted us for half an hour ; after which 

 we went out of the cabin, though the entertainment 

 lafted till morning. This Madam is all I faw of the 

 -.fire- dance, and I have not been able to learn what 



pa(Ted 



