r ( 34? ) 



pafTed the remainder of the night. The mufick, 

 which I heard for fome time after, was a great deal 

 more fupportable at a diftance than when near it. 

 The contrail of male and female voices at a certain 

 diftance had a pleafant effect enough ; and if the 

 Indian women were taught mufick, I am confident 

 they would make very agreeable fingers. 



I was very defirous to know how a man was able 

 to hold a lighted coal in his mouth To long, with- 

 out being burnt, and without its going out ; but 

 all 1 have been able to learn of this point is, that 

 the Indians are acquainted with a plant wjiich ren- 

 ders the part that has been rubbed with it infenfihle 

 to fire, but whereof they would never communi- 

 cate the difcovery to the Europeans. We know 

 that the onion and garlsck will produce the fame 

 effecl:, though for a very fhort while *. Befides, 

 how could this coal remain fo long lighted ? be this 

 as it will, I remember to have read in the letters of 

 one of our ancient mifTionaries of Canada, a thing 

 that has fome relation to this, and which he learned 

 from another millionary who was an eye-witnefs. 

 This perfon fhewed him one day a flone, which one 

 of their juglers or quacks had thrown into the fire 

 in his prefence, leaving it there till it became red 

 hot after which falling into a fort of enthufiaflick 

 frenzy, he took it between his teeth, and carrying 

 it always in that manner, went to vifit a patient, 

 the miflionary following him ; as he caft the Hone 

 upon the ground, the father on taking it up, 

 perceived the marks of the Indian's teeth in it, but 

 yet could not obferve the lead lign of burning in 

 his mouth. He does not mention what the quack 



* It is pretended that the leaves of the anemone of Canada, 

 in other refpecls very cauftick, have this virtue. 



did 



