( ill ) 



All the prifoners who are^ condemned to die, and 

 thol^fvhofe fate is not yet determined, are, as I 

 have already told you, Madam, abandoned to the 

 women, who go before the warriors, and it is fur- 

 priling how they are able to furvive all the torments 

 they make them fuffer. If any one has loft in the 

 war a fon, hufband, or any other perfon who was 

 dear to her, were it thirty years before, flie becomes 

 a fury, me fixes upon the firft who falls into her 

 hands, and it cannot be conceived to what length 

 her rage will tranfport her. She has no regard ei- 

 ther to humanity or decency, and at every blow fhe 

 gives, you would think he would fall dead at her 

 feet, if you did not know how ingenious thefe bar- 

 barians are in protracting the molt unheard of tor- 

 ments. The v/hole night is fpent in this manner at 

 the encampment of the warriors. 



Next day is a day of triumph for the conquerors. 

 The Iroquois and fome others affect a great mo- 

 defty, and (till a greater difintereftednefs on thefe oc- 

 casions. The chiefs enter the village firft by them- 

 felves, without any marks of victory, obferving a 

 profound filence, and retire to their cabins, with- 

 out (hewing that they have the leaf! pretenfions up- 

 on any of the captives. But among!! other nations 

 affairs are carried on in a different manner \ the 

 chief marches at the head of his company with the 

 air of a conqueror, his lieutenant comes after him, 

 and is preceded by a crier whofe bufinefs is to re- * 

 peat the death-cry. The warriors follow two and 

 two, the prifoners being in the middle crowned 

 with flowers, their face and hair painted, holding a 

 ftick in one hand and a chichicoue in the other, their 

 body almoft naked, their arms tied above the el- 

 bow with a cord, the extremities of which are held 



