( % ) 



only of certain contorfions of the body, which in 

 appearance were expreflive of nothing, and had no- 

 thing diverting. 



The feaft was made in honour of the new com- 

 mandant; they however paid him none of thofe 

 honours mentioned in fome relations. They were 

 neither feen to place him on a new mattrek; nor to 

 make him any prefent, at leaft as far as I know, 

 nor did they place any feathers on his head, nor 

 did I fee them prefent him the calumet; and there 

 were not any men entirely naked painted all over their 

 bod ; es, adorned with feathers and n rings of wam- 

 pum, and holding a calumet in their hands. Per- 

 haps thefe two nations have not any fuch cuftoms, 

 or it may be, that Monf..de Montigny had ex- 

 empted rhem from this part of the ceremony. I 

 obier^"d only from time to time ail the fpectators 

 railing great cries by way of applauding the dan- 

 cers, efpecially during the dance of the Otchagras, 

 who in the opinion of the French bore away all the 

 honour of the day. 



I fhould probably have been more diverted by 

 feeing the dance of the Difcovery. This has more 

 action than the former, and is much more ex- 

 preflive of the thing it is intended to reprefent. 

 This is an image drawn to the life of all that palfes 

 in a warlike expedition ; and as I have already ob- 

 ferved, that the Indians generally think only of 

 furprizing their enemies, it is no doubt for this 

 reafon, 'they have given this exercife the name 

 of the Difcovery. 



Be this as it will, one man always dances fingly 

 in.it, advancing at firft (lowly towards the middle 



F 3 of 



