( i6o ) 



ridiculous, breaking and deflroying every thing, 

 no one daring to oppbfe them. Whoever would 

 avoid fuch a confufion, and not be expofed to all 

 the outrages he muft fuffer on this occafion, ought 

 to take care to abfent himfelf. The moment any 

 of thofe Bacchanalians meet with any one he gives 

 him his dream to interpret, which if he does, it 

 is certainly at his own coft, as he is obliged to 

 procure whatever be has dreamed of. The feflival 

 ended, every thing is reftored, a great feaft is 

 made, when they are folely intent on repairing the 

 damages during the mafquerade, which are mod 

 commonly far from being inconfiderable ; for this 

 is likewife one of thofe opportunities which 

 are waited for in filence, in order to give a 

 hearty drubbing to thofe, from whom they 

 imagine they have received any affront : but 

 the feaft being over, every thing is to be for- 

 gotten. 



I find a defcriptlon of orfe of thefe feftivals in 

 the journal of a miffionary, who was, contrary 

 to his inclination, fpectator of one of them at 

 Onnontague. This was proclaimed 2 2d of Febru- 

 ary, the proclamation being made by the elders, 

 with as much formality as if it had been an affair 

 of State. This was fcarce over, when men, wo- 

 men, and children were running about almoft en- 

 tirely naked, although it was then intollerably 

 cold. At firft they vifited every cabbin, then they 

 wandered about for fome time on all fides, with- 

 out knowing whither they went, or what they 

 would be at ; one would have taken them for fo 

 many drunken perfons or madmen, whom fome 

 fudden tranfport of fury had driven befides them- 

 felves. 



Many 



