( *6 7 ) 



offered before the temple with great ceremony; 

 but the offerings made of bread and flour at every 

 new-moon, are for the benefit of the keepers of 

 the temple. 



The marriages of the Natchez differ but little 

 from thofe of the Indians of Canada : the prin- 

 cipal difference confifts in the bridegroom's ma- 

 king prefents to the parents of the young woman 

 he is to efpoufe, and in the nuptials being followed 

 by a great feaft. None but the chiefs have above 

 one wife, the reafon of which is, that they having 

 their lands cultivated by the people at no expence, 

 do not find the number of their wives burthen- 

 fome to them. The chiefs marry with (till lefs 

 ceremony than the people. It is fufficient for them 

 to give notice to the relations of the girl upon 

 whom they have caft their eyes, that they enrol 

 her into the number of their wives ; but they keep 

 only one or two in their own cabbins, the reft re- 

 maining with their relations, whom they vifit when 

 they think fit. There is no fuch thing as jealoufy 

 in thefe marriages ; on the contrary* the Natchez, 

 without any ceremony, lend one another their 

 wives, - and this is probably the reafon of the fa- 

 cility with which they part with them, in order to 

 take other wives. 



When a war-chief wants to levy a party, he 

 plants in a place appointed for that purpofe two trees 

 adorned with feathers, arrows, and battle-axes ; 

 all painted red as well as the trees, which are like- 

 wife marked on that fide on which the expedi- 

 tion is to fet out. Thofe who incline to enlift, pre- 

 fent themfelves before the chief dreffed in the beft 

 manner, with their faces dawbed all over with dif- 

 ferent colours, and make known their defire of 



learning 



