ft'ORTH AMERICA* 497 ' 
to me fo incredibly inhuman and horrid, that it was 
with the utmofl difficulty I affumed relhludon did 
dcient to inquire into it. 
The traders affured me that they knew no in- 
stance of fuch barbarifm ; but that there had been 
indances of the communities performing fuch a 
deed at the earneft requeft of the vidtim. 
When I was at MucclafTe town, early one morn- 
ing, at the invitation of the chief trader, we repaired 
to the public fquare, taking with us fome prefents 
for the Indian chiefs. On our arrival we took our 
leats in a circle of venerable men, round a fire in 
the centre of the area * other citizens were con- 
tinually coming in, and amongd them I was ftruck 
with awe and veneration at the appearance of a very 
aged man : his hair, what little he had, was as white 
as fnow ; he was eondudfed by three young men, 
one having hold of each arm, and the third behind 
to fleady him. On his approach the whole circle 
faluted him, €C welcome,” and made way for him s 
he looked as foiling and cheerful as youth, yet 
done-blind by extreme old age : he was the mod 
ancient chief of the town, and they all feemed to 
reverence him. Soon after the old man had feated 
himfelf, I diftributed my prefents, giving him a 
very fine handkerchief and a twid of choice to- 
bacco, which paffed through the hands of an elder- 
ly chief who fat next him, telling him it was a 
prefent from one of their white brothers, lately 
arrived in the nation from Charlefon : he received 
the prefent with a frnile, and thanked me, return- 
ing the favour immediately with his own done 
pipe and cat {kin of tobacco : and then compli- 
mented me with a long oration, the purport of 
which was the value he fet on the friendfnip of 
R k the 
