Page:Joutel's journal of La Salle's last voyage, 1684-7 (IA joutelsjournalof00jout).pdf/161



As to the Knowledge of a God, they did not seem to us to have any fix'd Notion of Him; it is true, we met with some on our Way, who as far as we could judge, believ'd, there was some Superior Being, which was above all Things, and this they testify'd by lifting up their Hands and Eyes to Heaven, yet without any Manner of Concern, as believing that the said exalted Being does not regard at all, what is done here below. However none of them having any Places of Worship, Ceremonies, or Prayers, to denote the divine Homage, it may be said of them all, that they have no Religion, at least those that we saw.

However, they observe some Ceremonies; but whether they have any Regard to a real or pretended Superior Being, or whether they are only popular, and proceeding from Custom, is what we were not able to discover. Those Ceremonies are as follows. When the Corn is ripe, they gather a certain Quantity in a Maund or Basket, which is placed on a Sort of Seat or Stool, dedicated to that Use, and serving only upon those misterious Occasions, which they have a great Veneration for.

The Basket with the Corn being placed on that honour'd Stool, one of the Elders holds out his Hands over it, and talks a long Time; after which, the said old Man distributes the Corn among the Women, and no Person is allow'd to eat of the new Corn, till eight Days after that Ceremony. This seems to be in the Nature of Offering up or Blessing the first Fruits of their Harvest,

At their Assemblies, when the Sagamite, or Pottage, which is the most essential Part of their meal, is boil'd in a great Pot, they place that Pot on the Stool of Ceremony above mention'd, and one of the Elders stretches out his Hands over it, muttering some Words between his Teeth for a considerable Time, after which, they fall to eat.

When the young Folks are grown up to be fit to go to the Wars, and take upon them to be Soldiers, their Garment, consisting of some Skin, or Clout, together with their Bow, Quiver and Arrows, is placed on the aforesaid