Page:Joutel's journal of La Salle's last voyage, 1684-7 (IA joutelsjournalof00jout).pdf/188

 *mony we had not seen before. A Company of Elders, attended by some young Men and Women came to our Cottage in a Body, singing as loud as they could roar. The foremost of them had a Calumet, so they call a very long Sort of Tabacco Pipe, adorn'd with several Sorts of Feathers. When they had sung a while, before our Cottage, they enter'd it, still singing on, for about a Quarter of an Hour. After that, they took Monsieur Cavelier the Priest, as being our Chief, led him in solemn Manner out of the Cottage, supporting him under the Arms. When they were come to a Place they had prepared, one of them laid a great Handful of Grass under his feet, two others brought fair Water in an Earthen Dish, with which they wash'd his Face, and then made him sit down on a Skin, provided for that Purpose.

When Monsieur Cavelier was seated, the Elders took their Places, sitting round about him, and the Master of the Ceremonies fix'd in the Ground two little wooden Forks, and having laid a Stick across them, all being painted red, he placed on them a Bullock's Hide, dryed, a Goat's Skin over that, and then laid the Pipe thereon.

The Song was begun again, the Women mixing in the Chorus, and the Concert was heightned by great hollow Calabashes or Gourds, in which there were large Gravel Stones, to make a Noise, the Indians striking on them by Measure, to answer the Tone of the Choir; and the pleasantest of all was, that one of the Indians plac'd himself behind Monsieur Cavelier to hold him up, whilst at the same Time he shook and dandled him from Side to Side, the Motion answering to the Musick.

That Concert was scarce ended, when the Master of the Ceremonies brought two Maids, the one having in her Hand a Sort of Collar, and the other an Otter's Skin, which they plac'd on the wooden Forks abovemention'd, at the Ends of the Pipe. Then he made them sit down, on each Side of Monsieur Cavelier, in such a Posture, that they look'd one upon the other, their Legs extended and