Page:Joutel's journal of La Salle's last voyage, 1684-7 (IA joutelsjournalof00jout).pdf/198

 *sisipi, or, Mechassipi by the Natives that were near us. It is a very fine River and deep, the Breadth of it about a Quarter of a League, and the Stream very rapid. The Sieur Couture assur'd us, that it has two Branches or Channels, which parted from each other above us, and that we had pass'd its other Branch, when we came to the first Village of the Accancea's, with which Nation we still were.

The 28th, the Chief and the Elders being assembled, they granted our Requests. We were to part, in order to be entertain'd in several Places, where we took Notice of some particular Ceremonies, which we had not seen among the other Nations. One of them is, that they serve up their Meat in two or four large Dishes, which are first set down before the two principal Guests, who are at one End, and when they have eaten a little, those Dishes are shov'd down lower and others are served up in their Place, in the same Manner; so that the first Dishes are serv'd at the upper End and thrust down lower as others come in.

He who treats, does not sit down with the Company, nor does he eat, but performs the Part of a Steward, taking Care of the Dressing and of the Placing of the Meat serv'd up; and to the End he may appear the finer, he never fails to besmear himself with Clay, or some red or black Colouring they make use of.

The 29th, we set out from that Village, and imbark'd on two Canoes to cross the Missisipi. The Chief and about a Score of young Folks bore us Company to the next Village call'd Tonningua, seated on the Bank of that River, where we were receiv'd in the Chief's Cottage, as we had been in the others. The Elders treated us in their Turns, and the Descriptions before given will serve for this Place, there being but little Difference between them and their Neighbours.

The 30th, we set out for Cappa, the last Village of the Accancea's, eight Leagues distant from the Place we had left. We were obliged to cross the River Missisipi several Times in this Way; because it winds very much, and we