Page:Joutel's journal of La Salle's last voyage, 1684-7 (IA joutelsjournalof00jout).pdf/201

 it must be parch'd, or dry'd, which was accordingly done. I must here take Notice of a Ceremony our Indians perform'd, when they came near the Bullock, before they flead him.

In the first Place, they adorn'd his Head with some Swans and Bustards Down, dy'd red, and put some Tabacco into his Nostrils, and between the Clefts of the Hoofs. When they had flead him, they cut out the Tongue, and put a Bit of Tabacco into its Place; then they stuck two Wooden Forks into the Ground, laid a Stick across them, on which they plac'd several Slices of the Flesh, in the Nature of an Offering. The Ceremony being ended, we parch'd or dry'd the best Parts of the Beast and proceeded on our Journey.

The 9th, we found the Banks of the River very high, and the Earth of them Yellow, Red and White, and thither the Natives came to furnish themselves with it, to adorn their Bodies, on Festival Days. We held on our Way till the 14th, when we met a Herd of Bullocks, whereof we kill'd five, dry'd Part of them, and proceeded till the 18th.

The 19th, we came to the Mouth of the River, call'd Houabache, said to come from the Country of the Iroquois, towards New England. That is a very fine River, its Water extraordinary clear, and the Current of it, gentle. Our Indians offer'd up to it, by Way of Sacrifice, some Tabacco and Beef Steaks, which they fix'd on Forks, and left them on the Bank, to be dispos'd of as the River thought fit. We observ'd some other Superstitions among those poor People, one whereof was as follows.

There were some certain Days, on which they Fasted, and we knew them, when as soon as they awak'd, they besmear'd their Faces and Arms, or other Parts of their Bodies, with a slimy Sort of Earth, or pounded Charcoal; for that Day they did not eat till Ten or Eleven of the Clock at Night, and before they did eat they were to wipe off that Smearing, and had Water brought them for that