Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/392

 380 General Obfervations on

with the greateft exactnefs and foreiight, all the attending circumftances of war. Should any of the young warriors through forwardnefs, or pafTion, violate the treaty of peace, the aggrefiing party ufually fend by fome neutral Indians, a friendly embafly to the other, praying them to accept of equal retribution, and to continue their friendfhip, alluring them that the ram unfriendly action did not meet with the approbation, but was highly con demned by the head-men of the whole nation. If the propofal be accepted, the damage is made up, either by facrificing one of the aggreffors, of a weak family, or by the death of fome unfortunate captive, who had been ingrafted in a wafted tribe. If a perfon of note was killed, the offended party take im mediate fatisfaftion of their own accord, and fend back the like embafiy, acquainting them, that as crying blood is quenched with equal blood, and their beloved relation's fpirit is allowed to go to reft, they are fond of con tinuing the friend-knot, and keeping the chain of friendlhip clear of ruft,. according to the old beloved fpecch : but, if they are determined for war, they fay Mattle^ Mattle^ " it is finiihed, they are weighed, and found, light." In that cafe, they proceed in the following manner.

A war captain announces his intention of going to invade the common ene my, which he, by confent of the whole nation, declares to be fuch : jie then beats a drum three times round his winter houfe, with the bloody colours flying, marked with large ftrokes of black, the grand war fignal of blood and death. On this, a fufficient number of. warriors and others, com monly of the family of the murdered perfon, immediately arm themfelves, and each gets a fmall bag of parched corn-flour, for his war^ftores. They then goto the aforefaid winter houfe, and there drink a warm decoction of their fuppofed holy confecrated herbs and roots for three days and nights, fcmetimes without any other refreshment. This is to induce the deity to guard and profper them, amidft their impending dangers. In the moft promifing appearance of things, they are not to take the leaft nourifliment of food, nor fo much as to fit down, during that time of fanclifying themfelves, till after funfet. While on their expedition, they are not allowed to lean themfelves againft a tree, though they may be exceedingly fatigued, after a fharp day's march ; nor muft they lie by, a whole day to refrefh themfelves, or kill and barbicue deer and bear for their war journey.. The more virtuous they are, they reckon the greater will be their fuccefs againft the enemy, by the bountiful fmiles of the deity. To 3 gain

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