Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-01-19


majesty of the assembly, some of the captains
selected by the different ations who join in the
| fetc, sing in succession. You can imagine with
out difficulty what this savage music is in COM
parison with the dclicacy and the taste of the
European. Thes, sounds are formed as by
chance; and are not unlike the howlings of
wolves. This is not the opening of the meeting.
but only the prelude to announce it. for the
purpose of inviting tho scattered savages to come
to the general rendezvous.
When the assembly has convened, the orator
of the nation gives solemn harrangue to the
guests. This is the most reasonable part of the
whole ceremony. The royal panegyric, the eu-
logy of the French nation, the reasons which
proved the lawfulness of the war, motives of
glory and religion, all are calculated to make
the young people march joyfully to the combat
We sec the reason of these sort of discourse,
which ordinarily show no resentment for savage
barbaritias. have heard such more than once
which would not haro been diowncd by the r.
nest minds of France. An eloquence derived to-
tally from nature did not make us regret the
absence of art.
When the harrangue is finished, some one pro-
cceds to nominate captains to command the par
ty. AS soon as one is named, he leaves his place
and seizes the head of one of the animals which
compose the feast he raises it high enough to
be seen by all the assembly, and cries g see there
the head of the enemy " The audience express
their satisfaction by cries of joy and applause.
The captain, still keeping the head of the ami
NAL in his hand, passes through the ranks in
singing his war-song, in which he exhausts him
self in boasts, in insulting challenges to the en-
emy, and in extravagant eulogies on himself
To hear their boasts in these moments of mill
tary enthusiasm, they are all heroes before whom
mo foe can stand. As he passes in review before
the savages, they respond to his songs by cries,
hollow and interrupted, and uttered from the
bottom of the stomach, accompanied by ridicu-
lous movements Of the body. In the course of
the song he introduces from time to time some
drolleries. lie then stops as if to applaud him
self, or rather to receive the savages applauscs,
which with actions and confused cries. penetrate
his ears. lie continues his warikc promenade
as long as the sport plcascs him. When it
ceases to anus, him he terminates it by throw
ing away with disdain the head which he had
between his hands, to designate by this affected
contempt that his military appetite needs an
other kind of meat. lie afterwards resumes his
place, where he is no sooner seated than some
one ornaments his head with kettle of warm
ashes But this is mark of friendship and
tenderness which would only be received from
q well-known friend A similar familiarity in
an ordinary man would be accounted an insult.
Others succeed this first warrior, who proloug
the session, especially when they are forming
large parties for it is in ceremonies of this kind
that enlistments are made. At last the feas, is
terminated by the distribution and consumption
of the meat. Such was the military festival
given to our Savages and the ceremonies they
observed. The Algouquins," the Abuakis, the
Nipistingues and the Amenecis were at this feast
In the mean time, more serious cares demand.
ed our presence elscw here. 1t was growing late
and we arose, each missionary, followed by hi
converts, prepared to finish the day by the Gus
tomary prayers a part of the night was EN-
ploycd in making the final arrangements for oui
departure the next day.
The weather favored us this time we en-.
barked after having committed the expedition to
the special protection of God, by solemn mass
celebrated with more order and devotion thar
one would imagine, for the savages always ex
Gel in the pageantry of religion, | was relieved
from the tediousness Of the march, by the op
portunity I had every day of celebrating th'
holy sacrifice of the mass, sometimes on SOM
islands, sometimes Oh the banks of rivers, bu
always in place sufficiently open to favor tn,
devotion of our little army. 1t was no ligh
consolation for the ministers of the Lord to hea
His praises celebrated in as many different Ian
guages as there were nations assembled. Ever,
day, the different nations selected commoliou
place where they encamped separately. The,
observed religious exercises as regularly rs il
their villages; SO that the consolation of tn,
missionaries would have been complete, if al
the days of their campaign had been as inno
cent as those of Our march.
We crossed Lake Champlain, where the dex
terity of the savages in fishing furnished a YER,
amusing spectacle. Standing up in front of
canoe, with lance in their hands, they struc
with wonderful skill and brought up great stur
geons, without their boats (Which the least ir
regular movement is able to upset) appearing
to incline to the right or left 1t was not nee
essary that the march should be suspended 70
this useful employment. One fisherman alon
ceased rowing, but in return he was obliged t
provide for the subsistence of all the Others
which he succeeded in doing.
At last, after six days journey, we arrived a
fort Vaudreuil, otherwise called Carlton, II whic
was assigned as the grand rendezvous of Oh
troops. Hardly had We distinguished the sum
, nit of the fertilization than our savages arraye
themselves in battle array, each nation under il
flag. Two hundred canoes placed in this beau
tiful order formed spectacle which the Frenc
? officers hastcned to the bank to witness, and di
not judge unworthy of their curiosity.
THE Agouquns were the most ancient all powerful pee
pie that dwell around the FIVE Lakes from which the river
Lawrence flowed They occupd the north of these lakes
roduois the east the Illinois the west and the Hurpns
south. But the Agouquins attacked by their united neg
bors were almost entirely destroyed and divided hemselv
into little tribes and mingled with their conquerors parc
ary with the roqois, to whose victorious the Hur
finally yielded and thus ended their existence as peopl
The Algouquns were united with the English in the wa
which they made with us in North America However, Il
Abuakis, who of the Agouquns race united with us
arms and embraced for the most part the Catholic religion
!. INow crown POINT ED.