-nation. Every one, that he may succeed in
destroying any particular enemy he may have in the nation against which
war is declared, vows so many skins or furs to be burnt in the same
place in honor of the sun. Then they bring and throw into the fire, the
hardest stones they can find of all sizes, which are calcined in it.
They take out the properest pieces for their purpose, to be fastened to
the end of a stick, made much in the form of a hatchet-handle. They slit
it at one end, and fix in the cleft any fragment of those burnt stones,
that will best fit it, which they further secure, by binding it tightly
round with the strongest _Toobee_, or fibrils of fir-root
above-mentioned; and then make use of it, as of a hatchet, not so much
for cutting of wood, as for splitting the skull of the enemy, when they
can surprize him. They form also other instruments of war; such as long
poles, one of which is armed with bone of elk, made pointed like a
small-sword, and edge of both sides, in order to reach the enemy at a
distance, when he is obliged to take to the woods. The arrows are made
at the same time, pointed at the end with a sharp bone. The wood of
which these arrows are made, as well as the bows, must have been dried
at the mysterious fire, and even the guts of which the strings are made.
But you are here to observe, I am speaking of an incident that happened
some years ago; for, generally speaking, they are now better provided
with arms, and iron, by the Europeans supplying them, for their chace,
in favor of their dealings with them for their peltry. But to return to
my narration.

Whilst the fire is still burning, the women come like so many furies,
with more than bacchanalian madness, making the most hideous howlings,
and dancing without any order, round the fire. Then all their apparent
rage turns of a sudden against the men. They threaten them, that if they
do not supply them with scalps, they will hold them very cheap, and look
on them as greatly inferior to themselves; that they will deny
themselves to their most lawful pleasures; that their daughters shall be
given to none but such as have signalized themselves by some military
feat; that, in short, they will themselves find means to be revenged of
them, which cannot but be easy to do on cowards.

The men, at this, begin to parley with one another, and order the women
to withdraw, telling them, that they shall be satisfied; and that, in a
little time, they may expe