ow-citizens might continue
and increase. Then, according to his pleasure, he accepted or refused
the responsibility, and thereby he was held in high esteem.

They had, moreover, general assemblies with representatives from remote
regions. These representatives came every year, one from each province,
and met in a town designated as the rendezvous of the assembly. Here
were celebrated great banquets and dances, for three weeks or a month,
according as they might determine. On these occasions they renewed
their friendship, resolved upon and decreed what they thought best for
the preservation of their country against their enemies, and made each
other handsome presents, after which they retired to their own
districts.

In burying the dead, the Hurons took the body of the deceased, wrapped
it in furs, and covered it very carefully with the bark of trees. Then
they placed it in a cabin, of the length of the body, made of bark and
erected upon four posts. Others they placed in the ground, propping up
the earth on all sides that it might not fall on the body, which they
covered with the bark of trees, putting earth on top. Over this trench
they also made a little cabin. The bodies remained thus buried for a
period of eight or ten years. Then they held a general council, to which
all the people of the country were invited, for the purpose of
determining upon some place for the holding of a great festival. After
this they returned each to his own village, where they took all the
bones of the deceased, stripped them and made them quite clean. These
they kept very carefully, although the odour arising therefrom was
noxious. Then all the relatives and friends of the deceased took these
bones, together with their necklaces, furs, axes, kettles, and other
things highly valued, and carried them, with a quantity of edibles, to
the place assigned. Here, when all had assembled, they put the edibles
in a place designated by the men of the village, and engaged in banquets
and continual dancing. The festival lasted for the space of ten days,
during which other tribes from all quarters came to witness the
ceremonies. The latter were attended with great outlays.

These details on the manners and customs of the Hurons are quoted nearly
_verbatim_ from Champlain's Relations, so they must be considered as
accurate.[17]

FOOTNOTES:

[17] This volume contains the following title: _Voyages et
Descouvertures faites en la Nouvelle France depuis