The Indians that were of the Village of Cohainihoua[113] and to conduct us thither, not being ready to set out on Wednesday the 2d of July, as they had promis’d, a young Indian offer’d himself, saying, he would conduct us safe thither, and we set out with him, still directing our Course towards the N. E. We kept close along the same River we had cross’d, and found it very pleasant and navigable, the Banks of it cover’d with fine Trees of several Sorts.
We had not travell’d above a League, before our Guide gave us to understand, that he had forgot a Piece of hard dry’d Skin he had to make him Shoes, which he would go fetch and return to us, pointing to us with his Hand, which Way we were to go, and telling us we should soon come to a River.
This sudden Change in the Indian was somewhat surprizing and very much perplex’d us; however we held on our Way, and soon came to the River he had mention’d to us, which was very pleasant and deep. We cross’d it the next Day, on a Sort of Float, which we made with much Toil and Labour, and our Horses swam over. Some Time after we were passed, we saw the Indians coming, who had promised to bear us Company, and were glad to find our Float, to cross the same River, as they did, and proceeded on our Journey all together.
The 4th, 5th and 6th, we did the same, crossing a very fine Country, but water’d by many Brooks, Streams and Rivers.Plenty of Game. We found Abundance of wild Goats, Turkeys and other wild Fowl, whereof our Indians kill’d many.
On the 6th, whilst we halted on the Bank of a River to eat, we heard the Tingling of some small Bells; which making us look about, we spy’d an Indian with a naked Sword-Blade in his Hand, adorned with Feathers of several Colours, and two large Hawks Bells, that occasion’d the Noise we had heard.
He made Signs for us to come to him, and gave us to understand, that he was sent by the Elders of the Village, whither we were going, to meet us, caressing us after an extraordinary Manner. I observ’d that it was a Spanish Blade he had, and that he took Pleasure in ringing the Hawks Bells.
Kind Reception. Having travell’d about half a League with him, we discover’d a Dozen of other Indians coming towards us, who made very much of and conducted us the Village, to the Chief’s Cottage, where we found dry’d Bear-Skins laid on the Ground, and they made us sit on them, where we were treated with Eatables, as were the Elders after us, and a Throng of Women came to see us.
Presents. The 7th, the Elders came to give us a Visit, bringing us two Bullocks Hides, four Otters Skins, one white Wild-Goat’s Skin, all of them well dry’d, and 4 Bows, in Return for the Present we had before made them. The Chief and another came again some Time after, bringing two Loaves, the finest and the best we had yet seen. They look’d as if they had been bak’d in an Oven, and yet we had not observ’d, that there were Ovens among any of them. That Chief stay’d with us some Hours, he seem’d to be very ingenious and discreet, and easily understood our Signs, which were most of the Language we had. Having order’d a little Boy to bring us all we had Occasion for, he withdrew.
The Ceremony of the Pipe. Towards the Evening, we were entertain’d with a Ceremony we had not seen before. A Company of Elders, attended by some young Men and Women came to our Cottage in a Body, singing as loud as they could roar. The foremost of them had a Calumet, so they call a very long Sort of Tabacco Pipe, adorn’d with several Sorts of Feathers. When they had sung a while, before our Cottage, they enter’d it, still singing on, for about a Quarter of an Hour. After that, they took Monsieur Cavelier the Priest, as being our Chief, led him in solemn Manner out of the Cottage, supporting him under the Arms. When they were come to a Place they had prepared, one of them laid a great Handful of Grass under his feet, two others brought fair Water in an Earthen Dish, with which they wash’d his Face, and then made him sit down on a Skin, provided for that Purpose.
When Monsieur Cavelier was seated, the Elders took their Places, sitting round about him, and the Master of the Ceremonies fix’d in the Ground two little wooden Forks, and having laid a Stick across them, all being painted red, he placed on them a Bullock’s Hide, dryed, a Goat’s Skin over that, and then laid the Pipe thereon.