time, one man performed it alone, or at least one at a time. 'At first,' says that historian 'he advances slowly into the midst of the place, where he remains for sometime motionless. Then he represents, one after another, the setting out of the warriors, the march, the encamping. He goes upon the discovery; [scout] he makes his approach; he stops, as to take breath; then all on a sudden he grows furious, and one would imagine he was going to kill every body; then he appears more calm, and takes one of the company as if he had made him a prisoner of war; he makes a show of knocking another man's brains out; he levels his gun at another; he sets up a running with all his might; then he stops and recovers himself; and finally, he recites all the brave actions he has performed during the war.

The following cut represents an ancient Virginian dance, performed, as the historian Beverly says, 'by a great number of people, the dancers themselves forming a ring, and moving round a circle of carved posts set up for the purpose, or round about a fire.

Each has his

rattle in his hand, or what other thing he fancies most, as his bows and arrows, or his tomahawk. Thus they proceed, dancing and singing, with

all the antic postures they can invent; and he's the bravest fellow that has the most prodigious gestures.' This description applies pretty well to the dancing of all tribes and times.-This post is very commonly used in the war-dance. Mr. Heckewelder states, of the Delawares,and it is true of many others,-that, previous to their going out on a campaign, the wardance is always performed round the painted post. It is the Indian mode of recruiting. Whoever joins in the dance is considered as having enlisted for the campaign, and is obliged to go out with the party.

And so, after returning from a successful expedition, a dance of thanksgiving is always performed, which partakes of the character of a religious ceremony. It is accompanied with singing and chorusses, in which the women join, though they take no part in the rest of the performance. At the end of every song, the scalp-yell is shouted as many times as there have been scalps taken from the enemy.

II-6

CHAPTER IV.

GOVERNMENT of the Indians-Nature of the Chief's authority-Anecdotes illustrating its exercise-Authority of the Council-Individual police-Anecdotes of the Hurons, Delawares and other tribes-Story of the CUT-NOSE'-Of 'POOR TOM,' the Choctaw-Of King POWHATAN.

Roger Williams says of the New England Indians, that their government was monarchical.' His meaning is, that there was ruler, or chief, in each tribe, who was generally considered as superior in authority to the rest, simply because they thought proper to obey his commands and respect his opinions. He was reputed a wiser man and a better warrior than the others: and whenever he ceased to be either, or when his countrymen imagined that he did so, they from that time ceased to regard him as chief; and some other individual was, by general consent, and often with some cereinonies of election, appointed in his stead. Thus the government was in fact, completely democratical.

And yet, the authority of the Head-Chief, so long as he remained such, was nearly as absolute as that of a European monarch.' In some respects it was more so. There were

no written laws to control his conduct; and the same good sense, courage and influence which raised him to the dignity of chief, were almost always sufficient to give to his commands all the dignity and effect of an imperial decree.

For the better understanding of the Indian government, we may compare it with our own. The Council answered to our Congress,-the chief difference in principle, being, that the former was summoned together and managed, according to custom, and by common consent, and not according to a written constitution. Instead of members being elected to attend it, it was the practice as well as the right of all the members of a tribe or nation to attend in person, at least occasionally; and these were not often so numerous as to prevent a large part of them being actually present.

tribes, in all

The business of these councils, was, to determine upon the policy of the cases of importance and difficulty. They made no laws, strictly speaking, because time immemorial had made well-known usages to serve the same purpose; but they discussed and decided questions of offences against these usages by other tribes,-together with the proper means of punishing such offences, and, in