Volume 1

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SACRIFICIAL SOAKING OF A HIDE. 395
going to be at loggerheads. But many such affairs
end in vociferation. Certainly some other nations, such,
for instance, as the Saulteurs, would not have made half
so much noise before beginning a battle.
July 26th. During the night we had a terrible storm of
thunder, lightning, and torrents of rain, which ceased at
sunrise, but not until every one of us was wet to the skin
the men's robes and leggings, and the women's shifts, were
in a sad state. Soon after the rain ceased a tremendous
pelting and beating commenced, which at a distance
might have been taken for several hundred men threshing
wheat. This operation over, all the leather articles were
well rubbed with white clay, which, I am told, prevents them
from getting stiff or hard in drying ; for this purpose they
always carry some of this clay with them.
This morning early Le Borgne employed one of his
principal secretaries to make a long speech, advising the
people of his intention of sacrificing to the waters a white
buffalo hide—an article of the highest value and estimation
among them. The speech being concluded, five of his
principal war chiefs and great men took up the hide with
great ceremony, and carried it to the rivulet near which we
had camped. Having searched out the deepest spot, they
put the hide in the water, and sunk it to the bottom with
large stones. During this ceremony our old general stood
on the bank, making a long harangue. I could not learn
the particular reason for this sacrifice, or the substance of
the oration, as our interpreter was absent in search of his
horse, that had broken loose during the night.
This affair being over, and the weather clear, Le Borgne
directed our old general to make a speech, in which marching
orders were given. Everyone was soon ready, and we
started pell-mell.
than before ;
Our progress was much more expeditious
no further ceremony was made, either to halt,
smoke, or anything else. We pushed on with all haste
until eight o'clock, when the rain began again to pour down
hard ; orders to halt were given, and instantly obeyed.