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When they assemble together for consultation, the first Division ranges itself on one side of thefire in a cabin; and the other Division places itself on the other side.
When the matter on which they have met has been discussed on one side and the other, theyaccompany the decision with much ceremony.
The Division which decides the matter gives two opinions, so that the best may be adopted, andoffers all possible opposition in proposing its opinions, in order to shew that it has well consideredwhat it says.
They adopt, usually, the first opinion, unless there be some strong motive to the contrary.
When they go to war, and wish to inform those of the party who may pass their path, they makea representation of the animal of their tribe, with a hatchet in his dexter paw; sometimes a sabre ora club; and if there be a number of tribes together of the same party, each draws the animal of histribe, and their number, all on a tree from which they remove the bark. The animal of the tribewhich heads the expedition is always the foremost.
They generally have a rendezvous when they propose to strike a blow, where in case of pursuit,they leave a part of their clothes and ammunition. When they fight, they are very Molochs, andhave merely the waistcloth on, with a pair of mocasins on the feet.
When the expedition is numerous they often leave a party a hundred or a hundred and fiftyleagues (lieues, qy. paces'?) from the village which they are about to attack. When they havefinished, if they have casse-tetes or clubs, they plant them against the corpse inclining a littletowards the village of the slain.
On their return, if they have prisoners or scalps, they paint the animal of the tribe to which theybelong, rampant, ( debout ) with a staff on the shoulder along which axe strung the scalps they mayhave, and in the same number. After the animal are the prisoners they have made, with a chichicois ,(or gourd filled with beans which rattle), in the right hand. If they be women, they represent themwith a Cadmette or queue and a waistcloth.
If there be several tribes in the war party, each paints the animal of Ms tribe with the scalps andprisoners it has made, as before, but always after that wMch is head of the party.
When they have scalps they give them to one or two men who suspend them behind them to theirgirdle.
These men who carry these scalps follow the others at a distance, that is to say, at a quarter of aleague, because they pretend that when they retreat and have scalps, if these precede the othersthey cannot march any further because they are seized with terror at the sight of the dripping blood.But this is only the first day, sometimes the second and third when they are pursued.
When they come again together, they proceed to notify the others and then each one takes hisstation or awaits the enemy. When night falls they make a hole in the earth where they kindle afire with bark to cook their meat, if they have any, and that during three or four days.
They tie the prisoners to stakes set in the ground, into which they fix their leg or rather foot, andthis stake is closed by another tied together at a man’s height. They place a man at each side whosleeps near them and who is careful to visit the prisoners from time to time during the night.
When they have lost any men on the field of battle they paint the men with the legs in the air,and without heads and in the same number as they have lost; and to denote the tribe to which theybelonged, they paint the animal of the tribe of the deceased on its back, the paws in the air, and ifit be the chief of the party that is dead, the animal is without the head.
If there be only wounded, they paint a broken gun wliich however is connected with the stock, oreven an arrow, and to denote where they have been wounded, they paint the animal of the tribe towhich the wounded belong with an arrow piercing the part in wMch the wound is located; and if itbe a gunshot they make the mark of the ball on the body of a different color.