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GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF

parts of liis limbs, which they sear immediately with red-hot irons, cutting,burning, and pinching them, alternately ; they will pull off his flesh thus man-gled and roasted, bit by bit, devouring it with greediness, and smearing theirfaces with the blood, in an enthusiasm of horror and fury. When they havethus torn off the flesh, they twist the bare nerves and tendons about an iron,tearing and snapping them, whilst others are employed in pulling and extend-ing his limbs in every way that can increase the torment. This continuesoften five or six hours ; and sometimes, such is the strength of the savages,days together. Then they frequently unbind him, to give a breathing to theirfury, to think what new torments they shall inflict, and to refresh the strengthof the sufferer, who, wearied out with such a variety of unheard-of cruelties,often falls into such a profound sleep, that they are obliged to apply the fire toawake him, and renew his sufferings. lie is again fastened to the stake, andagain they renew their cruelty; they stick him all over with small matches ofwood that easily take fire, but burn slowly; they continually run sharp reedsinto all parts of his body; they drag out his teeth with pincers, and thrust outhis eyes; and lastly, after having burned his flesh from the bones with slowfires; after having so mangled the body that it is all but one wound; afterhaving mutilated bis face in such a manner as to carry nothing human in it;after having peeled the skin from the head, and poured a heap of red-hot coalsor boiling water upon the naked skull, they once more unbind the wretch ; who,blind, and staggering with pain and weakness, assaulted and pelted on everyside with clubs and stones, now up, now down, falling into their fires at everystep, runs hither and thither, until one of the chiefs, whether out of compassion,or weary of cruelty, puts an end to his life with a club or dagger. The bodvis then put into a kettle, and this barbarous custom is succeeded by a feast asbarbarous. The women are said to surpass even the men in this scene of hor-ror : while the principal persons of the country sit round the stake, smokingand looking on, without the least emotion.

Constancy of What is the most extraordinary, the sufferer himself, in the littlethe suik-rers. intervals of his torments, smokes too, appears unconcerned, and con-verses with his torturers about indifferent matters. Indeed, during the whobtime of his execution, there seems a contest which shall exceed, they in inflicting the most horrid pains, or he in enduring them with a firmness and constancy almost above human: not a groan, not a sigh, not a distortion of countenance escapes him : he possesses his mind entirely in the midst of his tormentshe recounts his own exploits : he informs them what cruelties he has inflictedon their countrymen ; and threatens them with the revenge that will attend hisdeath; and, though his reproaches exasperate them to a perfect madness otrage and fury, he continues his insults even of their ignorance of the art oltormenting, pointing out himself more exquisite methods, and more sensibhparts of the body to be afflicted.

Friendship Nothing can exceed the warmth of their affection towards thenfriends, who consist of all those who live in the same village, or ariin alliance with it. Their friendship principally appears by the treatment ottheir dead. Where any one of the society is cut off, he is lamented by thewhole : on this occasion a variety of ceremonies is practised, denoting the mostlively sorrow. No business is transacted, however pressing, till all the pious

Treatment ceremonies due to the dead are performed. The body is washed° friend - ead ano * ntec ^ aR d painted. Then the women lament the loss withhideous holdings, intermixed with songs which celebrate the greatactions of the deceased and his ancestors. The men mourn also, though in aless extravagant manner. The whole village is present at the interment, and thecorpse is habited in their most sumptuous ornaments. Close to the body of thedeceased are placed his bows and arrows, with whatever he valued most in hislife, and a quantity of provision for his subsistence on the journey which he is