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Show IV. THE LEGEND OF GUEHNACHE.-CnAP. II. TJJE FESTIVAL OF 'fOY A. DoiDI" onthoaaUu or tb l•1nd or Cun•ebo; oho"hl tho oa,.nUtlou ot tbl Rod. )lu; ho• Guerueho oll'ndod CaptalD Albort, ud wht folio""' from tlltoocr•' oll"ortlofthoFun~b•noa to ronotrr.tothmytterluoCTor•l IT would be difficult to say, from tho imperfect nnrrativc~ afforded us by the chroniclers, what were the precise object-s of the prcscnt ceremonials ;-what gods were to be invoked ;-what evil beings implored ;-what wrath and anger to be deprecated and diverted from the devoted tribes. As the l~rcnchmcn received no CXJ>lanation of their mystic preparations, so arc we left unenlightened by their revelations. They do not even amuse us by their conjectures, and J~audonnicrc stops short in his nnrrativc of what did happen, apologizing for having said so much on so trifling a matter. We certainly owe him no gratitude for his forbcnrance. What he tells us affords but little clue to the motive of their fantastic proceedings. 1'he difficulty, wl1ich is at present ours, was not less that of Albert and his Frenchmen. They were compelled to behold the outlines of a foreign ritual whose mysteries they were not permitted to e:zplore, o.nd had their curiosity provoked THE LEGEND OF GUERNACIIE. 45 by shows of a most exciting character, which only mocked their desires, and tantalir.cd their appetites. On the first arrival of Albert, and after he had been rested and refreshed, Audusta himself had conducted him, with his followers, to the spot which had been selected for the ceremonies of the morrow. " ~'his was a great circuit of ground with open prospect and round in figure." llere they saw "many women roundabout, which labored by all means to make the place elcanc and ocate." The ceremonies began early on the morning of the ensuing day. llithcr they repaired in sca.son, and found '' all they which were chosen to celebrate the feast," already" painted and trimmed with rich feathers of divers colours." These led the wny in a procession from the dwelling of Audusta. to the "place of Toya." Here, when they had come, they set themselves in new order under the guidance of three Indians, who were distinguished by plumes, paint, and n. costume entirely superior to the rest. Each of them carried a ta.brct, to the plaintive and lamenting music of which they sang in wild, strange, melancholy accents; and, in slow measures, dancing the while, they passed gradually into the very centre of tho s:tcrcd circle. They were followed by successive groups, which answered to their strains, and to whose songs they, in turn, responded with like echoes. This continued for awhile, the muaio gradually rising and swelling from the slow to tho swift, from tho sad to the pa&Sionate, while the moods of the n.ctors nod the speotntors, nlso varying, tho character of' the scene changed to one of 1 tho wildest excitement. Suddenly, the characters--those who were chief officiators in this apparent hymn of fate--broke from the enchanted circle-darted through the ranks of the spectators, and dashed, headlong, with frantic cries, into the depths of the neighboring thickets. Then followed o.nother class of actors. As |