THE OHIO VALLEY-GREAT LAKES ETHNOHISTORY ARCHIVES: THE MIAMI COLLECTION
It is noted that the following work from the Miami Archives should be read and considered within the historical context in which it was composed and printed. The opinions expressed and the language used do not reflect the opinions or standards of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, but are, rather, indicative of thought in that historical moment during which the document was published.

p. 225  Let us see what father aloues says of the few months which he spent with the outagamis in the year 1675.

I was unable to go to this mission earlier than the autumn, after the savages had left their village to go Hunting. I went in quest of them into the forest, along the rivers and ponds where they were Hunting Beaver and Deer. I experienced much consolation in all the Cabins that I encountered in the space of 40 leagues. . . .

p. 227  After the outagamis had finished their Hunting, they returned to their village, where I remained with them two months during the winter. I had many vices to Contend with, especially debauchery and superstitious Nations. These poor people are deserving of Compassion; For, as they are in Constant danger,-- it may be, of being taken (p. 229) and burned at a slow fire by their enemies; or, it may be, of dying from hunger in their journeyings and when they are Hunting,-- they have among them a sort of tradition which makes them Believe that, if they have some vision, or rather some dream, they will be fortunate in Hunting and war; and that, should they fall into the hands of their enemies, they will escape from them. Thence it comes that they cling to dreams and visions of these kinds as they would to life. Fathers and mothers bring up their children in this idea from their earliest years; and they accustom them to make long Fasts, that they may obtain visions, and may see or hear some spirit in their sleep. They do this with such exactness and austerity as to go 4 or 5 Days, and even longer, without eating or drinking anything. . . .We had delayed to baptize the brother of this fervent (p. 231) Christian, because it was with difficulty that he refrained from blackening his face, which is indicative of their superstitious Fast,-- although he allege, as an excuse, that he had no other Color with which to paint his face. . . .-- one morning, [in his Cabin] he painted his face white; and, addressing his father, he said, 'I pay no heed to all these petty spirits whom you would have me seek. . .'

All our Christians have a great affection for their Beads. When a present is made to them of Anything, they do not usually keep it but give it away to others. It is only in regard to the Rosary that they do not observe this custom. A young man, in the Heat of Play, went (p. 233) so far as to stake his Beads, and lost them.

. . .In the month of January, I was going toward the little lake of st. francois, two leagues from here. There I found a Christian savage dying, and prepared him for death. . . But the news that was brought me, that the outagamis had returned from their hunting and that many of them were sick, made me retrace my steps. . . .

(p. 235)  . . .After I had finished the mission to the outagamis, I learned that the miami Captain who had once been my host was dying. I had Until then deferred his baptism, because, although he seemed sufficiently well disposed, he could not, on account of his rank as Captain, through courtesy, refrain from involving himself in the superstitions of the Young men. I went to his house, but he was not there; and, while he was coming to seek me to be baptized, he died on the way without baptism. . . .