skinne.

backs enough to load a horse, yet doe they not miscarry, but have a faire delivery, and a quick, their women are very good midwifes, and the women very lusty after delivery and in a day or two will travell or trudge about. Their infants are borne with haire on their heads; and are of complexion white as our Children bathed nation, but their mothers in their infancy make a to stain the bath of Wallnut leaves, huskes of Walnuts, and such things as will staine their skinne for ever, wherein they dip and washe them to make them tawny, the coloure of their haire is black, and their eyes black, these infants are carried at their mothers backs, by the help of a cradle made of a board forket at both ends, whereon the childe is fast bound, and wrapped in furres: his knees thrust up towards his bellie, because they may be the more usefull for them when he sitteth, which is as a dogge does on his bumme, and this cradle surely preserves them better then the cradles of our nation; for as much, as we finde them well proportioned not any of them, crooked backed or wry legged, and to give their character in a worde, they are as proper men and women for feature and limbes as can be found, for flesh and bloud as active: longe handed they are, (1 never sawe a clunchfisted Salvadg amongst them all in my time.) The colour of their eies being so generally black, made a Salvage (that had a younge infant whose eies were gray,) shewed him to us and said they were English mens eies, I tould the Father, that his sonne was nan weeteo, which is a bastard, hee replied titta Cheshetue squaa, which is hee could not tell; his wife might play the whore and this child the father desired might have an English name, because of the likenesse of his eies which his father had in admiration, because of novelty amongst their Nation.

Ih

CHAP. VII.

Of their Reverence, and respect to age.

T is a thing to be admired, and indeede made a president, that a Nation yet uncivilizied, should more respect age then some nations civilized; since there are so many precepts both of divine and humane writers extant to instruct more Civill Nations in that particular wherein they excell, the younger are allwayes obedient unto the elder people, and at their commaunds in every respect without grummbling, in all councels (as therein they are cir

Age honoured among the Indians.

cumspect to do their acciones by advise and councell and not rashly or inconsiderately, the younger mens opinion shall be heard, but the old mens opinion and councell imbraced and followed, besides as the elder feede and provide for the younger in infancy: so doe the younger after being growne to yeares of manhood, provide for those that be aged, and in distribution of Acctes the elder men are first served, by their dispensator and their counsels (especially if they be powahs) are esteemed as oracles amongst the younger Natives.

The consideration of these things, mee thinkes should reduce some of our irregular young people of civilized Nations: when this story shall come to their knowledge, to better manners, and make them ashamed of their former error in this kinde, and to become hereafter more duetyfull, which I as a friend (by observation having found) have herein recorded for that purpose.

I'

CHAP. IX.

Of their pretty conjuring tricks.

F we doe not judge amisse of these Salvages in accounting them witches, yet out of all question, we may be bould to conclude them to be but weake witches, such of them as wee call by the names of Powahs some correspondency they have with the Devil, out of al doubts as by some of their accions, in which they glory, is manifested Papasiquineo; that Sachem or Sagamore is a Powah of greate estimation amongst all kinde of Salvages, there hee is at their Revels (which is the time when a great company of Salvages meete, from severall parts of the Country, in amity with their neighbours) hath advaunced his honor in his feats or jugling tricks (as I may right 1 tearme them) to the admiration of the spectators whome hee endevoured to perswade, that he would goe under water to the further side of a river to broade for any man to undertake with a breath, which thing hee performed by swimming over & deluding the company with casting a mist before their eies that see him enter in and come out, but no part of the way hee has bin seene, likewise by our English in the heat of all summer to make Ice appeare in a bowle of faire water, first having the water set before him hee hath begunne his incantation according to their usuall accustome and before the same has bin ended a thick Clowde has darkned the aire and on a sodane a thunder clap hath bin heard that has amazed the natives, in an instant

hee hath shewed a firme peece of Ice to flote in the middest of the bowle in the presence of the vulgar people, which doubtles was done by the agility of Satan his consort.

And by meanes of these sleights and such like trivial things, as these they gain such estimation amongst the rest of the Salvages; that it is thought a very impious matter for any man to derogate from the words of these Powahs. In so much as hee that should slight them, is thought to commit a crime no lesse hainous amongst them, as sacriledge is with us, as may appeare by this one passage, which I wil set forth for an instance.

A neighbour of mine that had entertain'd a Sal- 4 Salvage entervage into his service, to be his factor for the beaver tained a factor. trade amongst his countrymen, delivered unto him divers parcells of commodities, fit for them to trade with; amongst the rest there was one coate of more esteeme then any of the other, and with this his new entertained marchant man travels amongst his countrymen to truck them away for beaver: as our custome hath bin, the Salvage went up into the Country amongst his neighbours for beaver & returned with some, but not enough answerable to his Masters expectation, but being called to an accompt and especially for that one Cote of speciall note; made answer that he had given that coate to Tantoquineo, a Powah: to which his master in a rage cryed what have I to doe with Tantoquineo? The Salvage very angry at the matter cryed, what you speake; you are not a very good man, wil you not give Tantoq. a coat? whats this? as if he had offered Tantoquineo, the greatest indignity that could be devised: so great is the estimation and reverence that these people have of these Ingling Powahs, who are usually sent for (when any person is sicke and ill at ease) to recover them, for which they receive rewards as doe our Chirgeons and Phisitions, and they doe make a trade of it, and boast of their skill where they come: One amongst the rest did undertake to cure An Englishman an Englishman of a swelling of his hand for a par- cured of a swelcell of biskett, which being delivered him, hee tooke the party greived into the woods aside from company, and with the helpe of the devill (as may be conjectured,) quickly recovered him of that swelling, and sent him about his worke againe.

ling.

CHAP. X.

Of their duels and the honourable estimation of victory obtained thereby.

T

How the Salvages

duells.

Hese Salvages are not apt to quarrell one with another : yet such hath bin the occasion that a difference hath happened, which hath growne to that height, that it has not bin reconciled otherwise then by combat, which hath bin performed in this manner, the two cham- performe theire pions prepared the fight, with their bowes in hand, and a quiver full of arrowes at their backs, they have entered into the field, the Challenger and challenged have chosen two trees, standing within a little distance of each other; they have cast lotts for the cheife of the trees, then either champion setting himselfe behinde his tree watches an advantage, to let fly his shafts, and to gall his enemy, there they continue shooting at each other, if by chaunce they espie any part open, they endeavour to gall the combatant in that part; and use much agility in the performance of the taske they have in hand. Resolute they are in the execution of their vengeance, when once they have begunne, and will in no wise be daunted, or seeme to shrinck though they doe catch a clap with an arrow, but fight it out in this manner untill one or both be slaine.

I have bin shewed the places, where such duels have bin performed, and have found the trees marked for a Trees marked memoriall of the Combat, where that champion where they per hath stood, that had the hap to be slaine in the forme a duell. duell? and they count it the greatest honor that can be, to the serviving Cumbatant to shew the scares of the wounds, received in this kinde of Conflict, and if it happen to be on the arme as those parts are most in danger in these cases, they will alwayes were a bracelet upon that place of the arme, as a trophy of honor to their dying day.

R

CHAP. XI.

Of the maintaining of their Reputation.

Eputation is such a thing, that it keepes many men in awe, even amongst Civilized nations, and is very much stood upon it is (as one hath very well noted) the awe of great men and of Kings, and since I have observed it, to be

maintained amongst Salvage people, I cannot chuse but give an instance thereof in this treatise, to confirme the common receaved opinion thereof.

The Sachem or Sagamore of Sagus made choise, (when hee came to mans estate) of a Lady of noble discent, Daughter to Papasiquineo: the Sachem or Sagamore of the territories neare Merrimack River a man of the best note and esti

A marriage. mation in all those parts (and as my Countryman Mr. Wood declares in his prospect) a great Nigromancer, this Lady the younge Sachem with the consent & good liking of her father marries, and takes for his wife. Great entertainement, hee and his receaved in those parts at her fathers hands, where they weare fested in the best manner that might be expected, according to the Custome of their nation, with reveling, & such other solemnities as is usuall amongst them. The solemnity being ended, Papasiquineo causes a selected number of his men to waite upon his Daughter home: into those parts that did properly belong to her Lord, and husband, where the attendants had entertainment by the Sachem of Sagus and his Countrymen: the solemnity being ended, the attendants were gratified.

:

Not long after the new married Lady had a great desire to see her father, and her native country, from whence shee came, her Lord willing to pleasure her, & not deny her request (amongst them) thought to be reasonable commanded a selected number of his owne men to conduct his Lady to her Father; wherewith great respect they brought her: and having feasted there a while, returned to their owne country againe, leaving the Lady to continue there at her owne pleasure, amongst her friends, and old acquaintance: where shee passed away the time for a while and in the end desired to returne to her Lord againe. Her father the old Papasiquineo having notice of her intent, sent some of his men on ambassage to the sent from Papasi younge Sachem, his sonne in law, to let him underin law, a Sachem. stand that his daughter was not willing, to absent her selfe from his company any longer; & therefore (as the messengers had in charge) desired the younge Lord to send a convoy for her: but hee standing upon tearmes of honor, & the maintaining of his reputatio, returned to his father in law this answere that when she departed from him, hee caused his men to waite upon her to her fathers territories, as it did become him: but now shee had an intent to returne, it did become her father, to send her back with a convoy of his own people; & that it stood not with his reputation to make himself or his men so servile, to fetch her againe. The old Sachem

An ambassage

quinco to his sone