Chapter 13

AleportAlbicoreBarrachaBarraconthaBlew-fishBull-headBur-fishCat-fishCony-fishCuskClamRock-CodSea-Coddivers kindsof CrabsSea-CucumberCunnerSea-Dartsor JavelinsFlail-fishFlounderor FlowkeFlying-fish

several kindsSea-FleaGrandpisseHakeHaddockHorse-footHallibutHen-fishLampreLimpinLumpeMaidMonk-fishSea-mulletNun-fishPerchPolluckPeriwinclePikePilat-fishPlaicePorpissePrawne

Purple-fishPorgeeRemoraSea-RavenSail-fishScallop[p. 114.]ScateStingraySculpinShaddSpurlinSheath-fishSmeltShrimpsSpratesStar-fishSwordfishThornbackTurbetThe Ulatifeor saw-fishSea-UrchinSea-Unichorn

The fish are swum by, and the Serpents are creeping on, terrible creatures, carrying stings in their tails. That will smart worse than aSatyrswhip, though it were as big as Mr.Shepperdsthe mad Gentleman atMilton-Mowbrayes Constantinus Lasculus.

The chief or Captain of these is the Rattle-snake described already in my Journal, in some places of the Countrey there are none as atPlimouth,New-town,Nahantand some other places, they will live on one side of the River, and but swimming over and coming into the woods dye immediately.

The fat of a Rattle-snake is very Soveraign for frozen limbs, bruises, lameness by falls, Aches, Sprains. The heart of a Rattle-snake dried and pulverized and drunk with wine or beer is an approved remedy against the biting and venome of a Rattle-snake. Some body will give me thanks for [p. 115.] discovering these secrets and the rest;Non omnibus omnia conveniant.

TheSnakeof which there are infinite numbers of various colours, some black, others painted with red, yellow and white, some again of a grass-green colour powdered all over as it were with silver dust orMuscovie-glass. But there is one sort that exceeds all the rest, and that is the Checkquered snake, having as many colours within the checkquers shaddowing one another, as there are in a Rainbow. There are two sorts of snakes, the land-snake and the water-snake; the water-snake will be as big about the belly as the Calf of a mans leg; I never heard of any mischief that snakes did, they kill them sometimes for their skins and bones to make hatbands off, their skins likewise worn as a Garter is an excellent remedie againstthe cramp. I have found of the skins that they cast in woods in some quantity, they cast not their very skins, but only the superfluous thin skin that is upon the very skin, for the very skin is basted to the flesh, so Lobsters and Crabs.

The Earth-worm, these are very rare and as small as a horse hair, but there is a Bug that lyes in the earth and eateth the seed, that is somewhat like a Maggot of a white colour with a red head, and is about [p. 116.] the bigness of ones finger and an inch or an inch and half long. There is also a dark dunnish Worm or Bug of the bigness of an Oaten-straw, and an inch long, that in the spring lye at the Root of Corn and Garden plants all day, and in the night creep out and devour them; these in some years destroy abundance ofIndianCorn and Garden plants, and they have but one way to be rid of them, which theEnglishhave learnt of theIndians; And because it is somewhat strange, I shall tell you how it is, they go out into a field or garden with a Birchen-dish, and spudling the earth about the roots, for they lye not deep, they gather their dish full which may contain about a quart or three pints, then they carrie the dish to the Sea-side when it is ebbing-water and set it a swimming, the water carrieth the dish into the Sea and within a day or two if you go into your field you may look your eyes out sooner than find any of them.

Sow-bugsorMillipedesthere be good store, but none of that sort that are blew and turn round as a pea when they are touched; neither are there anyBeetlesnorMaple-bugs, but a stinking black and redBugcalled aCacaroochorCockroach, and a little blackBuglike aLady-cowthat breeds in skins and furrs and will eat them to their [p. 117.] utter spoil. Likewise there be infinite numbers ofTikeshanging upon the bushes in summer time that will cleave to a mans garments and creep into his Breeches eating themselves in a short time into the very flesh of a man. I have seen the stockins of those that have gone through the woods covered with them. Besides these there is aBug, but whether it be a Native to the Countrie or a stranger I cannot say: Some are of opinion that they are brought in by the Merchant with Spanish goods, they infest our beds most, all day they hide themselves, but when night comes they will creep to the sleeping wretch and bite him worse than a flea, which raiseth a swelling knub that will itch intolerably, if you scratch it waxeth bigger and growes to a scab; and if you chance to break one of theBugsit will stink odiously: they call themChinchesorWood-lice, they are fat, red and in shape like aTikeand no bigger. There are also Palmer-worms which is a kind of Catterpiller, these some years will devour the leaves of Trees leaving them as naked almost as in winter, they do much harm in theEnglishOrchards. OfSnailsthere are but few, and those very little ones, they lye at the Roots of long grass in moist places, and are no where else to be found. [p. 118.] Spiders and Spinners there be many, the last very big and of several colours.

The Pismire or Ant must not be forgotten, accounted the least Creature, and bySalomoncommended for its wisdom, Prov. 30. 24, 25.Quatuor ista parva sunt humilia, tamen sunt sapientia, apprime sapientia: formicæ populus infirmus, quæ comparant æstate cibum suum, &c.There are two sorts, red Ants and black Ants, both of them are many times found winged; not long since they were poured upon the Sands out of the clouds in a storm betwixtBlack-pointandSaco, where the passenger might have walkt up to the Ankles in them.

The Grashopper is innumerable and bigger by much than ours inEngland, having Tinsel-wings, with help whereof they will flye and skip a great way. Next to these in number are your Crickets, a man can walk no where in the summer but he shall tread upon them; TheItalianwho hath them cryed up and down the streets (Grille che cantelo) and buyeth them to put into his Gardens, if he were inNew-Englandwould gladly be rid of them, they make such a dinn in an Evening. I could never discover the Organ of their voice, they have a little clift in their Crown which opens, and at the same instant they shake their wings.

[p. 119.] The Eft or Swift inNew-Englandis a most beautiful Creature to look upon, being larger than ours, and painted with glorious colours; but I lik’d him never the better for it.

Frogs too there are in ponds and upon dry land, they chirp like Birds in the spring, and latter end of summer croak like Toads. It is admirable to consider the generating of these Creatures, first they lay their gelly on the water in ponds and still waters, which comes in time to be full of black spots as broad as the head of a Ten-penny nail, and round, these separate themselves from the gleir, and after a while thrust out a tail, then their head comes forth, after their head springs out their fore-legs, and then their hinder-legs, then their tail drops off, and growes tohave a head and four legs too, the first proves a frog, the latter a water nuet. The Herbalist useth to say by way of admiration,quælibet herba deum &c.So God is seen in the production of these small Creatures which are a part of the Creation;Laudate Jehovam cælites, laudate eum in excelsis, &c.Laudent nomen Jehovæ quæ ipso præcipiente illico creata sunt&c.ipsæ bestiæ & omnes jumenta, reptilia & aves alatæ, Psal. 148.

The Toad is of two sorts, one that is [p. 120.] speckled with white, and another of a dark earthy colour; there is of them that will climb up into Trees and sit croaking there; but whether it be of a third sort, or one of the other, or both, I am not able to affirm; but this I can testifie that there be Toads of the dark coloured kind that are as big as a groat loaf. Which report will not swell into the belief of my sceptique Sirs; nor that there is a Hell, being likeSalomon’sfool, Prov. 26. 22.Sed si contunderes stultum in mortario cum mola pistillo, non recederet ab eo stultitia ejus.

Now before I proceed any further, I must (to prevent misconstructions) tell you that these following Creatures, though they be not properly accounted Serpents, yet they are venomous and pestilent Creatures. As, first the Rat, but he hath been brought in since theEnglishcame thither, but the Mouse is a Native, of which there are several kinds not material to be described; the Bat or flitter mouse is bigger abundance than any inEnglandand swarm, which brings me to the insects or cut-wasted Creatures again, as first the honey-Bee, which are carried over by theEnglishand thrive there exceedingly, in time they may be produced from Bullocks when the wildBeasts are destroyed. But the wasp is [p. 121.] common, and they have a sort of wild humble-Bee that breed in little holes in the earth. Near upon twenty years since there lived an old planter atBlack-point, who on a Sun-shine day about one of the clock lying upon a green bank not far from his house, charged his Son, a lad of 12 years of age to awaken him when he had slept two hours, the old man falls asleep and lying upon his back gaped with his mouth wide enough for a Hawke to shit into it; after a little while the lad sitting by spied a humble-Bee creeping out of his Fathers mouth, which taking wing flew quite out of sight, the hour as the lad ghest being come to awaken his Father he jogg’d him and called aloud Father, Father, it is two a clock, but all would not rouse him, at last he sees the humble-Bee returning, who lighted upon the sleepers lip and walked down as the lad conceived into his belly, and presently he awaked.

The Countrey is strangely incommodated with flyes, which theEnglishcall Musketaes, they are like our gnats, they will sting so fiercely in summer as to make the faces of theEnglishswell’d and scabby, as if the small pox for the first year. Likewise there is a small black fly no bigger than a flea, so numerous up in the Countrey, [p. 122.] that a man cannot draw his breath, but he will suck of them in: they continue about Thirty dayes say some, but I say three moneths, and are not only a pesterment but a plague to the Countrey. There is another sort of fly called a Gurnipper that are like our horse-flyes, and will bite desperately, making the bloud to spurt out in great quantity; these trouble ourEnglishCattle very much, raising swellings as big as an egg in their hides.The Butterfly is of several sorts and larger than ours; So are their Dragon-flyes. Glow-worms have here wings, there are multitudes of them insomuch that in the dark evening when I first went into the Countrey I thought the whole Heavens had been on fire, seeing so many sparkles flying in the air: aboutMount-Carmel, and the valley ofAcreein theHoly-landthere be abundance of them.

These are taken forCantharides.Cantharidesare green flyes by day, in the night they pass about like a flying Glow-worm with fire in their tails.

I have finished now my relation of plants,&c.I have taken some pains in recollecting of them to memory, and setting of them down for their benefit from whom I may expect thanks; but I believe my [p. 123.] reward will be according toBen Johnsonsproverbs, Whistle to a Jade and he will pay you with a fart, Claw a churl by the britch and he will shit in your fist.

The people that inhabited this Countrey are judged to be of theTartarscalledSamonidsthat border uponMoscovia, and are divided into Tribes; those to the East and North-east are calledChurchersandTarentines, andMonhegans. To the South are thePequetsandNarragansets. WestwardConnecticutsandMowhacks. To the NorthwardAberginianswhich consist ofMattachusets,WippanapsandTarrentines. ThePocanoketslive to the West-ward ofPlimouth. Not long before theEnglishcame into the Countrey, happened a great mortality amongst them, especially where theEnglishafterwards planted, the East and Northern parts were sore smitten with the Contagion; first by the plague, afterwards when theEnglishcame bythe small pox, the three Kingdoms orSagamorshipsof theMattachusetswere very populous, having under them seven Dukedoms or petti-Sagamorships, but by the plague were brought from 30000 to 300. There are not many now to the Eastward, thePequotswere destroyed by theEnglish: theMowhacksare about five hundred: Their speech a dialect of theTartars, [p. 124.] (as also is theTurkishtongue). There is difference between Tongues and Languages, the division of speech atBabelis most properly called Languages, the rest Tongues.

As for their persons they are tall and handsome timber’d people, out-wristed, pale and leanTartarianvisag’d, black eyed which is accounted the strongest for sight, and generally black hair’d, both smooth and curl’d wearing of it long. No beards, or very rarely, their Teeth are very white, short and even, they account them the most necessary and best parts of man; And as theAustreansare known by their great lips, theBavariansby their pokes under their chins, theJewsby their goggle eyes, so theIndiansby their flat noses, yet are they not so much deprest as they are to the Southward.

TheIndessesthat are young, are some of them very comely, having good features, their faces plump and round, and generally plump of their Bodies, as are the men likewise, and as soft and smooth as a mole-skin, of reasonable good complexions, but that they dye themselves tawnie, many prettie Brownetto’s and spider finger’d Lasses may be seen amongst them. TheVetula’sor old women are lean and uglie, all of them are of a modest demeanor, considering their [p. 125.] Savage breeding; and indeed do shame ourEnglishrusticks whose rudeness in many things exceedeth theirs.

Of disposition very inconstant, crafty, timorous, quick of apprehension, and very ingenious, soon angry, and so malicious that they seldom forget an injury, and barbarously cruel, witness their direful revenges upon one another. Prone to injurious violence and slaughter, by reason of their bloud dryed up with overmuch fire, very lecherous proceeding from choller adust and melancholy, a salt and sharp humour; very fingurative or theevish, and bold importunate beggars, both Men and Women guilty of Misoxenie or hatred to strangers, a quality appropriated to the old Brittains, all of them Cannibals, eaters of humane flesh. And so were formerly the Heathen-Irish, who used to feed upon the Buttocks of Boyes and Womens Paps; it seems it is natural to Savage people so to do. I have read in Relations of theIndiansamongst theSpaniardsthat they would not eat aSpaniardtill they had kept him two or three dayes to wax tender, because their flesh was hard. AtMartinsvinyard, an Island that lyes South toPlimouthin the way toVirginia, certainIndians(whilst I was in the Countrey) seised upon a Boat that put into [p. 126.] a By-Cove, kill’d the men and eat them up in a short time before they were discovered.

Their houses which they callWigwams, are built with Poles pitcht into the ground of a round form for most part, sometimes square, they bind down the tops of their poles, leaving a hole for smoak to go out at, the rest they cover with the bark of Trees, and line the inside of theirWigwamswith mats made of Rushes painted with several colours, one good post they set up in the middle that reaches to the hole in the top, with a staff across before it at a convenient height, they knock in a pin on which theyhang their Kettle, beneath that they set up a broad stone for a back which keepeth the post from burning; round by the walls they spread their mats and skins where the men sleep whilst their women dress their victuals, they have commonly two doors, one opening to the South, the other to the North, and according as the wind sits, they close up one door with bark and hang aDearsskin or the like before the other. Towns they have none, being alwayes removing from one place to another for conveniency of food, sometimes to those places where one sort of fish is most plentiful, other whiles where others are. I have seen half [p. 127.] a hundred of theirWigwamstogether in a piece of ground and they shew prettily, within a day or two, or a week they have been all dispersed. They live for the most part by the Sea-side, especially in the spring and summer quarters, in winter they are gone up into the Countrie to huntDeerandBeaver, the younger webbs going with them. Tame Cattle they have none, excepting Lice, and Doggs of a wild breed that they bring up to hunt with.

Wives they have two or three, according to the ability of their bodies and strength of their concupiscence, who have the easiest labours of any women in the world; they will go out when their time is come alone, carrying a board with them two foot long, and a foot and half broad, bor’d full of holes on each side, having a foot beneath like a Jack that we pull Boots off with, on the top of the board a broad strap of leather which they put over their fore-head, the board hanging at their back; when they are come to a Bush or a Tree that they fancy they lay them down and are delivered in a trice, not so much as groaningfor it, they wrap the child up in a youngBeaver-skin with his heels close to his britch, leaving a little hole if it be a Boy for his Cock to peep out at; and lace him down to the [p. 128.] board upon his back, his knees resting upon the foot beneath, then putting the strap of leather upon their fore-head with the infant hanging at their back home they trudge; What other ceremonies they use more than dying of them with a liquor of boiledHemlock-Bark, and their throwing of them into the water if they suspect the Child to be gotten by any other Nation, to see if he will swim, if he swim they acknowledge him for their own, their names they give them when they are men grown, and covet much to be called after ourEnglishmanner,Robin,Harry,Phillipand the like, very indulgent they are to their Children, and their children sometimes to their Parents, but if they live so long that they become a burden to them, they will either starve them or bury them alive, as it was supposed anIndiandid his Mother atCascoin 1669.

Their Apparel before theEnglishcame amongst them, was the skins of wild Beasts with the hair on, Buskins ofDeers-skin orMoosedrest and drawn with lines into several works, the lines being coloured with yellow, blew or red, Pumps too they have, made of tough skins without soles. In the winter when the snow will bear them, they fasten to their feet their snow shooes which are made like a large Racket we play at [p. 129.]Tenniswith, lacing them withDeers-guts and the like, under their belly they wear a square piece of leather and the like upon their posteriors, both fastened to a string tyed about them to hide their secrets; on their heads they ware nothing: Butsince they have had to do with the English they purchase of them a sort of Cloth called trading cloth of which they make Mantles, Coats with short sleeves, and caps for their heads which the women use, but the men continue their old fashion going bare-headed, excepting some old men amongst them. They are very proud as appeareth by their setting themselves out with white and blew Beads of their own making, and painting of their faces with the above mentioned colours, they weave sometimes curious Coats withTurkiefeathers for their Children.

Their Diet is Fish and Fowl, Bear, Wild-cat, Rattoon and Deer; dry’d Oysters,Lobstersrosted or dryed in the smoak,Lampresand dry’dMoose-tongues, which they esteem a dish for aSagamor; hard eggs boiled and made small and dryed to thicken their broth with, salt they have not the use of, nor bread, theirIndianCorn and Kidney beans they boil, and sometimes eat their Corn parcht or roasted in the ear against the fire; they feed likewise upon earth-nuts, [p. 130.] or ground-nuts, roots of water-Lillies, Ches-nuts, and divers sorts of Berries. They beat their Corn to powder and put it up into bags, which they make use of when stormie weather or the like will not suffer them to look out for their food.Pompionsand water-Mellonstoo they have good store; they have prodigious stomachs, devouring a cruel deal, meervoragoes, never giving over eating as long as they have it, between meals spending their time in sleep till the next kettlefull is boiled, when all is gone they satisfie themselves with a small quantity of the meal, making it serve as the frugal bit amongst the oldBritains, which taken to the mountenance of a Bean would satisfie both thirst and hunger. Ifthey have none of this, as sometimes it falleth out (being a very careless people not providing against the storms of want and tempest of necessity) they make use of SirFrancis Drake’sremedy for hunger, go to sleep.

They live long, even to an hundred years of age, if they be not cut off by their Children, war, and the plague, which together with the small pox hath taken away abundance of them.Plinyreckons up but 300 Diseases in and about man, latter writers Six thousand, 236 belonging to the eyes. There are not so many Diseases raigning [p. 131.] amongst them as ourEuropeans. The great pox is proper to them, by reason (as some do deem) that they areMan-eaters, which disease was brought amongst ourEuropeansfirst by theSpaniardsthat went withChristopher Columbuswho brought it toNapleswith theirIndian-women, with whom theItaliansandFrenchconversedAnno Dom.1493.Paracelsussaith it happened in the year 1478 and 1480. But all agree that it was not known inEuropebeforeColumbushis voyage toAmerica. It hath continued amongst us above two hundred and three score years. There are Diseases that are proper to certain climates, as the Leprosie toÆgypt, swelling of the Throat orMentegratoAsia, the sweating sickness to the Inhabitants of the North; to thePortugalsthe Phthisick, toSavoythe mumps; So to theWest-Indiesthe Pox, but this doth not exclude other Diseases. InNew-EnglandtheIndiansare afflicted with pestilent Feavers, Plague, Black-pox, Consumption of the Lungs, Falling-sickness, Kings-evil, and a Disease called by theSpaniardthe Plague in the back, with usEmpyema, their Physicians are thePowawsorIndianPriests who cure sometimesby charms and medicine, but in a general infection they seldom come amongst them, [p. 132.] therefore they use their own remedies, which is sweating,&c.Their manner is when they have plague or small pox amongst them to cover theirWigwamswith Bark so close that no Air can enter in, lining them (as I said before) within, and making a great fire they remain there in a stewing heat till they are in a top sweat, and then run out into the Sea or River, and presently after they are come into their Hutts again they either recover or give up the Ghost; they dye patiently both men and women, not knowing of a Hell to scare them, nor a Conscience to terrifie them. In times of general Mortality they omit the Ceremonies of burying, exposing their dead Carkases to the Beasts of prey. But at other times they dig a Pit and set the diseased therein upon his breech upright, and throwing in the earth, cover it with the sods and bind them down with sticks, driving in two stakes at each end; their mournings are somewhat like the howlings of theIrish, seldom at the grave but in theWigwamwhere the party dyed, blaming the Devil for his hard heartedness, and concluding with rude prayers to him to afflict them no further.

They acknowledge a God who they callSquantam, but worship him they do not, [p. 133.] because (they say) he will do them no harm. ButAbbamochoorCheepiemany times smites them with incurable Diseases, scares them with his Apparitions and pannick Terrours, by reason whereof they live in a wretched consternation worshipping the Devil for fear. One blackRobinanIndiansitting down in the Corn field belonging to the house where I resided, ran out of hisWigwamfrighted with the apparitionof two infernal spirits in the shape ofMohawkes. Another time twoIndiansand anIndess, came running into our house crying out they should all dye,Cheepiewas gone over the field gliding in the Air with a long rope hanging from one of his legs: we askt them what he was like, they said all woneEnglishman, clothed with hat and coat, shooes and stockings,&c.They have a remarkable observation of a flame that appears before the death of anIndianorEnglishupon theirWigwamsin the dead of the night: The first time that I did see it, I was call’d out by some of them about twelve of the clock, it being a very dark night, I perceived it plainly mounting into the Air over our Church, which was built upon a plain little more than half a quarter of a mile from our dwelling house, on the Northside of the Church: look on [p. 134.] what side of a house it appears, from that Coast respectively you shall hear of a Coarse within two or three days.

They worship the Devil (as I said) their Priests are calledPowawsand are little better than Witches, for they have familiar conference with him, who makes them invulnerable, that is shot-free and stick-free. Craftie Rogues, abusing the rest at their pleasure, having power over them by reason of their Diabolical Art in curing of Diseases, which is performed with rude Ceremonies; they place the sick upon the ground sitting, and dance in an Antick manner round about him, beating their naked breasts with a strong hand, and making hideous faces, sometimes calling upon the Devil for his help, mingling their prayers with horrid and barbarous charms; if the sick recover they send rich gifts, their Bowes and Arrowes,Wompompers,Mohacks,Beaver skins, or other rich Furs to the Eastward, wherethere is a vast Rock not far from the shore, having a hole in it of an unsearchable profundity, into which they throw them.

Their Theologie is not much, but questionless they acknowledge a God and a Devil, and some small light they have of the Souls immortality; for ask them [p. 135.] whither they go when they dye, they will tell you pointing with their finger to Heaven beyond the white mountains, and do hint atNoah’sFloud, as may be conceived by a story they have received from Father to Son, time out of mind, that a great while agon their Countrey was drowned, and all the People and other Creatures in it, only onePowawand hisWebbforeseeing the Floud, fled to the white mountains carrying a hare along with them and so escaped; after a while thePowawsent theHareaway, who not returning emboldned thereby they descended, and lived many years after, and had many Children, from whom the Countrie was filled again withIndians.Some of them tell another story of theBeaver, saying that he was their Father.

Their learning is very little or none, Poets they are as may be ghessed by their formal speeches, sometimes an hour long, the last word of a line riming with the last word of the following line, and the whole dothConstare ex pedibus. Musical too they be, having many pretty odd barbarous tunes which they make use of vocally at marriages and feastings; but Instruments they had none before theEnglishcame amongst them, since they have imitated them and will make out Kitts and string them as neatly, [p. 136.] and as Artificially as the best Fiddle-maker amongst us; and will play our plain lessons veryexactly: the only Fidler that was in the Province ofMeyn, when I was there, was anIndiancalledScozway, whom the Fishermen and planters when they had a mind to be merry made use of.

Arithmetick they skill not, reckoning to ten upon their fingers, and if more doubling of it by holding their fingers up, their age they reckon by Moons, and their actions by sleeps, as, if they go a journie, or are to do any other business they will say, three sleeps me walk, or two or three sleeps me do such a thing, that is in two or three days. Astronomie too they have no knowledge of, seldom or never taking observation of the Stars, Eclipses, or Comets that I could perceive; but they will Prognosticate shrewdly what weather will fall out. They are generally excellentZenagoguesor guides through their Countrie.

Their exercises are hunting and fishing, in both they will take abundance of pains. When the snow will bear them, the young and lustieIndians, (leaving their papouses and old people at home) go forth to huntMoose,Deere,BearandBeaver, Thirty or forty miles up into the Countrey; when they light upon aMoosethey run him down, [p. 137.] which is sometimes in half a day, sometimes a whole day, but never give him over till they have tyred him, the snow being usually four foot deep, and the Beast very heavie he sinks every step, and as he runs sometimes bears down Arms of Trees that hang in his way, with his horns, as big as a mans thigh; other whiles, if any of their dogs (which are but small) come near, yerking out his heels (for he strikes like a horse) if a small Tree be in the way he breaks it quite asunder with one stroak, at last they get up to him on each side and transpiercehim with their Lances, which formerly were no other but a staff of a yard and half pointed with a Fishes bone made sharp at the end, but since they put on pieces of sword-blades which they purchase of theFrench, and having a strap of leather fastned to the but end of the staff which they bring down to the midst of it, they dart it into his sides,hæret latere lethalis arundo, the poor Creature groans, and walks on heavily, for a space, then sinks and falls down like a ruined building, making the Earth to quake; then presently in come the Victors, who having cut the throat of the slain take off his skin, their young webbs by this time are walking towards them with heavie bags and kettles at their [p. 138.] backs, who laying down their burdens fall to work upon the Carkass, take out the heart, and from that the bone, cut off the left foot behind, draw out the sinews, and cut out his tongue&c.and as much of the Venison as will serve to satiate the hungry mawes of the Company; mean while the men pitch upon a place near some spring, and with their snow shoos shovel the snow away to the bare Earth in a circle, making round about a wall of snow; in the midst they make theirVulcanor fire near to a great Tree, upon the snags whereof they hang their kettles fil’d with the Venison; whilst that boils, the men after they have refresht themselves with a pipe of Tobacco dispose themselves to sleep. The women tend the Cookerie, some of them scrape the slime and fat from the skin, cleanse the sinews, and stretch them and the like, when the venison is boiled the men awake, and opening of their bags take out as muchIndianmeal as will serve their turns for the present; they eat their broth with spoons, and their flesh they divide intogobbets, eating now and then with it as much meal as they can hold betwixt three fingers; their drink they fetch from the spring, and were not acquainted with other, untill theFrenchandEnglishtraded with that cursed liquor [p. 139.] calledRum,Rum-bullion, or kill-Devil, which is stronger than spirit of Wine, and is drawn from the dross of Sugar and Sugar Canes, this they love dearly, and will part with all they have to their bare skins for it, being perpetually drunk with it, as long as it is to be had, it hath killed many of them, especially old women who have dyed when dead drunk. Thus instead of bringing of them to the knowledge of Christianitie, we have taught them to commit the beastly and crying sins of our Nation, for a little profit. When theIndianshave stuft their paunches, if it be fair weather and about midday they venture forth again, but if it be foul and far spent, they betake themselves to their field-bed at the sign of the Star, expecting the opening of the Eastern window, which if it promise serenity, they truss up their fardles, and away for anotherMoose, this course they continue for six weeks or two moneths, making theirWebbstheirMulesto carry their luggage, they do not trouble themselves with the horns ofMooseor otherDeer, unless it be near anEnglishplantation; because they are weighty and cumbersome. If theEnglishcould procure them to bring them in, they would be worth the pains and charge, being sold inEnglandafter the rate of forty or fifty [p. 140.] pounds a Tun; the red heads ofDeerare the fairest and fullest of marrow, and lightest; the black heads are heavie and have less marrow; the white are the worst, and the worst nourished. When theIndiansare gone, there gathers to the Carkassof theMoosethousands ofMattrises, of which there are but few or none near the Sea-coasts to be seen, these devour the remainder in a quarter of the time that they were hunting of it.

Their fishing followes in the spring, summer and fall of the leaf. First forLobsters,Clams,Flouke,LumpsorPodles, andAlewives; afterwards forBass,Cod,Rock,Blew-fish,Salmon, andLampres, &c.

TheLobstersthey take in large Bayes when it is low water, the wind still, going out in theirBirchen-Canowswith a staff two or three yards long, made small and sharpen’d at one end, and nick’d with deep nicks to take hold. When they spye theLobstercrawling upon the Sand in two fathom water, more or less, they stick him towards the head and bring him up. I have known thirtyLobsterstaken by anIndianlad in an hour and a half, thus they takeFloukeandLumps;Clamsthey dig out of theClam-banksupon the flats and in creeks when it is low water, where they are bedded [p. 141.] sometimes a yard deep one upon another, the beds a quarter of a mile in length, and less, theAlewivesthey take with Nets like a pursenet put upon a round hoop’d stick with a handle in fresh ponds where they come to spawn. TheBassandBlew-fishthey take in harbours, and at the mouth of barr’d Rivers being in theirCanows, striking them with a fisgig, a kind of dart or staff, to the lower end whereof they fasten a sharp jagged bone (since they make them of Iron) with a string fastened to it, as soon as the fish is struck they pull away the staff, leaving the bony head in the fishes body and fasten the other end of the string to theCanow: Thus they will hale after them to shore half adozen or half a score great fishes: this way they takeSturgeon; and in dark evenings when they are upon the fishing ground near a Bar of Sand (where theSturgeonfeeds upon small fishes (likeEals) that are called Lances sucking them out of the Sands where they lye hid, with their hollow Trunks, for other mouth they have none) theIndianlights a piece of dryBirch-Barkwhich breaks out into a flame & holds it over the side of hisCanow, theSturgeonseeing this glaring light mounts to the Surface of the water where he is slain and taken with a fisgig.SalmonsandLampres[p. 142.] are catch’d at the falls of Rivers. All the Rivers of note in the Countrey have two or three desperate falls distant one from another for some miles, for it being rising ground from the Sea and mountainous within land, the Rivers having their Originals from great lakes, and hastning to the Sea, in their passage meeting with Rocks that are not so easily worn away, as the loose earthie mould beneath the Rock, makes a fall of the water in some Rivers as high as a house: you would think it strange to see, yea admire if you saw the boldBarbariansin their lightCanowsrush down the swift and headlong stream with desperate speed, but with excellent dexterity, guiding hisCanowthat seldom or never it shoots under water, or overturns, if it do they can swim naturally, striking their pawes under their throat like a dog, and not spreading their Arms as we do; they turn theirCanowagain and go into it in the water.

Their Merchandize are their beads, which are their money, of these there are two sorts blew Beads and white Beads, the first is their Gold, the last their Silver, these they work out of certain shells so cunningly that neitherJewnor Devil can counterfeit, they dril them and string them, and make many curious works with them to [p. 143.] adorn the persons of theirSagamoursand principal men and young women, as Belts, Girdles, Tablets, Borders for their womens hair, Bracelets, Necklaces, and links to hang in their ears. PrincePhillipa little before I came forEnglandcoming toBostonhad a Coat on and Buskins set thick with these Beads in pleasant wild works and a broad Belt of the same, his Accoutrements were valued at Twenty pounds. TheEnglishMerchant giveth them ten shillings a fathom for their white, and as much more or near upon for their blew Beads. Delicate sweet dishes too they make ofBirch-Barksowed with threads drawn fromSpruseor whiteCedar-Roots, and garnished on the out-side with flourisht works, and on the brims with glistering quills taken from thePorcupine, and dyed, some black, others red, the white are natural, these they make of all sizes from a dram cup to a dish containing a pottle, likewise Buckets to carry water or the like, large Boxes too of the same materials, dishes, spoons and trayes wrought very smooth and neatly out of the knots of wood, baskets, bags, and matts woven withSparke, bark of theLine-TreeandRushesof several kinds, dyed as before, some black, blew, red, yellow, bags ofPorcupinequills woven and dyed also; Coats woven of [p. 144.]Turkie-feathers for their Children, Tobacco pipes of stone with Imagerie upon them, Kettles ofBirchen-barkwhich they used before they traded with theFrenchfor Copper Kettles, by all which you may apparently see that necessity was at first the mother of all inventions. The women are the workers of most of these, and are now, here and thereone excellent needle woman, and will milk a Cow neatly, their richest trade are Furs of divers sorts, BlackFox,Beaver,Otter,Bear,Sables,Mattrices,Fox,Wild-Cat,Rattoons,Martins,Musquash,Moose-skins.

Ships they have none, but do prettily imitate ours in theirBirchen-pinnaces, theirCanowsare made ofBirch, they shape them with flat Ribbs of whiteCedar, and cover them with large sheets ofBirch-bark, sowing them through with strong threds ofSpruse-Rootsor whiteCedar, and pitch them with a mixture ofTurpentineand the hard rosen that is dryed with the Air on the out-side of the Bark ofFirr-Trees. These will carry half a dozen or three or four men and a considerable fraight, in these they swim to Sea twenty, nay forty miles, keeping from the shore a league or two, sometimes to shorten their voyage when they are to double a Cape they will put to shore, and [p. 145.] two of them taking up theCanowcarry it cross the Cape or neck of land to the other side, and to Sea again; they will indure an incredible great Sea, mounting upon the working billowes like a piece of Corke; but they require skilful hands to guide them in rough weather, none but theIndiansscarce dare to undertake it, such like Vessels the AncientBrittainsused, asLucanrelates.

Primum cana salix, madefacto vimine, parvamTexitur in puppim, cæsoque induta juvenco,Vectoris patiens tumidum super emicat amnem.Sic Venetus stagnante Pado, fusoque BritanusNavigat oceano——WhenSicoristo his own banks restor’dHad left the field, of twigs, and willow boordThey made small Boats, cover’d with Bullocks hide,In which they reacht the Rivers further side.So sail the Veneti ifPadusflow,The Brittains sail on their calm ocean so:So the Ægyptians sail with woven BoatsOf paper rushes in theirNilusfloats.

Primum cana salix, madefacto vimine, parvam

Texitur in puppim, cæsoque induta juvenco,

Vectoris patiens tumidum super emicat amnem.

Sic Venetus stagnante Pado, fusoque Britanus

Navigat oceano——

WhenSicoristo his own banks restor’d

Had left the field, of twigs, and willow boord

They made small Boats, cover’d with Bullocks hide,

In which they reacht the Rivers further side.

So sail the Veneti ifPadusflow,

The Brittains sail on their calm ocean so:

So the Ægyptians sail with woven Boats

Of paper rushes in theirNilusfloats.

[p. 146.] Their Government is monarchical, the Patrueius or they that descend from the eldest proceeding from his loyns, is the Roytelet of the Tribe, and if he have Daughters, his Son dying without a Son, the Government descends to his Daughters Son: after the same manner, their lands descend.Cheetadabackwas the chiefSachemorRoyteletof theMassachusets, when theEnglishfirst set down there.Massasoit, the greatSachemof thePlimouth Indians, his dwelling was at a place calledSowans, about four miles distant fromNew-Plimouth.Sasasacuswas the chiefSachemof thePequots, andMientoniackof theNarragansets. The chiefRoyteletamongst theMohawksnow living, is aDutchmansBastard, and theRoyteletnow of thePocanakets, that is thePlimouth-Indians, is PrincePhilipaliasMetacon, the Grandson ofMassasoit. Amongst the EasternIndians,Summersantformerly was a famousSachem. The now livingSachemsof note areSabaccaman,TerrumkinandRobinhood.

Their Wars are with Neighbouring Tribes, but theMowhawksare enemies to all the otherIndians, their weapons of Defence and Offence are Bowes and Arrowes, of late he is a poorIndianthat is not [p. 147.] master oftwo Guns, which they purchase of theFrench, and powder and shot, they are generally excellent marks men; their other weapons areTamahawkswhich are staves two foot and a half long with a knob at the end as round as a bowl, and as big as that we call the Jack or Mistriss. Lances too they have made (as I have said before) with broken sword blades, likewise they have Hatchets and knives; but these are weapons of a latter date. They colour their faces red all over, supposing that it makes them the more terrible, they are lusty Souldiers to see to and very strong, meerHercules Rusticuses, their fights are by Ambushments and Surprises, coming upon one another unawares. They will march a hundred miles through thick woods and swamps to theMowhawksCountrey, and theMowhawksinto their Countrey, meeting sometimes in the woods, or when they come into anEnemiesCountrey build a rude fort withPallizadoes, having loop-holes out of which they shoot their Arrowes, and fire their Guns, pelting at one another a week or moneth together; If any of them step out of the Fort they are in danger to be taken prisoners by the one side or the other; that side that gets the victory excoriats the hair-scalp of the principal slain Enemies which [p. 148.] they bear away in Triumph, their prisoners they bring home, the old men and women they knock in the head, the young women they keep, and the men of war they torture to death as the EasternIndiansdid twoMowhawkswhilst I was there, they bind him to a Tree and make a great fire before him, then with sharp knives they cut off the first joynts of his fingers and toes, then clap upon them hot Embers to sear the vains; so they cut him a pieces joynt afterjoynt, still applying hot Embers to the place to stanch the bloud, making the poor wretch to sing all the while: when Arms and Legs are gone, they flay off the skin of their Heads, and presently put on a Cap of burning Embers, then they open his breast and take out his heart, which while it is yet living in a manner they give to their old Squaes, who are every one to have a bite at it. These Barbarous Customs were used amongst them more frequently before theEnglishcame; but since by the great mercy of the Almighty they are in a way to be Civilized and converted to Christianity; there being three Churches ofIndiansgathered together by the pains of Mr.John Eliotand his Son, who Preaches to them in their Native language, and hath rendered the Bible in that Language for the benefit of [p. 149.] theIndians. These go clothed like theEnglish, live in framed houses, have stocks of Corn and Cattle about them, which when they are fat they bring to theEnglishMarkets, the Hogs that they rear are counted the best inNew-England. Some of their Sons have been brought up Scholars inHarvardColledge, and I was told that there was but two Fellowes in that Colledge, and one of them was anIndian; some few of these ChristianIndianshave of late Apostatized and fallen back to their old Superstition and course of life.

Thus much shall suffice concerningNew-England, as it was when theIndianssolely possest it. I will now proceed to give you an accompt of it, as it is under the management of theEnglish; but methinks I hear my sceptick Readers muttering out of their scuttle mouths, what will accrew to us by this ramblingLogodiarce? you do but bring straw intoEgypt, a Countrey abounding with Corn.Thus by theseFamacideswho are so minutely curious, I am dejected from my hope, whilst they challenge the freedom ofDavid’sRuffins, Our Tongues are our own, who-shall controll us. I have done what I can to please you, I have piped and you will not dance. I have told you as strange things as ever you or your Fathers [p. 150.] have heard. TheItaliansaithChi vide un miraculo facilmente ne crede un altro, he that hath seen one miracle will easilie believe another,miranda canunt sed non credenda poetæ. Oh I see the pad, you never heard nor saw the like, therefore you do not believe me; well Sirs I shall not strain your belief any further, the following Relation I hope will be more tolerable, yet I could (it is possible) insert as wonderful things as any my pen hath yet gone over, and may, but it must be upon condition you will not put me to the proof of it.Nemo tenetur ad impossibilia, no man is obliged to do more than is in his power, is a rule in law. To be short; if you cannot with theBeegather the honey, with the Spider suck out the poyson, as SirJohn Davishath it.

Back to Index Next