skins, without Heels, and are made as fit for the Feet as a Glove to the Hand.

The Women wear short Petticoats of Woollen, and some of Moss. In Summer they generally go naked from the Waste upwards, but in Winter they wrap themselves in a Mantle of Skins, or woollen Cloath, which they purchase of the English. Their Hair they manage in a different manner from the Men, sometimes rolling it up in a Bunch to the Crown of their Head, others braid it, and bind it with Wreaths of Peak and Ronoack, which are Shells ground into regular Pieces, with Holes bored through them, and strung; this is their Money, and both Sexes use it for their principal Ornaments with which they deck themselves, making of them Pendants, Braslets, Girdles, Garters, &c. Besides which, the military Men especially, wear at their Breasts a Concave Shell, cut to the Form of though somewhat lets than a Gorges; this is a universal Decoration with all the Indians of the northern Continent; and as all their Mechanism, for want of good Tools, is performed with great Labour, so these Gorgets bear a great Price in proportion to their Largeness and Carving. Their War-Captains and Men of Distinction have usually the Portrait of a Serpent, or other Animal, on their naked Bodies; this is done by Puncture and a black Powder conveyed under the Skin. These Figures are esteemed not only as ornamental, but serve to distinguish the Warriers, making them more known and dreaded by their Enemies. In their hunting-Marches at the Entrance of the Territories, or Hunting-Grounds of an Enemy, the Captain, or Leader of them chips off the Bark from one Side of a Tree, on which he delineates his own Person, with the dreadful Hieroglyphics Figure before-mentioned, which is sometimes a Rattle-Snake open mouth'd, at a Corner of his Mouth, twisting in spiral Meanders round his Neck and Body, the Hero also holding in his Hand a bloody Tommahawk. By this Menace or Challenge is signified, that he whose Pourtrait is there displayed, hunts in these Grounds, where if any of his Enemies dare intrude, they shall feel the Force of his Tommahawk.

Of their Arms

At their going on Enterprizes of War, they dress in their greatest Gallantry, daubing their Hair with Bear's-Fat and the juice of the Puckoon-Root, and another red Root, flicking therein the Wings and Feathers of Birds, besides Rings of Copper, Peak and Wampum in their Ears, at the same time painting their Faces in various manner, sometimes red, with a Circle of black round one Eye, others have one Side of their Face red and the other black, whilst others daub their Faces with white Clay, black Lead, and other Colours. This they do not only to terrify their Enemies, but that they sshould not be known again; for in all their Hostilities against the English, the Savages always appeared in this Disguise.

There are very few Indians (and those very remote) that that retain the Use of Bows and Arrows, they being now supplied with Guns by the English. Their Bows were made of the Locust-Tree, i. e. Pseudo-acacia, it being when old a very tough and pliant Wood. Their Arrows were Reeds headed with Pieces of Stone, Spurs of Turky-cocks, and the Bones of Fish. Besides Bows and Arrows, Tommahawks were the only Weapons of War they had. These were of two Kinds: One was a Staff about three Feet long, with a large Knob at the End; the others were made of Stone ground to an Edge, of the Form and Size of a small Hatchet, and fixed to a strong handle; there would cut, and were of most Use, as well for War as for following their Canoes, and other mechanick Uses; with these they fought and worked, but since the Introduction of Iron-Hatchets, which they still call Tommahawks, they have wholly laid aside their Stone-ones.

Of their Food and Cookery.

The Indians are a temperate People, not from a Principle of Virtue, but from an ancient savage and indolent Custom, which all the Examples of Industry and Economy can never eradicate. They have a vast Country to range in, and the Choice of the most delightful and fertile Parts of it to inhabit, by which with little Labour they might indulge the greatest Luxury. Yet so little are they inclined that way, or even make so little Use of there Blessings, that, by depending wholly on Providence; they are sometimes drove to Necessity. Except a few Hens, which were first brought among them by the Europeans, the Indians breed no tame Animals for Food, and consequently eat neither Beef, Mutton, nor Pork, yet are fond of there Meats, when they get them amongst the English. No Animal is of so general Use to them as the Deer, which supplies them with Food and Raiment; yet these following Animals are also their Food, Buffello's, Elks, hares, Squirrels, Bears, Panthers, Wild-cats, Pole-cats, Opossums, Rackoons, Bevers, Aligators, Terrapins and Serpents, besides all Sorts of Fowls, not rejecting the rapacious Kinds. The Nympae of Wasps they esteem a Dainty. Fish of all Kinds are a great Part of the Food of those who inhabit near the Sea.

The only Grain they cultivate is Maiz, which, with various Kinds of Pulse, they had amongst them before the Arrival of the Europeans. In Summer they feed much on Vegetables, particularly Maiz before it is ripe, and while tender, they roast it in the Fire, also Pomkins, Gourds, Squashes,

ix