{Indian Womens Habit.}
The Womens Dress Is, In Severe Weather, A Hairy Match-Coat
In The Nature Of A Plad, Which Keeps Out The Cold, And (As I Said Before)
Defends Their Children From The Prejudices Of The Weather.
At other times,
they have only a sort of Flap or Apron containing two Yards in Length,
and better than half a Yard deep.
Sometimes, it is a Deer-Skin dress'd white,
and pointed or slit at the bottom, like Fringe. When this is clean,
it becomes them very well. Others wear blue or red Flaps
made of Bays and Plains, which they buy of the English, of both which
they tuck in the Corners, to fasten the Garment, and sometimes make it fast
with a Belt. All of them, when ripe, have a small String round the Waste,
to which another is tied and comes between their Legs, where always
is a Wad of Moss against the Os pubis; but never any Hair
is there to be found: Sometimes, they wear Indian Shooes, or Moggizons,
which are made after the same manner, as the Mens are.
The Hair of their Heads is made into a long Roll like a Horses Tail,
and bound round with Ronoak or Porcelan, which is a sort of Beads
they make of the Conk-Shells. Others that have not this,
make a Leather-String serve.
{Indian Mens Habit.}
The Indian Men have a Match-Coat of Hair, Furs, Feathers, or Cloth,
as the Women have. Their Hair is roll'd up, on each Ear, as the Womens,
only much shorter, and oftentimes a Roll on the Crown of the Head, or Temples,
which is just as they fancy; there being no Strictness in their Dress.
Betwixt their Legs comes a Piece of Cloth, that is tuck'd in by a Belt
both before and behind. This is to hide their Nakedness,
of which Decency they are very strict Observers, although never practised
before the Christians came amongst them. They wear Shooes,
of Bucks, and sometimes Bears Skin, which they tan in an Hour or two;
with the Bark of Trees boil'd, wherein they put the Leather whilst hot,
and let it remain a little while, whereby it becomes so qualify'd,
as to endure Water and Dirt, without growing hard. These have no Heels,
and are made as fit for the Feet, as a Glove is for the Hand,
and are very easie to travel in, when one is a little us'd to them.
{Indians washing in the River.} When these Savages live near the Water,
they frequent the Rivers in Summer-time very much, where both Men and Women
very often in a day go in naked to wash themselves, though not
both Sexes together.
{Match-Coats how made.}
Their Feather Match-Coats are very pretty, especially some of them,
which are made extraordinary charming, containing several pretty Figures
wrought in Feathers, making them seem like a fine Flower Silk-Shag;
and when new and fresh, they become a Bed very well, instead of a Quilt.
Some of another sort are made of Hare, Raccoon, Bever, or Squirrel-Skins,
which are very warm.
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