This The Indians
Grind On Stones And Other Things, Till They Make It Current,
But The Drilling Is The Most
Difficult to the English-men,
which the Indians manage with a Nail stuck in a Cane or Reed.
Thus they
Roll it continually on their Thighs, with their Right-hand,
holding the Bit of Shell with their Left, so in time they drill a Hole
quite through it, which is a very tedious Work; but especially in making
their Ronoak, four of which will scarce make one Length of Wampum.
The Indians are a People that never value their time,
so that they can afford to make them, and never need to fear
the English will take the Trade out of their Hands. This is the Money
with which you may buy Skins, Furs, Slaves, or any thing the Indians have;
it being the Mammon (as our Money is to us) that entices and persuades them
to do any thing, and part with every thing they possess,
except their Children for Slaves. As for their Wives, they are often sold,
and their Daughters violated for it. With this they buy off Murders;
and whatsoever a Man can do that is ill, this Wampum will quit him of,
and make him, in their Opinion, good and vertuous, though never
so black before.
{Indians how named.}
All the Indians give a Name to their Children, which is not the same
as the Father or Mother, but what they fancy. This Name they keep,
(if Boys) till they arrive to the Age of a Warriour, which is
sixteen or seventeen Years; then they take a Name to themselves, sometimes,
Eagle, Panther, Allegator, or some such wild Creature;
esteeming nothing on Earth worthy to give them a Name,
but these Wild-Fowl, and Beasts. Some again take the Name of a Fish,
which they keep as long as they live.
{Indian King and Counsellors. Every Town a Ruler,
yet one over all the Nation.}
The King is the Ruler of the Nation, and has others under him, to assist him,
as his War-Captains, and Counsellors, who are pick'd out and chosen
from among the ancientest Men of the Nation he is King of.
These meet him in all general Councils and Debates, concerning War, Peace,
Trade, Hunting, and all the Adventures and Accidents of Humane Affairs,
which appear within their Verge; where all Affairs are discoursed of
and argued pro and con, very deliberately (without making
any manner of Parties or Divisions) for the Good of the Publick;
for, as they meet there to treat, they discharge their Duty
with all the Integrity imaginable, never looking towards their Own Interest,
before the Publick Good. After every Man has given his Opinion,
that which has most Voices, or, in Summing up, is found the most reasonable,
that they make use of without any Jars and Wrangling, and put it in Execution,
the first Opportunity that offers.
{Succession how.}
The Succession falls not to the King's Son, but to his Sister's Son,
which is a sure way to prevent Impostors in the Succession.
Sometimes they poison the Heir to make way for another,
which is not seldom done, when they do not approve of the Youth
that is to succeed them.
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