As They Grow In Years,
The Hot Assaults Of Love Grow Cooler; And Then They Commonly Are So Staid,
As
To engage themselves with more Constancy to each other.
I have seen several Couples amongst them, that have been so
Reserv'd,
as to live together for many Years, faithful to each other,
admitting none to their Beds but such as they own'd for their Wife or Husband:
So continuing to their Life's end.
At our Waxsaw Landlord's Cabin, was a Woman employ'd in no other Business
than Cookery; it being a House of great Resort. The Fire was surrounded
with Roast-meat, or Barbakues, and the Pots continually boiling
full of Meat, from Morning till Night. This She-Cook was the cleanliest
I ever saw amongst the Heathens of America, washing her Hands
before she undertook to do any Cookery; and repeated this unusual Decency
very often in a day. She made us as White-Bread as any English
could have done, and was full as neat, and expeditious, in her Affairs.
It happen'd to be one of their great Feasts, when we were there:
The first day that we came amongst them, arriv'd an Ambassador
from the King of Sapona, to treat with these Indians about
some important Affairs. He was painted with Vermillion all over his Face,
having a very large Cutlass stuck in his Girdle, and a Fusee in his Hand.
At Night, the Revels began where this Foreign Indian was admitted;
the King, and War Captain, inviting us to see their Masquerade:
This Feast was held in Commemoration of the plentiful Harvest of Corn
they had reap'd the Summer before, with an united Supplication
for the like plentiful Produce the Year ensuing. These Revels
are carried on in a House made for that purpose, it being done round
with white Benches of fine Canes, joining along the Wall;
and a place for the Door being left, which is so low, that a Man
must stoop very much to enter therein. This Edifice resembles
a large Hay-Rick; its Top being Pyramidal, and much bigger
than their other Dwellings, and at the Building whereof, every one assists
till it is finish'd. All their Dwelling-Houses are cover'd with Bark,
but this differs very much; for, it is very artificially
thatch'd with Sedge and Rushes: As soon as finish'd, they place
some one of their chiefest Men to dwell therein, charging him
with the diligent Preservation thereof, as a Prince commits
the Charge and Government of a Fort or Castle, to some Subject
he thinks worthy of that Trust. In these State-Houses is transacted
all Publick and Private Business, relating to the Affairs of the Government,
as the Audience of Foreign Ambassadors from other Indian Rulers,
Consultation of waging and making War, Proposals of their Trade
with neighbouring Indians, or the English, who happen to come
amongst them. In this Theater, the most Aged and Wisest meet,
determining what to Act, and what may be most convenient to Omit,
Old Age being held in as great Veneration amongst these Heathens,
as amongst any People you shall meet withal in any Part of the World.
Whensoever an Aged Man is speaking, none ever interrupts him,
(the contrary Practice the English, and other Europeans, too much use)
the Company yielding a great deal of Attention to his Tale,
with a continued Silence, and an exact Demeanour, during the Oration.
Indeed, the Indians are a People that never interrupt one another
in their Discourse; no Man so much as offering to open his Mouth,
till the Speaker has utter'd his Intent: When an English-Man
comes amongst them, perhaps every one is acquainted with him,
yet, first, the King bids him Welcome, after him the War-Captain,
so on gradually from High to Low; not one of all these speaking
to the White Guest, till his Superiour has ended his Salutation.
Amongst Women, it seems impossible to find a Scold; if they are provok'd,
or affronted, by their Husbands, or some other, they resent
the Indignity offer'd them in silent Tears, or by refusing their Meat.
Would some of our European Daughters of Thunder set these Indians
for a Pattern, there might be more quiet Families found amongst them,
occasion'd by that unruly Member, the Tongue.
Festination proceeds from the Devil, (says a Learned Doctor)
a Passion the Indians seem wholly free from; they determining
no Business of Moment, without a great deal of Deliberation and Wariness.
None of their Affairs appear to be attended with Impetuosity, or Haste,
being more content with the common Accidents incident to humane Nature,
(as Losses, contrary Winds, bad Weather, and Poverty)
than those of more civilized Countries.
Now, to return to our State-House, whither we were invited by the Grandees:
As soon as we came into it, they plac'd our Englishmen near the King;
it being my Fortune to sit next him, having his great General,
or War-Captain, on my other Hand. The House is as dark as a Dungeon,
and as hot as one of the Dutch-Stoves in Holland. They had made
a circular Fire of split Canes in the middle of the House.
It was one Man's Employment to add more split Reeds to the one end
as it consum'd at the other, there being a small Vacancy left
to supply it with Fewel. They brought in great store of Loblolly,
and other Medleys, made of Indian Grain, stewed Peaches,
Bear-Venison, &c. every one bringing some Offering to enlarge the Banquet,
according to his Degree and Quality. When all the Viands were brought in,
the first Figure began with kicking out the Dogs, which are seemingly Wolves,
made tame with starving and beating; they being the worst Dog-Masters
in the World; so that it is an infallible Cure for Sore-Eyes,
ever to see an Indian's Dog fat. They are of a quite contrary Disposition
to Horses; some of their Kings having gotten, by great chance,
a Jade, stolen by some neighbouring Indian, and transported
farther into the Country, and sold; or bought sometimes of a Christian,
that trades amongst them.
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