Now To Return To Our Doctor, Who In The Time Of His Affliction
Withdrew Himself (With One That Labour'd Under The Same Distemper)
Into The Woods.
These two perfected their Cures by
proper Vegitables, &c. of which they have Plenty, and are well acquainted
with their specifick Virtue.
I have seen such admirable Cures perform'd by these Savages, which would
puzzle a great many graduate Practitioners to trace their Steps in Healing,
with the same Expedition, Ease, and Success; using no racking Instruments
in their Chirurgery, nor nice Rules of Diet and Physick, to verify the Saying,
`qui Medice vivit, misere vivit'. In Wounds which penetrate deep,
and seem mortal, they order a spare Diet, with drinking Fountain-water;
if they perceive a white Matter, or Pus to arise, they let the Patient
more at large, and presently cure him.
After these two had perform'd their Cures at no easier Rate
than the Expence of both their Noses, coming again amongst
their old Acquaintance so disfigur'd, the Indians admir'd to see them
metamorphos'd after that manner; enquir'd of them where they had been
all that Time, and what were become of their Noses? They made Answer,
That they had been conversing with the white Man above,
(meaning God Almighty) how they were very kindly entertain'd
by that Great Being; he being much pleas'd with their Ways,
and had promis'd to make their Capacities equal with the white People
in making Guns, Ammunition, &c. in Retalliation of which,
they had given him their Noses. The Verity of which, they yet hold,
the Indians being an easy, credulous People, and most notoriously cheated
by their Priests and Conjurers, both Trades meeting ever in one Person,
and most commonly a Spice of Quackship added to the other two Ingredients,
which renders that cunning Knave the Impostor to be more rely'd upon;
thence a fitter Instrument to cheat these ignorant People;
the Priest and Conjurers being never admitted to their Practice,
'till Years and the Experience of repeated Services hath wrought their Esteem
amongst the Nations they belong to.
The Santee King, who was in Company with this No-nos'd Doctor,
is the most absolute Indian Ruler in these Parts, although he is Head
but of a small People, in Respect to some other Nations of Indians,
that I have seen: He can put any of his People to Death that hath committed
any Fault which he judges worthy of so great a Punishment.
This Authority is rarely found amongst these Savages,
for they act not (commonly) by a determinative Voice in their Laws,
towards any one that hath committed Murder, or such other great Crime,
but take this Method; him to whom the Injury was done, or if dead,
the nearest of his Kindred prosecutes by Way of an actual Revenge,
being himself, if Opportunity serves his Intent, both Judge and Executioner,
performing so much Mischief on the Offender, or his nearest Relation,
until such Time that he is fully satisfy'd: Yet this Revenge
is not so infallible, but it may be bought off with Beads, Tobacco,
and such like Commodities that are useful amongst them,
though it were the most sable Villany that could be acted by Mankind.
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