{Indians Learn Of The Europeans.}
They Have Learnt Several Vices Of The Europeans, But Not One Vertue,
As I Know Of.
Drunkenness was a Stranger, when we found them out,
and Swearing their Speech cannot express; yet those that speak English,
learn to swear the first thing they talk of.
It's true,
they have some Vertues and some Vices; but how the Christians
can bring these People into the Bosom of the Church, is a Proposal
that ought to be form'd and follow'd by the wisest Heads and best Christians.
After I have given one Remark or two farther, of some of their
strange Practices and Notions, I will give my Opinion, how I think,
in probability, it may be (if possible) effected, and so shall conclude
this Treatise of Carolina.
They are a very craving People, and if a Man give them any thing of a Present,
they think it obliges him to give them another; and so on,
till he has given them all he has; for they have no Bounds of Satisfaction
in that way; and if they give you any thing, it is to receive
twice the Value of it. They have no Consideration that you will want
what you give them; for their way of Living is so contrary to ours,
that neither we nor they can fathom one anothers Designs and Methods.
They call Rum and Physick by one Name, which implies that Rum
make People sick, as when they have taken any poisonous Plant;
yet they cannot forbear Rum. They make Offerings of their First-Fruits,
and the more serious sort of them throw into the Ashes, near the Fire,
the first Bit or Spoonful of every Meal they sit down to, which, they say,
is the same to them, as the pulling off our Hats, and talking,
when we go to Victuals, is to us. They name the Months very agreeably,
as one is the Herring-Month, another the Strawberry-Month,
another the Mulberry-Month. Others name them by the Trees that blossom;
especially, the Dogwood-Tree; or they say, we will return
when Turkey-Cocks gobble, that is in March and April. The Age of the Moon
they understand, but know no different Name for Sun and Moon.
They can guess well at the time of the Day, by the Sun's Height.
Their Age they number by Winters, and say, such a Man or Woman
is so many Winters old. They have no Sabbath, or Day of Rest.
Their Slaves are not over-burden'd with Work, and so not driven by Severity
to seek for that Relief. Those that are acquainted with the English,
and speak the Tongue, know when Sunday comes; besides, the Indians have
a distinct Name for Christmas which they call Winnick Keshuse,
or the Englishmans Gods Moon. There is one most abominable Custom
amongst them, which they call Husquenawing their young Men;
which I have not made any Mention of as yet, so will give you
an Account of it here.
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