They Would Fain Have Borrow'd Our Razors,
As They Had Our Knives, Scissors, And Tobacco-Tongs, The Day Before,
Being
As ingenious at picking of Pockets, as any, I believe,
the World affords; for they will steal with their Feet.
Yesterday, one of our Company, not walking so fast as the rest,
was left behind. He being out of Sight before we miss'd him,
and not coming up to us, tho' we staid a considerable time on the Road
for him, we stuck up Sticks in the Ground, and left other Tokens
to direct him which way we were gone: But he came not to us that Night,
which gave us Occasion to fear some of the Heathens had kill'd him,
for his Cloaths, or the savage Beasts had devour'd him in the Wilderness,
he having nothing about him to strike Fire withal. As we were debating
which way we should send to know what was become of him, he overtook us,
having a Waxsaw Indian for his Guide. He told us, he had miss'd the Path,
and got to another Nation of Indians, but 3 Miles off, who at that time
held great Feasting. They had entertain'd him very respectfully,
and sent that Indian to invite us amongst them, wondring that
we would not take up our Quarters with them, but make our Abode
with such a poor Sort of Indians, that were not capable of entertaining us
according to our Deserts: We receiv'd the Messenger with
a great many Ceremonies, acceptable to those sort of Creatures.
Bidding our Waterree King adieu, we set forth towards the Waxsaws,
going along clear'd Ground all the Way. Upon our Arrival, we were led into
a very large and lightsome Cabin, the like I have not met withal.
They laid Furs and Deer-Skins upon Cane Benches for us to sit or lie upon,
bringing (immediately) stewed Peaches and green Corn, that is preserv'd
in their Cabins before it is ripe, and sodden and boil'd when they use it,
which is a pretty sort of Food, and a great Increaser of the Blood.
These Indians are of an extraordinary Stature, and call'd
by their Neighbours flat Heads, which seems a very suitable Name for them.
In their Infancy, their Nurses lay the Back-part of their Children's Heads
on a Bag of Sand, (such as Engravers use to rest their Plates upon.)
They use a Roll, which is placed upon the Babe's Forehead,
it being laid with its Back on a flat Board, and swaddled hard down thereon,
from one End of this Engine, to the other. This Method makes
the Child's Body and Limbs as straight as an Arrow. There being
some young Indians that are perhaps crookedly inclin'd,
at their first coming into the World, who are made perfectly straight
by this Method. I never saw an Indian of a mature Age,
that was any ways crooked, except by Accident, and that way seldom,
for they cure and prevent Deformities of the Limbs, and Body, very exactly.
The Instrument I spoke of before, being a sort of a Press, that is
let out and in, more or less, according to the Discretion of the Nurse,
in which they make the Child's Head flat, it makes the Eyes stand
a prodigious Way asunder, and the Hair hang over the Forehead
like the Eves of a House, which seems very frightful:
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