They Being Ask'd
The Reason Why They Practis'd This Method, Reply'd, The Indian's Sight
Was Much Strengthened And Quicker, Thereby,
To discern the Game in hunting
at larger Distance, and so never miss'd of becoming expert Hunters,
the Perfection of
Which they all aim at, as we do to become
experienced Soldiers, learned School-Men, or Artists in Mechanicks:
He that is a good Hunter never misses of being a Favourite amongst the Women;
the prettiest Girls being always bestow'd upon the chiefest Sports-Men,
and those of a grosser Mould, upon the useless Lubbers.
Thus they have a Graduation amongst them, as well as other Nations.
As for the Solemnity of Marriages amongst them, kept with so much Ceremony
as divers Authors affirm, it never appear'd amongst those many Nations
I have been withal, any otherwise than in the Manner I have
mention'd hereafter.
The Girls at 12 or 13 Years of Age, as soon as Nature prompts them,
freely bestow their Maidenheads on some Youth about the same Age,
continuing her Favours on whom she most affects, changing her Mate very often,
few or none of them being constant to one, till a greater Number of Years
has made her capable of managing domestick Affairs, and she hath try'd
the Vigour of most of the Nation she belongs to; Multiplicity of Gallants
never being a Stain to a Female's Reputation, or the least Hindrance
of her Advancement, but the more Whorish, the more Honourable,
and they of all most coveted, by those of the first Rank, to make a Wife of.
The `Flos Virginis', so much coveted by the Europeans, is never valued
by these Savages. When a Man and Woman have gone through their Degrees,
(there being a certain Graduation amongst them) and are allow'd
to be House-Keepers, which is not till they arrive at such an Age,
and have past the Ceremonies practis'd by their Nation, almost all Kingdoms
differing in the Progress thereof, then it is that the Man makes his Addresses
to some one of these thorough-paced Girls, or other, whom he likes best.
When she is won, the Parents of both Parties, (with Advice of the King)
agree about the Matter, making a Promise of their Daughter, to the Man,
that requires her, it often happening that they converse and travel together,
for several Moons before the Marriage is publish'd openly; After this,
at the least Dislike the Man may turn her away, and take another;
or if she disapproves of his Company, a Price is set upon her,
and if the Man that seeks to get her, will pay the Fine to her Husband,
she becomes free from Him: Likewise some of their War Captains,
and great Men, very often will retain 3 or 4 Girls at a time
for their own Use, when at the same time, he is so impotent and old,
as to be incapable of making Use of one of them; so that
he seldom misses of wearing greater Horns than the Game he kills.
The Husband is never so enrag'd as to put his Adulteress to Death; if she
is caught in the Fact, the Rival becomes Debtor to the cornuted Husband,
in a certain Quantity of Trifles valuable amongst them, which he pays
as soon as discharg'd, and then all Animosity is laid aside betwixt
the Husband, and his Wife's Gallant.
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