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. These Creatures they continually cram,
and feed with Maiz, and what the Horse will eat, till he is as fat as a Hog;
never making any farther use of him than to fetch a Deer home,
that is killed somewhere near the Indian's Plantation.
After the Dogs had fled the Room, the Company was summon'd by Beat of Drum;
the Musick being made of a dress'd Deer's Skin, tied hard upon
an Earthen Porridge-Pot. Presently in came fine Men dress'd up with Feathers,
their Faces being covered with Vizards made of Gourds;
round their Ancles and Knees, were hung Bells of several sorts,
having Wooden Falchions in their Hands, (such as Stage-Fencers commonly use;)
in this Dress they danced about an Hour, shewing many strange Gestures,
and brandishing their Wooden Weapons, as if they were going
to fight each other; oftentimes walking very nimbly round the Room,
without making the least Noise with their Bells, (a thing I much admired at;)
again, turning their Bodies, Arms and Legs, into such frightful Postures,
that you would have guess'd they had been quite raving mad: At last,
they cut two or three high Capers, and left the Room. In their stead,
came in a parcel of Women and Girls, to the Number of Thirty odd;
every one taking place according to her Degree of Stature,
the tallest leading the Dance, and the least of all being plac'd last;
with these they made a circular Dance, like a Ring,
representing the Shape of the Fire they danced about: Many of these
had great Horse-Bells about their Legs, and small Hawk's Bells
about their Necks. They had Musicians, who were two Old Men,
one of whom beat a Drum, while the other rattled with a Gourd,
that had Corn in it, to make a Noise withal: To these Instruments,
they both sung a mournful Ditty; the Burthen of their Song was,
in Remembrance of their former Greatness, and Numbers of their Nation,
the famous Exploits of their Renowned Ancestors, and all Actions of Moment
that had (in former Days) been perform'd by their Forefathers.
At these Festivals it is, that they give a Traditional Relation of what
hath pass'd amongst them, to the younger Fry.
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