They Are The Hardiest Of All Indians,
And Run So Fast, That They Are Never Taken, Neither Do Any Indians
Outrun them, if they are pursu'd. Their Savage Enemies say,
their Nimbleness and Wind proceeds from their never eating any
Broth.
{Small-Pox.} The Small-Pox has been fatal to them; they do not often escape,
when they are seiz'd with that Distemper, which is a contrary Fever
to what they ever knew. Most certain, it had never visited America,
before the Discovery thereof by the Christians. Their running into the Water,
in the Extremity of this Disease, strikes it in, and kills all that use it.
Now they are become a little wiser; but formerly it destroy'd whole Towns,
without leaving one Indian alive in the Village. The Plague was never known
amongst them, that I could learn by what Enquiry I have made:
These Savages use Scarrification almost in all Distempers.
Their chief Instruments for that Operation is the Teeth of Rattle-Snakes,
which they poison withal. They take them out of the Snake's Head,
and suck out the Poison with their Mouths, (and so keep them for use)
and spit out the Venom, which is green, and are never damag'd thereby.
The Small-Pox and Rum have made such a Destruction amongst them,
that, on good grounds, I do believe, there is not the sixth Savage living
within two hundred Miles of all our Settlements, as there were
fifty Years ago. These poor Creatures have so many Enemies to destroy them,
that it's a wonder one of them is left alive near us.
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