And Lastly, This Correspondence Makes Them Learn
The Indian Tongue Much The Sooner, They Being Of The French-Man's Opinion,
How That An English Wife Teaches Her Husband More English In One Night,
Than A School-Master Can In A Week.
We saw at the Cassetta's Cabin the strangest Spectacle of Antiquity
I ever knew, it being an old Indian Squah, that, had I been to have guess'd
at her Age by her Aspect, old Parr's Head (the Welch Methusalem)
was a Face in Swadling-Clouts to hers.
Her Skin hung in Reaves
like a Bag of Tripe. By a fair Computation, one might have justly thought
it would have contain'd three such Carcasses as hers then was.
She had one of her Hands contracted by some Accident in the Fire,
they sleeping always by it, and often fall into sad Disasters,
especially in their drunken Moods. I made the strictest Enquiry
that was possible, and by what I could gather, she was considerably above
100 Years old, notwithstanding she smoak'd Tobacco, and eat her Victuals,
to all Appearance, as heartily as one of 18. One of our Company
spoke some of their Language, and having not quite forgotten
his former Intrigues with the Indian Lasses, would fain have been dealing
with some of the young Female Fry; but they refus'd him,
he having nothing that these Girls esteem'd. At Night we were laid
in the King's Cabin, where the Queen and the old Squah pig'd in with us:
The former was very much disfigur'd with Tettars, and very reserv'd,
which disappointed our fellow Traveller in his Intrigues.
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