I Doubt, Our Europeans Would Be Apt
To Break This Custom, {Indian Men Not Vigorous.} But The Indian Men
Are
Not so vigorous and impatient in their Love as we are.
Yet the Women are quite contrary, and those Indian
Girls
that have convers'd with the English and other Europeans,
never care for the Conversation of their own Countrymen afterwards.
They never marry so near as a first Cousin; and although there is nothing
more coveted amongst them, than to marry a Woman of their own Nation,
yet when the Nation consists of a very few People (as now adays
it often happens) so that they are all of them related to one another,
then they look out for Husbands and Wives amongst Strangers.
For if an Indian lies with his Sister, or any very near Relation,
his Body is burnt, and his Ashes thrown into the River, as unworthy
to remain on Earth; yet an Indian is allow'd to marry two Sisters,
or his Brothers Wife. Although these People are call'd Savages,
yet Sodomy is never heard of amongst them, and they are so far
from the Practice of that beastly and loathsome Sin, that they have
no Name for it in all their Language.
The Marriages of these Indians are no farther binding,
than the Man and Woman agree together. Either of them has Liberty
to leave the other, upon any frivolous Excuse they can make;
yet whosoever takes the Woman that was another Man's before,
and bought by him, as they all are, must certainly pay to her former Husband,
whatsoever he gave for her. Nay, if she be a Widow, and her Husband
died in Debt, whosoever takes her to Wife, pays all her Husband's Obligations,
though never so many; yet the Woman is not required to pay any thing
(unless she is willing) that was owing from her Husband, so long as she
keeps Single. But if a Man courts her for a Nights Lodging, and obtains it,
the Creditors will make him pay her Husband's Debts, and he may,
if he will, take her for his Money, or sell her to another for his Wife.
{Selling Wives.} I have seen several of these Bargains driven in a day;
for you may see Men selling their Wives as Men do Horses in a Fair,
a Man being allow'd not only to change as often as he pleases,
but likewise to have as many Wives as he is able to maintain.
{Indian many Wives.} I have often seen, that very old Indian Men
(that have been Grandees in their own Nation) have had three or four
very likely young Indian Wives, which I have much wondered at, because to me
they seem'd incapacitated to make good Use of one of them.
{Night Rambles.}
The young Men will go in the Night from one House to another, to visit
the young Women, in which sort of Rambles they will spend the whole Night.
In their Addresses they find no Delays, for if she is willing
to entertain the Man, she gives him Encouragement and grants him Admittance;
otherwise she withdraws her Face from him, and says, I cannot see you,
either you or I must leave this Cabin, and sleep somewhere else this Night.
They are never to boast of their Intrigues with the Women. If they do,
none of the Girls value them ever after, or admit of their Company
in their Beds. This proceeds not on the score of Reputation,
for there is no such thing (on that account) known amongst them;
and although we may reckon them the greatest Libertines and most extravagant
in their Embraces, yet they retain and possess a Modesty
that requires those Passions never to be divulged.
{Trading Girls marry at last.}
The Trading Girls, after they have led that Course of Life, for several Years,
in which time they scarce ever have a Child; (for they have an Art
to destroy the Conception, and she that brings a Child in this Station,
is accounted a Fool, and her Reputation is lessen'd thereby)
at last they grow weary of so many, and betake themselves to a married State,
or to the Company of one Man; neither does their having been common to so many
any wise lessen their Fortunes, but rather augment them.
{Women not punish'd for Adultery.}
The Woman is not punish'd for Adultery, but 'tis the Man that makes
the injur'd Person Satisfaction, which is the Law of Nations
practis'd amongst them all; and he that strives to evade such Satisfaction
as the Husband demands, lives daily in Danger of his Life;
yet when discharg'd, all Animosity is laid aside, and the Cuckold
is very well pleased with his Bargain, whilst the Rival is laugh'd at
by the whole Nation, for carrying on his Intrigue with no better Conduct,
than to be discover'd and pay so dear for his Pleasure.
The Indians say, that the Woman is a weak Creature, and easily drawn away
by the Man's Persuasion; for which Reason, they lay no Blame upon her,
but the Man (that ought to be Master of his Passion) for persuading her to it.
{Never Love-mad.}
They are of a very hale Constitution; their Breaths are as sweet as the Air
they breathe in, and the Woman seems to be of that tender Composition,
as if they were design'd rather for the Bed than Bondage. Yet their Love
is never of that Force and Continuance, that any of them ever runs Mad,
or makes away with themselves on that score. They never love
beyond Retrieving their first Indifferency, and when slighted,
are as ready to untie the Knot at one end, as you are at the other.
Yet I knew an European Man that had a Child or two by one of these
Indian Women, and afterwards married a Christian, after which
he came to pass away a Night with his Indian Mistress;
but she made Answer that she then had forgot she ever knew him,
and that she never lay with another Woman's Husband, so fell a crying,
and took up the Child she had by him, and went out of the Cabin
(away from him) in great Disorder.
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