{Thursday.}
The Next Day We Travell'd On Our Way, And About Noon Came Up
With A Settlement Of Santee Indians,
There being Plantations
lying scattering here and there, for a great many Miles.
They came out to meet us, being
Acquainted with one of our Company,
and made us very welcome with fat barbacu'd Venison,
which the Woman of the Cabin took and tore in Pieces with her Teeth,
so put it into a Mortar, beating it to Rags, afterwards stews it with Water,
and other Ingredients, which makes a very savoury Dish.
At these Cabins came to visit us the King of the Santee Nation.
He brought with him their chief Doctor or Physician, who was warmly and neatly
clad with a Match-Coat, made of Turkies Feathers, which makes a pretty Shew,
seeming as if it was a Garment of the deepest silk Shag.
This Doctor had the Misfortune to lose his Nose by the Pox,
which Disease the Indians often get by the English Traders
that use amongst them; not but the Natives of America have for many Ages
(by their own Confession) been afflicted with a Distemper
much like the Lues Venerea, which hath all the Symptoms of the Pox,
being different in this only; for I never could learn,
that this Country-Distemper, or Yawes, is begun or continu'd
with a Gonorrhoea; yet is attended with nocturnal Pains in the Limbs,
and commonly makes such a Progress, as to vent Part of the Matter by Botches,
and several Ulcers in the Body, and other Parts; oftentimes Death ensuing.
I have known mercurial Unguents and Remedies work a Cure,
following the same Methods as in the Pox; several white People,
but chiefly the Criolo's, losing their Palates and Noses
by this devouring Vulture.
It is epidemical, visiting these Parts of America, which is often occasion'd
thro' the immoderate drinking of Rum, by those that commonly drink Water
at other Times, cold Nights Lodging, and bad open Houses, and more chiefly
by often wetting the Feet, and eating such Quantities of Pork as they do,
which is a gross Food, and a great Propagator of such Juices
as it often meets withal in human Bodies, once tainted with this Malady;
which may differently (in some Respects) act its Tragedy;
the Change being occasion'd by the Difference of Climates and Bodies,
as in Europe. We being well enough assur'd that the Pox had its first Rise
(known to us) in this new World, it being caught of the Indian Women,
by the Spanish Soldiers that follow'd Columbus in one of his Expeditions
to America; who after their Arrival in Old Spain, were hasten'd
to the Relief of Naples, at that Time besieg'd by the French.
Provisions growing scarce, the useless People were turn'd out of the City,
to lessen the Mouths; amongst these, the Curtesans were one Part,
who had frequently embrac'd the Spaniards, being well fraught with Riches
by their new Discovery. The Leager Ladies had no sooner lost
their Spanish Dons, but found themselves as well entertain'd
by the French, whose Camp they traded in, giving the Mounsieurs
as large a Share of the pocky Spoils within their own Lines,
as the Spaniards had, who took the Pains to bring it in their Breeches
as far as from America; the large Supplies of Swines Flesh,
which that Army was chiefly victuall'd withal, made it rage.
The Siege was rais'd; the French and Spaniards retreating to Flanders,
which was a Parrade of all Nations; by which Means, this filthy Distemper
crowded it self into most Nations of the known World.
Now to return to our Doctor, who in the Time of his Affliction
withdrew himself (with one that labour'd under the same Distemper)
into the Woods. These two perfected their Cures by
proper Vegitables, &c. of which they have Plenty, and are well acquainted
with their specifick Virtue.
I have seen such admirable Cures perform'd by these Savages, which would
puzzle a great many graduate Practitioners to trace their Steps in Healing,
with the same Expedition, Ease, and Success; using no racking Instruments
in their Chirurgery, nor nice Rules of Diet and Physick, to verify the Saying,
`qui Medice vivit, misere vivit'. In Wounds which penetrate deep,
and seem mortal, they order a spare Diet, with drinking Fountain-water;
if they perceive a white Matter, or Pus to arise, they let the Patient
more at large, and presently cure him.
After these two had perform'd their Cures at no easier Rate
than the Expence of both their Noses, coming again amongst
their old Acquaintance so disfigur'd, the Indians admir'd to see them
metamorphos'd after that manner; enquir'd of them where they had been
all that Time, and what were become of their Noses? They made Answer,
That they had been conversing with the white Man above,
(meaning God Almighty) how they were very kindly entertain'd
by that Great Being; he being much pleas'd with their Ways,
and had promis'd to make their Capacities equal with the white People
in making Guns, Ammunition, &c. in Retalliation of which,
they had given him their Noses. The Verity of which, they yet hold,
the Indians being an easy, credulous People, and most notoriously cheated
by their Priests and Conjurers, both Trades meeting ever in one Person,
and most commonly a Spice of Quackship added to the other two Ingredients,
which renders that cunning Knave the Impostor to be more rely'd upon;
thence a fitter Instrument to cheat these ignorant People;
the Priest and Conjurers being never admitted to their Practice,
'till Years and the Experience of repeated Services hath wrought their Esteem
amongst the Nations they belong to.
The Santee King, who was in Company with this No-nos'd Doctor,
is the most absolute Indian Ruler in these Parts, although he is Head
but of a small People, in Respect to some other Nations of Indians,
that I have seen: He can put any of his People to Death that hath committed
any Fault which he judges worthy of so great a Punishment.
This Authority is rarely found amongst these Savages,
for they act not (commonly) by a determinative Voice in their Laws,
towards any one that hath committed Murder, or such other great Crime,
but take this Method; him to whom the Injury was done, or if dead,
the nearest of his Kindred prosecutes by Way of an actual Revenge,
being himself, if Opportunity serves his Intent, both Judge and Executioner,
performing so much Mischief on the Offender, or his nearest Relation,
until such Time that he is fully satisfy'd:
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