They Had A Sack On Their Shoulders, And That That Holds
It Grows In The Midle Of Their Stomacks And On Their Shoulders.
In this
sacke all the world is inclosed.
Their face is not painted, but their heads
dressed as the foremost. Then the women laden like unto so many mules,
their burdens made a greater sheu then they themselves; but I supose the
weight was not equivolent to its bignesse. They weare conducted to the
appointed place, where the women unfolded their bundles, and slang their
skins whereof their tents are made, so that they had houses [in] less then
half an hour.
After they rested they came to the biggest cabbane constituted for that
purpose. There were fires kindled. Our Captayne made a speech of
thanksgiving, which should be long to writ it. We are called to the
councell of new come chiefe, where we came in great pompe, as you shall
heare. First they come to make a sacrifice to the french, being Gods and
masters of all things, as of peace, as warrs; making the knives, the
hattchetts, and the kettles rattle, etc. That they came purposely to putt
themselves under their protection. Moreover, that they came to bring them
back againe to their countrey, having by their means destroyed their
Ennemyes abroad & neere. So Said, they present us with guifts of Castors'
Skins, assuring us that the mountains weare elevated, the valleys risen,
the ways very smooth, the bows of trees cutt downe to goe with more ease,
and bridges erected over rivers, for not to wett our feete; that the dores
of their villages, cottages of their wives and daughters, weare open at any
time to receive us, being wee kept them alive by our marchandises. The
Second guift was, yet they would die in their alliance, and that to
certifie to all nations by continuing the peace, & weare willing to receive
and assist them in their countrey, being well satisfied they weare come to
celebrat the feast of the dead. The 3rd guift was for to have one of the
doors of the fort opened, if neede required, to receive and keepe them from
the Christinos that come to destroy them; being allwayes men, and the
heavens made them so, that they weare obliged to goe before to defend their
country and their wives, which is the dearest thing they had in the world,
& in all times they weare esteemed stout & true soldiers, & that yett they
would make it appeare by going to meet them; and that they would not
degenerat, but shew by their actions that they weare as valiant as their
fore ffathers. The 4th guift was presented to us, which [was] of Buff
Skins, to desire our assistance ffor being the masters of their lives, and
could dispose of them as we would, as well of the peace as of the warrs,
and that we might very well see that they did well to goe defend their owne
countrey; that the true means to gett the victory was to have a thunder.
They meant a gune, calling it miniskoick.
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