The Speech Being Finished, They Intreated Us To Be Att The Feast.
We goe
presently back againe to fournish us with woaden bowls.
We made foure men
to carry our guns afore us, that we charged of powder alone, because of
their unskillfullnesse that they might have killed their ffathers. We each
of us had a paire of pistoletts and Sword, a dagger. We had a role of
porkepick about our heads, which was as a crowne, and two litle boyes that
carryed the vessells that we had most need of; this was our dishes and our
spoons. They made a place higher & most elevate, knowing our customs, in
the midle for us to sitt, where we had the men lay our armes. Presently
comes foure elders, with the calumet kindled in their hands. They present
the candles to us to smoake, and foure beautifull maids that went before us
carrying bears' skins to putt under us. When we weare together, an old man
rifes & throws our calumet att our feet, and bids them take the kettles
from of the sire, and spoake that he thanked the sun that never was a day
to him so happy as when he saw those terrible men whose words makes the
earth quacke, and sang a while. Having ended, came and covers us with his
vestment, and all naked except his feet and leggs, he saith, "Yee are
masters over us; dead or alive you have the power over us, and may dispose
of us as your pleasur." So done, takes the callumet of the feast, and
brings it, So a maiden brings us a coale of fire to kindle it. So done, we
rose, and one of us begins to sing. We bad the interpreter to tell them we
should save & keepe their lives, taking them for our brethren, and to
testify that we short of all our artillery, which was of twelve gunns. We
draw our Swords and long knives to our defence, if need should require,
which putt the men in Such a terror that they knewed not what was best to
run or stay. We throw a handfull of powder in the fire to make a greater
noise and smoake.
Our songs being finished, we began our teeth to worke. We had there a kinde
of rice, much like oats. It growes in the watter in 3 or 4 foote deepe.
There is a God that shews himselfe in every countrey, almighty, full of
goodnesse, and the preservation of those poore people who knoweth him not
They have a particular way to gather up that graine. Two takes a boat and
two sticks, by which they gett the eare downe and gett the corne out of it.
Their boat being full, they bring it to a fitt place to dry it, and that is
their food for the most part of the winter, and doe dresse it thus: ffor
each man a handfull of that they putt in the pott, that swells so much that
it can suffice a man.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 132 of 223
Words from 67785 to 68295
of 117345
