Menada, Manhattan, Or New Netherlands, Called By The
French Of Canada "Manatte."], And Fort Of Orang, Where Without Doubt I
Could Drinke Beere.
I, after this, finding meselfe somewhat altered, and my
body more like a devil then anything else, after being so smeared and burst
with their filthy meate that I could not digest, but must suffer all
patiently.
Finally they seemed to me kinder and kinder, giving me of the best bitts
where lesse wormes weare. Then they layd [me] to the watter side, where
there weare 7 and 30 boats, ffor each of them imbark'd himselfe. They tyed
me to the barre in a boat, where they tooke at the same instance the heads
of those that weare killed the day before, and for to preserve them they
cutt off the flesh to the skull and left nothing but skin and haire,
putting of it into a litle panne wherein they melt some grease, and gott it
dry with hot stones. They spread themselves from off the side of the river
a good way, and gathered together againe and made a fearfull noise and
shott some gunns off, after which followed a kind of an incondit singing
after nots, which was an oudiousom noise. As they weare departing from
thence they injoyned silence, and one of the Company, wherein I was, made
three shouts, which was answered by the like maner from the whole flocke;
which done they tooke their way, singing and leaping, and so past the day
in such like. They offered mee meate; but such victuals I reguarded it
litle, but could drinke for thirst. My sperit was troubled with infinite
deale of thoughts, but all to no purpose for the ease of my sicknesse;
sometimes despairing, now againe in some hopes. I allwayes indeavoured to
comfort myselfe, though half dead. My resolution was so mastered with
feare, that at every stroake of the oares of these inhumans I thought it to
be my end.
By sunsett we arrived att the Isles of Richelieu, a place rather for
victors then for captives most pleasant. There is to be seen 300 wild Cowes
together, a number of Elks and Beavers, an infinit of fowls. There we must
make cottages, and for this purpose they imploy all together their wits and
art, ffor 15 of these Islands are drowned in Spring, when the floods begin
to rise from the melting of the snow, and that by reason of the lowness of
the land. Here they found a place fitt enough for 250 men that their army
consisted [of]. They landed mee & shewed mee great kindnesse, saying
Chagon, which is as much [as] to say, as I understood afterwards, be
cheerfull or merry; but for my part I was both deafe and dumb. Their
behaviour made me neverthelesse cheerfull, or att least of a smiling
countenance, and constraine my aversion and feare to an assurance, which
proved not ill to my thinking; ffor the young men tooke delight in combing
my head, greasing and powdering out a kinde of redd powder, then tying my
haire with a redd string of leather like to a coard, which caused my haire
to grow longer in a short time.
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