Every One Had In His Hand A Pipe Of Councell Sett With
Precious Jewells.
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.
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:
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