Ffor
Each Man A Handfull Of That They Putt In The Pott, That Swells So Much That
It Can Suffice A Man.
After the feast was over there comes two maidens
bringing wherewithall to smoake, the one the pipes, the other the fire.
They offered ffirst to one of the elders, that satt downe by us.
When he
had smoaked, he bids them give it us. This being done, we went backe to our
fort as we came.
The day following we made the principall Persons come together to answer to
their guifts. Being come with great solemnity, there we made our
Interpreter tell them that we weare come from the other side of the great
salted lake, not to kill them but to make them live; acknowledging you for
our brethren and children, whom we will love henceforth as our owne; then
we gave them a kettle. The second guift was to encourage them in all their
undertakings, telling them that we liked men that generously defended
themselves against all their ennemyes; and as we weare masters of peace and
warrs, we are to dispose the affairs that we would see an universall peace
all over the earth; and that this time we could not goe and force the
nations that weare yett further to condescend & submitt to our will, but
that we would see the neighbouring countreys in peace and union; that the
Christinos weare our brethren, and have frequented them many winters; that
we adopted them for our children, and tooke them under our protection; that
we should send them ambassadors; that I myself should make them come, and
conclude a generall peace; that we weare sure of their obedience to us;
that the ffirst that should breake the peace we would be their ennemy, and
would reduce them to powder with our heavenly fire; that we had the word of
the Christinos as well as theirs, and our thunders should serve us to make
warrs against those that would not submitt to our will and desire, which
was to see them good ffriends, to goe and make warrs against the upper
nations, that doth not know us as yett. The guift was of 6 hattchetts. The
3rd was to oblige them to receive our propositions, likewise the
Christinos, to lead them to the dance of Union, which was to be celebrated
at the death's feast and banquett of kindred. If they would continue the
warrs, that was not the meanes to see us againe in their Countrey. The 4th
was that we thanked them ffor making us a free passage through their
countreys. The guift was of 2 dozen of knives. The last was of smaller
trifles, - 6 gratters, 2 dozen of awles, 2 dozen of needles, 6 dozens of
looking-glasses made of tine, a dozen of litle bells, 6 Ivory combs, with a
litle vermillion. Butt ffor to make a recompence to the good old man that
spake so favorably, we gave him a hattchett, and to the Elders each a blade
for a Sword, and to the 2 maidens that served us 2 necklaces, which putt
about their necks, and 2 braceletts for their armes. The last guift was in
generall for all the women to love us and give us to eat when we should
come to their cottages. The company gave us great Ho! ho! ho! that is,
thanks. Our wildmen made others for their interest.
A company of about 50 weare dispatched to warne the Christinos of what we
had done. I went myself, where we arrived the 3rd day, early in the
morning. I was received with great demonstration of ffriendshippe. All that
day we feasted, danced, and sing. I compared that place before to the
Buttery of Paris, ffor the great quantity of meat that they use to have
there; but now will compare it to that of London. There I received guifts
of all sorts of meate, of grease more then 20 men could carry. The custome
is not to deface anything that they present. There weare above 600 men in a
fort, with a great deale of baggage on their shoulders, and did draw it
upon light slids made very neatly. I have not seen them att their entrance,
ffor the snow blinded mee. Coming back, we passed a lake hardly frozen, and
the sun [shone upon it] for the most part, ffor I looked a while
steadfastly on it, so I was troubled with this seaven or eight dayes.
The meane while that we are there, arrived above a thousand that had not
ben there but for those two redoubted nations that weare to see them doe
what they never before had, a difference which was executed with a great
deale of mirth. I ffor feare of being inuied I will obmitt onely that there
weare playes, mirths, and bataills for sport, goeing and coming with cryes;
each plaid his part. In the publick place the women danced with melody. The
yong men that indeavoured to gett a pryse, indeavoured to clime up a great
post, very smooth, and greased with oyle of beare & oriniack grease. The
stake was att least of 15 foot high. The price was a knife or other thing.
We layd the stake there, but whoso could catch it should have it. The feast
was made to eate all up. To honnour the feast many men and women did burst.
Those of that place coming backe, came in sight of those of the village or
fort, made postures in similitud of warrs. This was to discover the ennemy
by signs; any that should doe soe we gave orders to take him, or kill him
and take his head off. The prisoner to be tyed [and] to fight in
retreating. To pull an arrow out of the body; to exercise and strike with a
clubbe, a buckler to theire feete, and take it if neede requireth, and
defende himselfe, if neede requirs, from the ennemy; being in sentery to
heark the ennemy that comes neere, and to heare the better lay him downe on
the side.
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