From Their Manner Of Disposing Of Those Who Die, Which Will Be Mentioned
Hereafter, As Well As From Every Other
Observation, there seems no reason
to suppose these people cannibals; nor do they ever eat animal substances
in a raw
State, unless pressed by extreme hunger, but indiscriminately
broil them, and their vegetables, on a fire, which renders these last
an innocent food, though in their raw state many of them are of a poisonous
quality: as a poor convict who unguardedly eat of them experienced,
by falling a sacrifice in twenty-four hours afterwards. If bread be given
to the Indians, they chew and spit it out again, seldom choosing to swallow it.
Salt beef and pork they like rather better, but spirits they never could
be brought to taste a second time.
The only domestic animal they have is the dog, which in their language
is called Dingo, and a good deal resembles the fox dog of England.
These animals are equally shy of us, and attached to the natives. One of them
is now in the possession of the Governor, and tolerably well reconciled
to his new master. As the Indians see the dislike of the dogs to us,
they are sometimes mischievous enough to set them on single persons
whom they chance to meet in the woods. A surly fellow was one day out
shooting, when the natives attempted to divert themselves in this manner
at his expense. The man bore the teazing and gnawing of the dog at his heels
for some time, but apprehending at length, that his patience might
embolden them to use still farther liberties, he turned round and shot poor
Dingo dead on the spot:
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