common wealths man for the good of the body politicke in matters of
advice and counsell, a well skilled and industrious husbandman, for
tillage and improvements of grounds; an ingenious Carpenter, a cunning
Ioyner, a handie Cooper, such a one as can make strong ware for the use
of the countrie, and a good Brickmaker, a Tyler and a Smith, a Leather
dresser, a Gardner, and a Taylour: one that hath good skill in the
trade of fishing, is of speciall use, and so is a good Fowler, if there
be any that hath skill in any of these trades, if he can transport
himselfe, he needs not feare but he may improve his time and endeavours
to his owne benefit, and comfort; if any cannot transport himselfe, he
may provide himselfe of an honest master, and so may doe as well. There
is as much freedome and liberty for servants as in _England_ and more
too; a wronged servant shall have right _volens nolens_ from his
injurious master, and a wronged master shall have right of his
injurious servant, as well as here: Wherefore let no servant be
discouraged from the voyage, that intends it. And now whereas it is
generally reported, that servants and poore men grow rich, and the
masters and Gentrie grow poore; I must needs confesse that the diligent
hand makes rich, and that labouring men having good store of
employments, and as good pay, live well, and contentedly; but I cannot
perceive that those that set them aworke are any way impoverished by
them; peradventure they have lesse monie by reason of them, but never
the lesse riches; a mans worke well done being more beneficiall than
his monie, or other dead commodities, which otherwise would lye by him
to no purpose. If any men be so improvident as to set men about
building of Castles in the Aire, or other unnecessary employments, they
may grow poore; but such as employ labourers about planting of Corne,
building of houses, fenceing in of ground, fishing, and divers other
necessary occasions, shall receive as much or more by poore mens
labours, than those that live in _England_ doe from the industrie of
such as they hire: Wherefore I doe suppose this to be but the
surmisings of some that are ignorant of the state of the countrey, or
else misinformed by some ill willers to the plantations. Many
objections I know are daily invented, to hinder the proceedings of
these new plantations, which may dampe the unsetled spirits of such as
are not greatly affected with those undertakings; Some say the
_Spaniard_ layes claime to the whole country, being the first
discoverer hereof, and that he may make invasion upon those parts as
well as he hath done upon S. _Christophers_, and S. _Martins_, and
those places: but it doth not follow that because he tooke such places
as lay just in his way to the _West Indies_, that he should come
thousands of miles with a great Navie to plantations, as yet not worth
the pillage: and when the plantations are growne noted in the eyes of
the common foes for wealth, it is hoped that when the Bees have Honie
in their Hives, they will have stings in their tailes. Hath not
_Virginia_ beene planted many yeares which is foure hundred miles
nearer the _Spaniards_ course, and yet never met with any affrontments;
so that this scruple smells of feare and pusill-animitie. To wipe away
all groundlesse calumniations, and to answer to every too curious
objections, and frivolous question (some so simple as not ashamed to
aske whether the Sunne shines there or no) were to run in infinitum;
but I hope that the severall manuscripts and letters, and informations
by word of mouth from such of our honest countrimen which daily have
recourse unto us, have given full satisfaction to such as are well
willers to the plantations: and for such as are estranged to it in
affection, if every word that hath beene eyther writ or spoken were a
forcive argument, yet would it be too little to steddie their beleefe
in any one particular concerning the country. Some are nimble eared to
heare faults, and so ready tongued to publish them, yea often times
with strained constructions; a false asseveration usually winneth more
beleefe than two verifying negatives can resettle: Some there are who
count with _Claudian_ that it is an incomparable happinesse to have
their birth, life & burying in the same place: these are never likely
to remove further than the shell of their owne countrie. But because
there are some noble spirits that devote their states, and their
persons, to the common good of their king and country, I have therefore
for their direction and delight made this relation: For as the end of
my travell was observation, so I desire the end of my observation may
tend to the information of others: As I have observed what I have
seene, and written what I have observed, so doe I desire to publish
what I have written, desiring it may be beneficiall to posteritie; and
if any man desire to fill himselfe at that fountaine, from whence this
tasting cup was taken, his owne experience shall tell him as much as I
have here related, and thus I passe from the country as it stands to
the _English_, and come to discourse how it stands to the old Natives,
and they to it, as followeth.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Illustration]
THE
SECOND
PART.
Of the _Indians_, their persons, cloathings,
diet, natures, customes, lawes,
mariages, worships, conjurations,
warres, games, huntings, fishings,
sports, language, death, and
burials.
CHAP. I.
_Of the _Connectacuts_, _Mowhacks_, or such _Indians
_as are West-ward._
The country as it is in relation to the _Indians_, is divided as it
were into Shires, every severall division being swayde by a severall
king. The _Indians_ to the East and North east, bearing the name of
_Churchers_, and _Tarrenteenes_. These in the Southerne parts be called
_Pequants_, and _Narragansets_; those who are seated West-ward be
called, _Connectacuts_, and _Mowhacks_: Our _Indians_ that live to the
North-ward of them be called _Aberginians_, who before the sweeping
Plague, were an Inhabitant not fearing, but rather scorning the
confrontments of such as now count them but the scumme of the country,
and would soone roote them out of their native possessions were it not
for the _English_.
These are a cruell bloody people, which were wont to come downe upon
their poore neighbours with more than bruitish savagenesse, spoyling of
their Corne, burning their houses, slaying men, ravishing women, yea
very Caniballs they were, sometimes eating on a man one part after
another before his face, and while yet living; in so much that the very
name of a _Mowhack_ would strike the heart of a poore _Abergenian_
dead, were there not hopes at hand of releefe from _English_ to succour
them: For these inhumane homicides confesse that they dare not meddle
with a white faced man, accompanyed with his hot mouth'd weapon. These
_Indians_ be a people of a tall stature, of long grimme visages,
slender wasted, and exceeding great armes and thighes, wherein they say
their strength lyeth; and this I rather beleeve because an honest
gentleman told me, upon his knowledge, that he saw one of them with a
fillippe with his finger kill a dogge, who afterward flead him and sod
him, and eate him to his dinner. They are so hardie that they can eate
such things as would make other _Indians_ sicke to looke upon, being
destitute of fish and flesh, they suffice hunger and maintaine nature
with the use of vegetatives; but that which they most hunt after, is
the flesh of man; their custome is if they get a stranger neere their
habitations, not to butcher him immediately, but keeping him in as good
plight as they can, feeding him with the best victualls they have. As a
neere neighbouring _Indian_ assured me, who found what he had spoke
true by a lamentable experience, still wearing the cognizance of their
cruelty on his naked arme, who being taken by them eate of their foode,
lodged in their beds, nay he was brought forth every day, to be new
painted, piped unto, and hem'd in with a ring of bare skinned morris
dancers, who presented their antiques before him: In a word, when they
had sported enough about this walking Maypole, a rough hewne satyre
cutteth a gobbit of flesh from his brawnie arme, eating it in his view,
searing it with a firebrand, least the blood should be wasted before
the morning, at the dawning wherof they told him they would make an end
as they had begun; hee answered that he cared as little for their
threats as they did for his life, not fearing death; whereupon they led
him bound into a _Wigwam_, where he sate as a condemned Prisoner,
grating his teeth for anguish being for the present so hampered, and
the next day to be entombed in so many living sepulchers; he extends
his strength to the utmost, breaketh the bands from his hands, and
loosing the cords from his feete, thought at once to be revenged for
the flesh of his arme, and finding a hatchet, layes one with an arme of
revenge to the unliving of ten men at first onset, afterward taking the
opportunitie of the dead of night, fled through the woods and came to
his native home, where he still lives to rehearse his happie escapall;
of the rest of their inhumane cruelties let the _Dutchmen_, (who live
among them) testifie, as likewise the cruell manner of leading their
prisoners captive, whom they doe not onely pinnion with sharpe thongs,
but likewise bore holes through their hamstrings, through which they
thread a cord coupling ten or a dozen men together.
These _Indians_ be more desperate in warres than the other _Indians_;
which proceeds not onely from the fiercenesse of their natures, but
also in that they know themselves to be better armed and weaponed; all
of them wearing sea horse skinnes and barkes of trees, made by their
Art as impenitrable it is thought as steele, wearing head peeces of the
same, under which they march securely and undantedly, running, and
fiercely crying out, _Hadree Hadree succomee succomee_ we come we come
to sucke your blood, not fearing the feathered shafts of the
strong-armed bow-men, but like unruly headstrong stallions beate them
downe with their right hand Tamahaukes, and left hand Iavelins, being
all the weapons which they use, counting bowes a cowardly fight.
_Tamahaukes_ be staves of two foote and a halfe long, and a knob at one
end as round and bigge as a footeball: a Iavelin is a short speare,
headed with sharpe sea-horse teeth; one blow or thrust with these
strange weapons, will not neede a second to hasten death, from a
_Mowhackes_ arme. I will conclude this discourse concerning the
_Mowhackes_, in a tragicall rehearsall of one of their combates. A
_Sagamore_ inhabiting neere these Canniballs, was so dayly annoyed with
their injurious inhumanitie, that he must either become a tributarie
subject to their tyrannie, or release himselfe from thraldome by the
stroke of warre, which he was unable to wage of himselfe: wherefore
with faire entreaties, plausible perswasions, forcive arguments, and
rich presents he sent to other _Sagamores_, he procured so many
souldiers as summed with his owne, made his forces sixe thousand
strong; with the which he resolutely marched towards his enemies,
intending either to win the horse or loose the saddle. His enemies
having heard of his designes, plotted how to confront him in his
enterprize, and overthrow him by trecherie; which they thus attempted;
knowing their enemies were to swimme over a muddie river, they divided
their bands lying in ambush on both sides the river, waiting his
approach, who suspected no danger looking for nothing but victory; but
immediately they were invyroned with their unexpected foes, in their
greatest disadvantage: for being in the water, shoote they could not,
for swimming was their action; and when they came to the side, they
could not runne away, for their feete stucke fast in the mudde, and
their adversaries impaled them about, clubbing and darting all that
attained the shore; so that all were killed and captived, saving three
who swimming further under the waters (like the Ducke that escapeth the
Spannell by diving) untill they were out of sight of their blood
thirstie foes, recovered the shoare creeping into the thickets, from
whence after a little breathing and resting of their weary limbes, they
marched through the woods and arrived at their owne homes, relating to
their inquisitive survivers the sadde event of their warre, who a long
time after deplored the death of their friends, still placing the
remembrance of that day in the Callender of their mishappes.
CHAP. II.
_Of the _Tarrenteenes_ or the _Indians_ inhabiting
Eastward._
The _Tarrenteenes_ saving that they eate not mans flesh, are little
lesse salvage, and cruell than these Canniballs: our _Indians_ doe
feare them as their deadly enemies; for so many of them as they meete
they kill. About 2 yeares agoe, our _Indians_ being busie about their
accustomed huntings, not suspecting them so neere their owne liberties,
were on the suddaine surprized by them; some being slaine, the rest
escaping to their _English Asylum_, whither they durst not pursue them;
their _Sagamore_ was wounded by an arrow, but presently cured by
_English_ Chirurgery. These _Indians_ are the more insolent, by reason
they have guns which they dayly trade for with the _French_, (who will
sell his eyes as they say, for beaver:) but these doe them more credit
than service; for having guns they want powder, or if they have that,
they want shot, something or other being alwayes wanting; so that they
use them for little, but to salute coasting boates that come to trade,
who no sooner can anchor in any harbour; but they present them with a
vollie of shot, asking for sacke and strong liquors, which they so much
love since the _English_ used to trade it with them, that they will
scarse trade for any thing else, lashing out into excessive abuse,
first taught by the example of some of our _English_ who to uncloathe
them of their beaver coates, clad them with the infection of swearing
and drinking, which was never in fashion with them before, it being
contrary to their nature to guzell downe strong drinke, or use so much
as to sippe of strong-waters, vntill our bestiall example and dishonest
incitation brought them to it; from which I am sure hath sprung many
evill consequents, as disorder, quarrels, wrongs, unconscionable and
forcive wresting of Beaver and Wampompeage: and from over-flowing Cups
there hath beene a proceeding to revenge, murther and over-flowing of
blood. As witnesse Maister _Wayes_ Boate, which they sunke with stones
after they had killed his son, with three more: buzzing the _English_
in the eares, that they see it bulged against the rockes, and the men
drowned in the beating surges: but afterwards being betrayed, as many
as were caught, were hanged. Another who was situated on _Richmonds_
Iland, living as he list amongst them, making his couetous corrupt will
his law; after many abuses, was with his family one evening
treacherously murthered, under a faire pretence of trade; so that these
that lived beside the Law of God, and their King, and the light of
Nature, dyed by their hands that car'd neither for God, King, nor
Nature. Take these _Indians_ in their own trimme and naturall
disposition, and they be reported to be wise, lofty-spirited, constant
in friendship to one another; true in their promise, and more
industrious than many others.
CHAP. III.
_Of the _Pequants_ and _Narragansets_, _Indians_ inhabiting
Southward._
The _Pequants_ be a stately warlike people, of whom I never heard any
misdemeanour; but that they were iust and equall in their dealings; not
treacherous either to their Country-men, or _English_: Requiters of
courtesies, affable towards the _English_. Their next neighbours the
_Narragansets_, be at this present the most numerous people in those
parts, the most rich also, and the most industrious; being the
store-house of all such kind of wild Merchandize as is amongst them.
These men are the most curious minters of their _Wampompeage_ and
_Mowhakes_, which they forme out of the inmost wreaths of
Periwinkle-shels. The Northerne, Easterne, and Westerne _Indians_ fetch
all their Coyne from these Southerne Mint-masters. From hence they have
most of their curious Pendants & Bracelets; from hence they have their
great stone-pipes, which wil hold a quarter of an ounce of Tobacco,
which they make with steele-drils and other instruments; such is their
ingenuity & dexterity, that they can imitate the _English_ mold so
accurately, that were it not for matter and colour it were hard to
distinguish them; they make them of greene, & sometimes of blacke
stone; they be much desired of our _English_ Tobaconists, for their
rarity, strength, handsomnesse, and coolnesse. Hence likewise our
_Indians_ had their pots wherein they used to seeth their victuals
before they knew the use of Brasse. Since the _English_ came, they have
employed most of their time in catching of Beavers, Otters, and
Musquashes, which they bring downe into the Bay, returning backe loaded
with _English_ commodities, of which they make a double profit, by
selling them to more remote _Indians_, who are ignorant at what cheape
rates they obtaine them, in comparison of what they make them pay, so
making their neighbours ignorance their enrichment. Although these be
populous, yet I never heard they were desirous to take in hand any
martiall enterprize, or expose themselves to the uncertaine events of
warre: wherefore the _Pequants_ call them Women-like men; but being
uncapable of a jeare, they rest secure under the conceit of their
popularitie, and seeke rather to grow rich by industrie, than famous by
deeds of Chevalry. But to leave strangers, and come to declare what is
experimentally knowne of the _Indians_, amongst whom we live: of whom
in the next Chapter.
CHAP. IV.
_Of the _Aberginians_ or _Indians_ Northward._
First of their Stature, most of them being betweene five or six foote
high, straight bodied, strongly composed, smooth skinned, merry
countenanced, of complexion something more swarthy than _Spaniards_,
black hair'd, high foreheaded, blacke ey'd, out-nosed, broad shouldred,
brawny arm'd, long and slender handed, out brested, small wasted, lanke
bellied, well thighed, flat kneed, handsome growne leggs, and small
feete: In a word, take them when the blood briskes in their veines,
when the flesh is on their backs, and marrow in their bones, when they
frolick in their antique deportments and _Indian_ postures; and they
are more amiable to behold (though onely in _Adams_ livery) than many a
compounded phantasticke in the newest fashion. It may puzzle beliefe,
to conceive how such lustie bodies should have their rise and daily
supportment from so slender a fostering; their houses being meane,
their lodging as homely, commons scant, their drinke water, and Nature
their best cloathing; in them the old proverbe may well be verified:
(_Natura paucis contenta_) for though this be their daily portion, they
still are healthfull and lusty. I have beene in many places, yet did I
never see one that was borne either in redundance or defect a monster,
or any that sickneffe had deformed, or casualitie made decrepit, saving
one that had a bleared eye, and an other that had a wenne on his
cheeke. The reason is rendred why they grow so proportionable, and
continue so long in their vigour (most of them being 50 before a
wrinkled brow or gray haire betray their age) is because they are not
brought downe with suppressing labour, vexed with annoying cares, or
drowned in the excessive abuse of overflowing plenty, which oftentimes
kils them more than want, as may appeare in them. For when they change
their bare _Indian_ commons for the plenty of _Englands_ fuller diet,
it is so contrary to their stomacks, that death or a desperate
sicknesse immediately accrews, which makes so few of them desirous to
see _England_. Their swarthinesse is the Sun's livery, for they are
borne faire. Their smooth skins proceede from the often anoynting of
their bodies with the oyle of fishes, and the fat of Eagles, with the
grease of Rackoones, which they hold in summer, the best antidote to
keepe their skinne from blistering with the scorching Sunne; and it is
their best armour against the Musketoes, the surest expeller of the
hairy excrement, and stops the pores of their bodies against the
nipping winters cold. Their black haire is naturall, yet it is brought
to a more jetty colour by oyling, dying, and daily dressing. Sometimes
they weare it very long, hanging down in a loose dishevel'd womanish
manner; otherwhile tied up hard and short like a horse taile, bound
close with a fillet, which they say makes it grow the faster: they are
not a little phantasticall or custom-sick in this particular; their
boyes being not permitted to weare their haire long till sixteene
yeares of age, and then they must come to it by degrees; some being cut
with a long foretop, a long locke on the crowne, one of each side of
his head, the rest of his haire being cut even with the scalpe: the
young men and souldiers weare their haire long on the one side, the
other side being cut short like a screw; other cuts they have as their
fancie befooles them, which would torture the wits of a curious Barber
to imitate. But though they be thus wedded to the haire of their head,
you cannot wooe them to weare it on their chinnes, where it no sooner
growes, but it is stubbed up by the rootes, for they count it as an
unuseful, cumbersome, and opprobrious excrement, insomuch as they call
him an _English_ mans bastard that hath but the appearance of a beard,
which some have growing in a staring fashion, like the beard of a cat,
which makes them the more out of love with them, choosing rather to
have no beards than such as should make them ridiculous.
CHAP. V.
_Of their Apparell, Ornaments, Paintings, and other artificiall
deckings._