wont to come down upon their poor Neighbors, with more than bruitish
Savageness, spoiling their Corn, burning their Houses, slaying Men,
ravishing Women, yea very _Canibals_ they were, sometimes eating on a
Man one part after another before his Face, and while yet living;
insomuch, that the very Name of a _Mowhack_ would strike the Heart of a
poor _Aberginian_ dead, till they had the _English_ on their sides to
succor them; for these inhumane Homicides confess that they dare not
meddle with a white Fac’d Man, accompany’d with his hot-mouth’d Weapon.
These _Indians_ are a People of tall Stature, long grim Visages, slender
Wasted, and having exceeding great Arms and Thighs, wherein they say
their strength lieth; which is such, that one of them hath been known to
kill a Dog with a fillip of his Finger, and afterwards to have flead and
sod him, and eat him to his Dinner. They are so hardy, that they can eat
such things as would make other _Indians_ sick to look upon; being
destitute of Fish and Flesh, they suffice Hunger and maintain Nature
with the use of Vegetatives; but that which they most hunt after, is the
flesh of Man: Their custom is, if they get a stranger near their
Habitations, not to Butcher him immediately, but keep him in as good
plight as they can, feeding him with the best Victuals they have.
These _Indians_ are more desperate in Wars than the other _Indians_,
which proceeds not only from the fierceness of their Natures, but also
in that they know themselves to be better Arm’d and Weapon’d; all of
them wearing Sea Horse Skins and Barks of Trees, made by their Art as
impenetrable, it is thought, as Steel, wearing Head-Pieces of the same,
under which they March securely and undantedly, running, and fiercely
crying out, _Hadree Hadree succomee succomee_, _We come to suck your
Blood_, not fearing the feather’d shafts of the strong-arm’d Bow-men,
but like unruly headstrong Stallions, beat them down with their
right-hand _Tamahawks_, and left-hand Javelins, being all the Weapons
which they use, counting Bowes a cowardly fight. _Tamahawks_ are Staves
of two Foot and a half long, with knobs at one end as round and big as a
Foot ball; a Javelin is a short Spear, headed with sharp Sea-Horse
Teeth; one blow or thrust with these sharp Weapons, will not need a
second to hasten death from a _Mowhacks_ arm.
[Sidenote: The nature of the _Indians_ inhabiting Eastward.]
The _Tarrenteens_ saving that they eat not Mans flesh, are little less
Salvage and cruel than these _Cannibals_; our _Indians_ do fear them as
their deadly Enemies, for so many of them as they meet, they kill. Take
these _Indians_ in their own proper and natural disposition, and they
are reported to be wise, lofty-spirited, constant in friendship to one
another, true in their promise, and more industrious than many others.
[Sidenote: The nature of the _Pequods_ and _Narragansets_.]
The _Pequants_ are a stately Warlike People, just and equal in their
dealings; not treacherous either to their Country-men, or _English_, to
whom (except in time of War) they were not any ways uncivil. Their next
Neighbors the _Narragansets_, are 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 form out of the inmost Wreaths of
Periwinkle-shells. The Northern, Eastern, and Western _Indians_ fetch
all their Coyn from these Southern Mint-Masters. From hence they have
most of their curious Pendants and Bracelets, from hence they have their
great Stone Pipes, which will hold a quarter of an Ounce of Tobacco,
which they make with Steel Drills and other Instruments; such is their
Ingenuity and 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 green, and sometimes of black Stone;
they are much desir’d of our _English_ Tobacconists, for their rarity,
strength, handsomness, and coolness. Hence likewise our _Indians_ had
their Pots, wherein they us’d to seeth their Victuals before they knew
the use of Brass. Since the _English_ came, they have employ’d most of
their time in catching of Beavers, Otters, and _Musquashes_, which they
bring down into the Bay, returning back loaden with _English_
Commodities, of which they make double profit, by selling them to more
remote _Indians_, who are ignorant at what cheap rates they obtain them,
in comparison of what they make them pay, so making their Neighbors
ignorance their enrichment: They were never known to be desirous to take
in hand any Martial Enterprize, or expose themselves to the uncertain
events of War; wherefore the _Pequants_ call them _Women-like Men_,
resting secure under the conceit of their popularity, and seeking rather
to grow rich by industry, than famous by deeds of Chivalry.
[Sidenote: The nature and complexion of the _Aberginians_.]
Most of these Northward _Indians_ are between five and six Foot high,
straight Body’d, strongly compos’d, smooth Skin’d, merry Countenanc’d,
of Complexion more swarthy than the _Spaniards_, black Hair’d, high
Foreheaded, black Ey’d, out-Nos’d, broad Shoulder’d, brawny Arm’d, long
and slender Handed, out Breasted, small Wasted, lank Belly’d, well
Thigh’d, flat Kneed, with handsome grown Legs, and small Feet: In a
word, take them when the Blood skips in their Veins, when the Flesh is
on their Backs, and Marrow in their Bones, when they frolick in their
antique Deportments and _Indian_ Postures, they are more amiable to
behold (though onely in _Adam_’s Livery) than many a trim Gallant in the
newest Mode; and though their Houses are but mean, their Lodging as
homely, Commons scant, their Drink Water, and Nature their best
Clothing, yet they still are healthful and lusty. Their smooth Skins
proceed from the often anointing of their Bodies with the Oyl of Fishes,
and the fat of Eagles, with the grease of _Rackoons_, which they hold in
Summer the best Antidote to keep their Skin from blistering with the
scorching Sun; it is their best Armor against the _Musketoes_, and the
surest abrasour of the hairy Excrement, and stops the Pores of their
Bodies against the nipping Winters cold. Their black Hair is natural,
yet is brought to a more Jetty colour by Oyling, Dying, and daily
dressing; sometimes they wear it very long, hanging down in a loose
dishevel’d Womanish manner, otherwise ty’d up hard and short like a
Horse Tail, bound close with a Fillet, which they say makes it grow the
faster; they are not a little Phantastical in this particular; their
Boys being not permitted to wear their Hair long till sixteen years of
Age, and then they must come to it by degrees; some being cut with a
long foretop, a long lock on the Crown, one of each side of his Head,
the rest of his Hair being cut even with the Scalp; the young Men and
Soldiers wear their Hair long on the one side, the other being cut short
like a Screw; other cuts they have as their Fancy leads them, which
would torture the Wits of the most exact Barber to imitate. But though
they are thus proud of the Hair of their Head, you cannot wooe them to
wear it on their Chins, where it no sooner grows, but it is stubb’d up
by the roots, 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.
[Sidenote: The Apparel, Ornaments, Paintings, and other artificial
Deckings of the _Indians_.]
The Cloathing of the _Indians_ is only a pair of _Indian_ Breeches to
cover their secret Parts, which is but a piece of Cloth a yard and a
half long, but between their Groins, ty’d with a Snakes Skin about their
middles, one end hanging down with a flap before, the other like a tail
behind. In the Winter time, the more Aged of them wear Leather Drawers,
in form like _Irish_ Trouses, fasten’d under their Girdle with Buttons:
They wear Shooes likewise of their own making, cut out of a _Mooses_
Hide; many of them wear Skins about them, in form of an _Irish_ Mantle,
and of these some are Bears Skins, _Mooses_ Skins, and Beaver Skins
sew’d together, others Otter Skins, and _Rackoon_ Skins; most of them in
the Winter having his deep Furr’d Cat Skin, like a large Muff, which he
shifts to that Arm which lieth most expos’d to the Wind. Although they
are poor, yet is there in them the sparks of natural Pride, which
appears in their longing desire after many kind of Ornaments, wearing
Pendants in their Ears, in form of Birds, Beasts, and Fishes, Carv’d out
of Bone, Shells, and Stone, with long Bracelets of their curious wrought
_Wampompeage_ and _Mowhackees_, which they put about their Necks and
Loins; these they count a rare kind of Decking; many of the better sort
bearing upon their Cheeks certain Pourtraitures of Beasts, as Bears,
Deers, _Mooses_, Wolves, _&c._ some of Fowls, as of Eagles, Hawks, _&c._
which is not a superficial Painting, but a certain Incision, or else a
raising of their Skin by a small sharp Instrument, under which they
convey a certain kind of black unchangeable Ink, which makes the desir’d
form apparent and permanent. Others have certain round Impressions down
the outside of their Arms and Breasts, in form of Mullets or
Spur-rowels, which they imprint by searing Irons: Whether these be Foils
to illustrate their unparallel’d Beauty (as they deem it) or Arms to
blazon their antique Gentility, cannot easily be determin’d: But a
_Segamore_ with a _Humbird_ in his Ear for a Pendant, a black Hawk on
his Head for his Plume, _Mowhackees_ for his Gold Chain, good store of
_Wampompeage_ begirting his Loins, his Bowe in his Hand, his Quiver at
his Back, with six naked _Indian_ Lacquies at his Heels for his Guard,
thinks himself little Inferior to the great _Cham_.
[Sidenote: Their Diet, Cookery, Meal-times, and Hospitality at their
Kettles.]
In Winter time they have all manner of Fowls and Beasts of the Land and
Water, Pond-fish, with _Cathaires_ and other Roots, _Indian_ Beans and
_Clamms_; in the Summer they have all manner of Sea-fish, with all sorts
of Berries. For the ordering of their Victuals, they Boil or Roast them,
having large Kettles which they Traded for with the _French_ long since,
and do still buy of the _English_ as their need requires, before they
had substantial Earthen Pots of their own making. Their Spits are no
other than cloven Sticks, sharpen’d at one end to thrust into the
ground; into these cloven Sticks they thrust the Flesh or Fish they
would have Roasted, behemming a round fire with a dozen of Spits at a
time, turning them as they see occasion. They seldom or never make Bread
of their _Indian_ Corn, but seethe it whole like Beans, eating three or
four Corns with a mouthful of Fish or Flesh, sometimes eating Meat
first, and Corns after, filling the Chinks with their Broth. In Summer,
when their Corn is spent, _Sqoutersquashes_ is their best Bread, a Fruit
like a young Pumpion: But as all are fellows at Foot-ball, so they all
meet Friends at the Kettle, saving their Wives, that Dance a
Spaniel-like attendance at their Backs for their Fragments. If their
occasions cause them to Travel, the best of their Victuals for their
Journey is _Nocake_, (as they call it) which is nothing but _Indian_
Corn parch’d in the hot Ashes; the Ashes being sifted from it, it is
afterwards beaten to Powder, and put into a long Leathern Bag, truss’d
at their Back like a Knapsack, out of which they take thrice three
Spoonfuls a day, dividing it into three Meals. If it be Winter, and Snow
be on the ground, they can eat when they please, making use of Snow for
their Drink; in Summer, they must stay till they meet with a Spring or
Brook; with this strange _viaticum_ they will travel four or five days
together. They keep no Set-Meals, their Store being spent, they champ on
the Bit, till they meet with fresh Supplies, either from their own
endeavors, or their Wives industry, who trudge to the _Clam-banks_ when
all other means fail. Though they are sometimes scanted, yet are they as
free as Emperors, both to their Countrey-men and _English_, be he
stranger, or near acquaintance; counting it a great discourtesie, not to
eat of their high-conceited Delicates.
[Sidenote: Of their hardiness.]
Their hardiness is much to be admir’d, no ordinary pains making them so
much as alter their countenance; beat them, whip them, punch them, if
they put on a resolution, they will not winch for it; whether it be
their benumm’d insensibleness of smart, or their hardy resolutions, is
hard to resolve; It might be a _Perillus_ his Bull, or the Rack might
force an out-cry from them, but a _Turkish_ drubbing would not move
them, the unexpected approach of a mortal Wound by a Bullet, Arrow, or
Sword, striking no more terror, nor causing no more exclamation in them,
than if it had been a shot into the body of a Tree; such Wounds as would
be sudden death to an _English_ Man, would be nothing to them; whether
it be, that by their rare skill in the use of Vegetatives, or by
Diabolical Charms, they cure them; nevertheless, the very name and
thoughts of death is so hideous to them, or any thing that presents it
so terrible, that a hundred of them will run from two or three arm’d
with Guns. In the Night they need not to be feared, for they will not
budge from their own Dwellings, for fear of their _Abamacho_ (the Devil)
whom they much fear, specially in evil enterprizes, they will rather lie
by an _English_ fire than go a quarter of a Mile in the dark to their
own Dwellings; but they are well freed from this Scare-crow since the
coming of the _English_, and less care for his delusions.
[Sidenote: Of their Kings, Government, and Subjects obedience.]
Now for the matter of Government amongst them; it is the custom of their
Kings to inherit, the Son always taking the Kingdom after his Fathers
death. If there be no Son, then the Queen rules; if no Queen, the next
to the Blood-Royal; who comes in otherwise, is but counted an usurping
Intruder, if his fair carriage bear him not out the better, they will
soon Unscepter him. Some say the chief _Powahe_ is next in Dignity and
Authority to the King, and when he dies, Marries the _Squasachem_, or
Queen.
The Kings have no Laws to Command by, nor have they any annual Revenues;
yet commonly are they so either fear’d or beloved, that half their
Subjects estate is at their Service, and their Persons at his Command,
by which Command he is better known than by any thing else; for though
he hath no Kingly Robes to make him glorious in the view of his
Subjects, nor daily Guards to succor his Person, nor Court-like
attendance, nor sumptuous Palaces; yet do they yield all submissive
subjection to him, accounting him their Soveraign; going at his Command,
and coming at his Beck, not so much as expostulating the cause, though
it be in matters thwarting their wills; he being accounted a disloyal
Subject that will not effect what his Prince Commands. Whosoever is
known to Plot Treason, or to lay violent hands on his lawful King, is
presently Executed. Once a Year he takes his Progress, accompanied with
a dozen of his best Subjects, to view his Countrey, to recreate himself,
and establish good Orders. When he enters into any of their Houses,
without any more Complement, he is desir’d to sit down on the Ground,
(for they use neither Stools nor Cushions) and after a little respite
all that are present come in, and sit down by him, one of his Seniors
pronouncing an Oration gratulatory to his Majesty for love, and the many
good things they enjoy under his peaceful Government. A King of large
Dominions hath his Vice-Roys, or inferior Kings under him, to agitate
his State Affairs, and keep his Subjects in good Decorum. Other Officers
there are, but how to distinguish them by Name is something difficult.
For their Laws, as their Vices come short of many other Nations, so they
have not so many Laws, though they are not without some, which they
inflict upon notorious Malefactors, as Traitors to their Prince,
inhumane Murtherers, and, some say, Adulterers: for Theft, as they have
nothing to steal worth the Life of a Man, therefore they have no Law to
Execute for Trivials, a Subject being more precious in the Eye of his
Prince, than, where Men are so scarce, to be cast away upon so sleight a
matter. A Malefactor having deserv’d Death, and being apprehended, is
brought before the King, and some other of the wisest Men, where they
enquire out the original of the thing, after proceeding by aggravation
of Circumstances he is found Guilty, and Cast by the Jury of their
strict Inquisition, he is Condemn’d and Executed in the following
manner: The Executioner comes in, who blind-folds the Party, sets him in
the publick view, and Brains him with a _Tamahauke_, or Club; which
done, his Friends bury him.
[Sidenote: Of their Marriages.]
Now to speak something of their Marriages, the Kings and the _Powwows_,
or great Doctors, may have two or three Wives, but seldom use it, Men of
ordinary Rank having but one; which disproves the report, that they had
eight or ten Wives apiece. When a Man hath a desire to Marry, he first
gets the good will of the Maid or Widow, after, the consent of her
Friends for her part; and for himself, if he be at his own disposing,
and if the King will, the Match is made, her Dowry of _Wampompeage_
paid, the _Sagamore_ or King (who for every Marriage hath a Fathom of
_Wampompeage_, which is about the value of seven or eight shillings)
joyns their Hands, never to part till Death, unless she prove a Whore,
for which they may put away their Wives.
[Sidenote: Of their Worship, Invocations, and Conjurations.]
As it is natural to all Mortals to worship something, so do these
People, but exactly to describe to whom their Worship is chiefly bent,
is very difficult: They acknowledge especially two, _Ketan_, some say
_Tantum_, their good God, and _Hobamocco_, some say _Squantum_, their
evil God; to _Ketan_ they Sacrifice (as the ancient _Heathens_ did to
_Ceres_) after their Garners be full with a good Crop. They likewise
Invocate this God for fair Weather, for Rain in time of Drought, and for
the recovery of their Sick; but if they do not hear them, then they
verrifie the old Verse, _Flectere si nequeo Superos Acheronta movebo_,
their _Powwows_ betaking themselves to their Exorcismes and Necromantick
Charms, by which they bring to pass strange things, if we may believe
the _Indians_, who report of one _Pissacannaw_, that he could make the
Water burn, the Rocks move, the Trees dance, and metamorphose himself
into a flaming Man. In Winter, when there is no green Leaves to be got,
he would out of the Ashes of an old Leaf, calcin’d and put into the
Water, produce a new green Leaf: And of a dead Snakes Skin, a living
Snake, both to be seen, felt and heard. The manner of their action in
their Conjuration is thus: The Parties that are sick or lame being
brought before them, the _Powwow_ sitting down, the rest of the Indians
giving attentive audience to his Imprecations and Invocations, and after
the violent expression of many a hideous bellowing and groaning he makes
a stop, and then all the Auditors with one voice utter a short _Canto_;
which done, the _Powwow_ still proceeds in his Invocations, sometimes
roaring like a Bear, other times groaning like a dying Horse, foaming at
the Mouth like a chased Boar, smiting on his naked Brest and Thighs with
such violence, as if he were mad: Thus will he continue sometimes half a
day, spending his Lungs, sweating out his Fat, and tormenting his Body
in this diabolical Worship. Sometimes the Devil, for requital of their
Worship, recovers the Party, to nuzzle them up in their devillish
Religion. But since the _English_ (upon whom, and in whose presence it
is said the _Powwows_ could never work their Witchcrafts) frequented
those Parts, they daily fall from his Colours, relinquishing their
former Fopperies, and acknowledge the Power of the _English_-man’s God,
as they call him. And it is reported of them, that at the very first
they were so tractable to the _Christian_ Religion, that they would say
King _James_ was good, and his God good, but their _Tanto_ nought,
though of their two Gods he was accounted the good one.
[Sidenote: Of their Wars.]
They use no other Weapons in War than Bowes and Arrows, saving that
their Captains have long Spears, on which, if they return Conquerors,
they carry the Heads of their chief Enemies that they slay in the Wars,
it being the Custom to cut off their Heads, Hands and Feet, to bear home
to their Wives and Children, as true tokens of their renowned Victory.
When they go to their Wars, it is their Custom to paint their Faces with
diversity of Colours, some being all black as Jet, some red, some half
red and half black, some black and white, others spotted with divers
kinds of Colours, being all disguis’d to their Enemies, to make them
more terrible to their Foes, putting on likewise their rich Jewels,
Pendents, and _Wampompeage_, to put them in mind that they Fight not
onely for their Children, Wives and Lives, but likewise for their Goods,
Lands and Liberties. Being thus Arm’d with this Warlike Paint, the
antique Warriors make towards their Enemies in a disorder’d manner,
without any Soldier-like Marching, or Warlike Postures, being deaf to
any word of Command, ignorant of falling off or on, of doubling Ranks or
Files, but let flie their winged Shaftsmen without either fear or wit:
Their Artillery being spent, he that hath no Arms to Fight, finds Legs
to run away.
[Sidenote: Their Games and Sports of Activity.]