HISTORY OF VERMONT. 163 



continuance. A few tribes only could be ac- 

 commodated, by the vicinity and convenience 

 of a river : But game was every where to be 

 found. The bear, tlie deer, the beaver, the fox, 

 and other animals, were in great numbers, and 

 in evcrv part of the northern continent. From 

 these, the Indian derived his most sure, and 

 plentiful support. But this method of procur- 

 ing food, required great eftbrts of invention, and 

 activity. The strength, the fierceness, and the 

 swiftness of the wild animals, the feebleness- of 

 the weapons, the bow, arrow, and club, with 

 which the savage attacked them, joined to make 

 the business of the hunter laborious and diffi- 

 cult ; and called forth all the active powers of 

 the savage. And here^ he appeared to the 

 greatest advantage ; fertile in invention, saga- 

 cious in distinguishing and observing, nice and 

 accurate in tracing the animal ; indefatigable, 

 and persevering in the pursuit. An employ- 

 ment which thus gave exertion to all the inven- 

 tion, courage, force, and vigor of the man, nat- 

 urally became the most honourable employment ; 

 And the most dexterous hunter became the 

 anost distinguished savage of the tribe. To 

 these methods of pixicuring food, were added 

 some feeble attempts in agriculture. Indian 

 corn, beans, pompions, and squashes, were the 

 only plants they cultivated. The culture of 

 these was wholly in the hands of the women. 

 Without the uae and knowledge of any of the 

 domestic animals, altogether destitute of tlie 

 proper instruments of husbandry, their efforts 

 were weak and languid ; and the supplies they 

 derived this way, were but small. 



