New Jtrfy* Raccoon. 383 



that they never venture on the field again ; when 

 thofe which have tailed the grains recover, they 

 leave the field, and are no more tempted to vifit 

 it again. By thus preparing maize, one muft be 

 very careful that no other creatures touch it; 

 for when ducks or fowls eat a grain or two of 

 the maize which is thus fteeped, they become 

 very fickj but if they fwallow a confiderable 

 quantity they die. When the root is thrown 

 av/ay raw, no animal eats it ; but when it is put 

 out boiled, its fweet tafte tempts the beafts to 

 eat it. Dogs have been feen to eat a little of it, 

 and have been very fick after it; however they 

 have recovered after a vomit, for when animals 

 cannot free themfelves of it by this means, they 

 often die. Some people boil the root, and warn. 

 the fcorbutic parts with the water or decocT:. 

 This is faid to caufe fome pain, and even a plen- 

 tiful difcharge of urine, but it re-eftablifhes the 

 patient. When the children here are plagued 

 with vermin, the women boil this root, put the 

 comb into the decodtion, and comb the head wit{i 

 it, and this kills them moft effectually. 



Mar. 1 7th. AT the firft arrival of the Swedes 

 in this country, and long after that time, it was 

 filled with Indians. But as the Europeans pro- 

 ceeded to cultivate the land, the Indians fold their 

 land, and went further into the country. But in 

 reality few of the Indians really left the country 

 in this manner; mod of them ended their days 

 before, either by wars among themfelves, or by 

 the fmall-pox, a difeafe which the Indians were 

 unacquainted with before their commerce with 

 the Europeans, and which fince that time has 



killed 



