286 The Natural Historg 



Night, in hopes to have the Indian brought before the Gov- 

 ernour, in order to be punished according to the English 

 Law; but at the time appointed, the King desired the Mes- 

 senger to walk with him into the Plantation, where to his 

 great astonishment, he found the Indian dead, and hang- 

 ing upon a Tree. The Messenger complained to the King, 

 of the rashness and cruelty of this Proceeding, adding, that 

 he did not deserve Death, and that he was sorry he had been 

 the Messenger, or occasion to have a Person put to death, 

 for so small a Crime, which only deserved Whipping, or 

 some such kind of Punishment; that he only came in order 

 to have him brought before the Governour, to have him 

 punished. But the King replied. That he might then take 

 him where he pleased, but he had put it out of his power 

 ever afterwards to be guilty of doing any roguish Tricks. 

 But to return: Their Queens, Sons, and Daughters, are 

 never permitted to dine at the Governour's Table with the 

 Kings, but remain with their Children and Guards at 

 some distance from the House. 



The first of these Queens was drest with a Peticoat made 

 after the European manner, and had her Hair, which is 

 generally long, thick, and Black, tyed full of bits of Stuff, 

 such as Red, Green, Yellow, and variety of other Colours, 

 so that to an European she rather seemed like a Woman out 

 of Bedlam, than a Queen. She likewise had a large Belt 

 about her full of their Peach, or wampum, which is their 

 Money, and what they value above Gold or Silver, but to 

 me it seem'd no better than our common Snails, or other 

 ordinary Shells; the other parts of the Body from the Waste 

 upwards were all naked. The other two Queens were drest 

 much after the same manner, but none like the first, having 

 not such rich Belts of Money about their Bodies, which 

 to us in Europe woud not be worth one Farthing. 



The 



