300 The Natural Historic 



learn the Indian Tongue, and keep in good Friendship with 

 them, besides the satisfaction they have of a Bedfellow, they 

 find these Girls very serviceable to them upon several occa- 

 sions; especially in dressing their Victuals, and instructing 

 them in the Affairs and Customs of the Country; moreover 

 they get a great Trade amongst them ; but the Person that is 

 reserved, and doth not thus converse with their Women, it is 

 difficult for him to accomplish his Designs amongst the ISTa- 

 tives. 



One great misfortune that generally attend the Christians 

 that converse with these Women as Husbands, is, that they 

 get Children by them, which are seldom otherwise brought 

 up or educated than in the wretched state of Infidelity ; for 

 it is a certain Rule and Custom amongst all the Savages in 

 America (as far as I could learn) to let all the Children fall 

 to the Woman's Lot; for it frequently happens, that two 

 Indians, that have lived together as Man and Wife for many 

 Years, in which time they have had several Children, if they 

 part, and another takes her to be his Wife, all the Children go 

 along with the Mother ; and therefore on this Account it is a 

 difficult matter for the Christians ever to get the Children they 

 have had by these Indian Women away from them, to bring 

 them up in the Knowledge of the true God, and the Principles 

 of the Christian Faith, that they live in a miserable state of 

 Darkness and Infidelity all the Days of their lives. It is very 

 surprizing, that several Christians that are accustomed to the 

 Conversation of these Women and their way of living, have 

 been so infatuated and allured with that careless sort of life, 

 as to continue with their Indian Wife, and her Relations so 

 long as they lived, without ever desiring to return again 

 among the Christians, though they had several Opportuni- 

 ties, 



