308 The Natural History 



the Mother slings the Child on her Back, so that the Infant's 

 Back is towards hers, and it's Face to the Sky; if it rains, 

 she throws her Leather or Woolen Match-coat over her Head, 

 which covers her all over, and secures her and the Child 

 from the injury of the Weather. These being the only kind 

 of Cradles that are common throughout all America. 



The Women quit all manner of Company, neither do they 

 dress their own Victuals during their Purgation ; after they 

 have had several Children, they grow strangely out of Shape 

 in their Bodies ; as for Barreness it is seldom or never known 

 amongst them, their Women most commonly proving very 

 fruitful, especially after Marriage, every Cahin being full of 

 Children, who are taught as soon as they grow up to Fish, 

 and Hunt in the Woods, and to do what is necessary about 

 their Houses, viz. to beat Indian Corn, and the like, for they 

 do not take the least Care of their Education, being strangers 

 to all Arts and Sciences, so that they lead a very idle Life. 



They name their Children according to their o^vn Fancies, 

 which is quite different to either the Father or Mother's 

 !N^ame. This !N^ame they keep (if a Boy) 'till they arrive to 

 the Age of a Hunter, or a Warrior, which is commonly at 

 sixteen or seventeen Years, then they take a Xame to them- 

 selves as they think proper, some being called Eagle, Tyger, 

 Panther, Alligator, or some such wild Creature, esteeming 

 nothing on Earth worthy to give them a Name, but such kind 

 of Wildfowl or Beasts. Some likewise take the Names of 

 some Fish, which they keep as long as they live. 



They number their Age by Moons or Winters, and say a 

 Woman or a Man is so many Moons or Winters old, and so 

 they do with all memorable Actions in life, accounting it to 



be 



