320 The Natural Histoid 



these cruel Torments, in prolonging Life in that miserable 

 state, as long as they can, and never miss Sculping of these 

 Wretches (as they call it) which is to cut off the Skin from 

 the Temples, and take the whole Head of Hair along with 

 it from the Scull, like a Cap ; this they hang at their Belts, 

 and carry to their Towns for their Wives and Children to be 

 spectators of. They sometimes take the top of the Scull 

 along with it, all which they preserve and carefully keep by 

 them to shew their Conquest, and Victory over their Ene- 

 mies. Some of them keep their Enemies Teeth, which are 

 taken in War; whilst others split the PHch-Pine and stick 

 the Prisoners Bodies (whilst alive) full of them, which they 

 set fire to, and burn like so many Toarches : In this manner 

 they make him dance round a great Fire, every one buffeting 

 and deriding him 'till he expires ; then every one present 

 strive to get a Bone or some other Relick of this unfortunate 

 Captive. Whatever Weapons they kill or wound their Ene- 

 mies with, they let the Blood remain on it as a Trophy of 

 their Victory. 



It is remarkable, that if any of the young Fellows who 

 have been at the Wars, and had the fortune to take a Cap- 

 tive, returns the proudest Creature upon Earth, and sets 

 such a Value on himself, that he scarce knows how to contain 

 in his Senses. In all their Wars they never destroy the 

 Women or Children that they make Captives, but carefully 

 preserve them. 



The Iroquois^ or Sannagers, and Cherolcees, are the most 

 powerful and warlike Indiana that we know of in these Parts, 

 being always at War, and not to be persuaded from that way 

 of living by any Arguments or Persuasions whatsoever. 

 They live near the Mountains, and there has been several 

 ^Methods used by the Christians to perswade them to live 



peaceably 



