322 The Natural Historic 



the ISTation they were injured by be wholly destroyed, or 

 make them that satisfaction which they demand. 



They maintain continual Wars one E^ation against another, 

 which sometimes hold for Ages, killing and making captive 

 all they can, till they become so weak that they are often 

 forced to make peace for want of a sufficient number of 

 Recruits to supply their Wars ; so that by these continual 

 Wars, and the art they have and often practice of Poysoning 

 one another, which they do with a large white Spongy Root 

 that grows in their fresh Marshes, many numerous and form- 

 idable [N^ations are dwindled away to a handful of Men in 

 comparison to what they were sixty Years ago, and it's 

 strange to imagine how many hundred Miles they come to 

 make War on each other ; without any visible view of Inter- 

 est in Lands, or Riches, which are the chief motives of all 

 European Princes^ w^aging War against each other. 



They are very Politick in waging and carrying on their 

 War, first by advising with all the antient Men of conduct 

 and reason that belong to their JSTation ; such as superanuated 

 War Captains, and those that have been Counsellors amongst 

 them for many Years, whose Advice has succeeded well. 

 They have likewise their Field Counsellors, who are accus- 

 tomed to Ambuscades and Surprizes, which methods are 

 commonly used by them in these parts, for you shall seldom 

 Lear of a Field or set Battle fought amongst them. 



Yet before they undertake any enterprizes, they meet 

 several Mornings together in their State-Houses, where the 

 King repaireth, and is placed on a seat Avhich is generally 

 higher than any of his Retinue's, where all of them saiute 

 him; as soon as the Salutation is over, every one sits down 

 according to their Degrees or Seniority, and if there be any 

 thing to be debated, the King calls his Priests and the most 



antient 



