326 The Natural Historic 



and make Captives such and such numbers of them, and 

 how many they have destroyed already : A^Hiatever Trophies 

 they have gained in War are set up for all those present to 

 behold, round v^hich they Feast and Dance with the greatest 

 extasie of Joy that can be exprest or she^vn by them. 



All the Songs are made new for every Feast, neither is 

 one and the same Song sung at two several Festivals; some 

 one of the IN^ation (who hath the best gift of expressing their 

 Designs) is appointed by their King and ITar Captains 

 to make these Songs; these Persons or Poets being in great 

 request with the King, and ^JsTation to whom they belongs. 



Their Peace Dances are generally made at their Feasts, 

 and are of another l^ature; as when several Towns, and 

 sometimes different J^ations have made Peace with one 

 another, then it suits both ^NTations, and relates how the bad 

 Spirit made them go to War and destroy one another, that 

 it shall never be so again, but that their Sons and Daughters 

 shall marry together, and the two ^N^ations love each other, 

 and become as one united People. 



They have a third sort of Feast and Dances which are 

 when the Harvest of Corn is ended, and in the Spring; the 

 one to return Thanks to the good Spirit for the Fruits of the 

 Earth, the other to beg the same Blessings for the succeeding 

 Year. They plant their Maze or Indian Corn twice a Year, 

 viz. in March and June, all in the same Soil, for as soon as- 

 one Crop is ripe, which is in three Months, they immediately 

 gather it and plant the same Grounds over again. Before 

 the Europeans arrived in these Parts, they used to dig their 

 Grounds with an Instrument made of Wood, which was 

 fashioned like a broad Matock, but at present they have Hoes 

 from the Christians, and commonly plant two or three Grains 



together : 



