328 The Natural Histon; 



happens to be that of their King or ^Yar Captain, or a House 

 made for that purpose, where two Men are placed on a Mat 

 on the Ground, the one with a Rattle made of a Gourd, 

 with some Indian Corn or Beans in it ; the other with a Drum 

 made of an Earthen Pot, covered with a dressed Deer Shin, 

 with one Stick in his Hand to beat thereon ; thus they begin 

 the Song appointed for that purpose, at the same time the 

 one Drums, and the other Rattles; this is all the artificial 

 Musick of their own making that I ever saw amongst them. 

 To these two Instruments they sing, which may be supposed 

 to make but indifferent Musick, for Europeans, and yet the 

 Cadencies and raising of their Voices are formed with that 

 equality and exactness, that to us it seems very strange and 

 admirable how they should continue these Songs without 

 once missing to agree with each others IN^ote and Tune. 



As for their Dancing, were there Masters of that Profes- 

 sion amongst them, as there are in Europe, I am certain they 

 would dearly earn their Money; for these People take the 

 most Pains that Men are able to endure : I have seen thirty 

 dancing together, and every one with the Sweat dropping 

 doAvn, as if Water were powred on their Backs. 



They bring up their Youth in many laborious Exercises, 

 to make them able to endure Patigues, and improve their 

 Wind, which is indeed very long and durable, being a hard 

 matter in any Exercise to dispossess them of it, there being 

 several Games amongst them that is .won by him that hath 

 the longest Breath. In traveling and hunting they are most 

 indefatigable, being bred up after that manner from their 

 Youth, to which they have a double inducement, as it car:ies 

 both Pleasure and Profit with it. I have known some of 

 them very strong, and particularly remarkable for their run- 

 ning and leaping: The agility of both Men and Women are 



such, 



