of North Carolina. 335 



Those that begin this Feast (which is always in the Morn- 

 ing) are their Priests or Conjurers, to whom they give great 

 credit and belief, not only because they are very subtile and 

 crafty Magicians, and hnd out things lost, but likewise be- 

 cause they heal Diseases by their Charms and Knowledge in 

 Plants. They first run to the Woods, from whence they re- 

 turn in two Days, and then begin to Sing and Dance in the 

 middle of the Circle (which the Women sweep and make 

 very clean against their return) and are very chearful and 

 merry with the old Indian Fathers that stay'd behind, by 

 reason of their natural Indispositions and feebleness : When 

 all these Ceremonies are ended, they begin to eat with such 

 greediness, that they seem rather to devour their Meat than 

 eat it, because they neither eat nor drink during their two 

 Days continuance in the Woods. 



At these Feasts most of all the Xations that are in Peace 

 w4th each other meet, though seventy or eighty Miles distant 

 from each other, where they sell and buy several Commodi- 

 ties as we do at our Fairs and Markets. 



They are very much given to Gaming at these publick 

 Meetings, and often strip one another of all they have in the 

 World; and what's more to be admired is, that they fre- 

 quently play themselves away, and remain the Winners Ser- 

 vants 'till their Relations or themselves pay the Money to 

 redeem them; and it is observable, that the Looser is never 

 dejected or cast down at his misfortune, but seems contented 

 and as chearful as if he had been the Winner. They never 

 differ at Gaming, neither did I ever see a Dispute about the 

 legality thereof so much as arise amongst them. 



The chief Game is a kind of Aritlimeticl\ which is man- 

 aged or played with a parcel of small split Reeds about the 

 thickness of a small Bent; these are made very nicely, that 



thev 



