384 The Natural Historic 



They likewise give an Account that in the Year 1608, 

 there was such a hard Winter in North-Carolina, that the 

 great Sound was so Frozen, that the Wild Geese and other 

 Fowl came into the Woods to eat Acorns, that they were so 

 tame (I suppose through want) that they kilFd abundance 

 in the Woods by knocking them on the Head with Sticks, 

 and it is very strange how exactly one Nation will agree with 

 another as to the time when these things happen'd, having 

 no manner of Records to guide them but these bits of Sticks. 



But to returne to the dead Man, when this long Tale is 

 ended by the Conjuror that spoke first; perhaps a second 

 begins another long story, a third, and fourth, if there be so 

 many of these Priests or Doctors present, which all tell 

 partly one and the same thing, at last the Corps is brought 

 away from the Hurdle to the Grave by four young Men, 

 attended by the Relations, the King, old Men and most part 

 of the I^ation. 



When they come to the Sepulchre which is about six Feet 

 deep, and eight Feet long, having at each end (that is at 

 Head and Feet) a Light-wood or Pitch Pine-forh driven 

 close to the sides of the Grave, firmly into the Ground 

 (these two Forks are to contain a Ridge Pole, as I shall pres- 

 ently describe) before they lay the Corps into the Grave, 

 the bottom is covered two or three times over with the Barks 

 of Trees, then they let down the Corps (with two Belts, that 

 the Indians carry their Burthens with) very leisurely on the 

 said Bark, then they lay over a Pole of the same Wood into the 

 two Forks, having a gTcat many Pieces of Pitch-Pine-logs 

 about two Feet and a half long, they stick dovni one End of 

 them in the sides of the Grave, and the other End lies on 

 the Ridge-Pole, that they decline like the Roof of a House, 

 being thus placed, they cover them (many double) with 



Barks 



