396 The Natural Historg 



the Root of ' Sassafras, in which he bathed the Patients Leg 

 very well, then he took the rotten Grains of the Maiz, or 

 Indian Corn, well dried and beaten to Powder, and the soft 

 Down that grows upon the Turkeys Rump, with this he 

 quickly dried up the filthy Ulcer, and made a perfect Cure, 

 of what was thought incurable, to the great Joy and satis- 

 faction of the Planter, who had so long laboured under it. 

 This I had affirmed to me by the Planter himself, and several 

 others that were Eye-witnesses to the whole Affair. 



The Pox is to be met with amongst some Nations of these 

 Indians, being as it is Reported communicated to them by 

 the Europeans, it being a Distemper intirely unknown to 

 them before their Arrival. By this Disorder, some of them 

 have lost their looses, and particularly one of their great- 

 est Conjurers, whom I have seen and conversed with; but 

 whether or no this Distemper was known to them before the 

 Christians came amongst them, I will not take upon me to 

 decide it, being in no way material to my present Design, 

 which is only to satisfie my Readers with the Advantages 

 and Disadvantages that are to be met with in this Spacious 

 part of the World. 



These Savages of late cure this Distemper with certain 

 Berries (that grow in this Province) which Salivate like 

 Mercury, notwithstanding they use Sweating and strong De- 

 coctions with it, as they do almost upon every Occasion, and 

 when they are in the greatest Extreamity of Heat, leap into 

 the Rivers or Ponds of Water, by which Practice many have 

 lost their Lives, yet at present it is not sufficient to deter 

 them from this kind of Practice. 



The Yaws, is a Venerial Disorder (as I said before) in 

 all respects like the Pox, only it is not attended with a Gonor- 



rliwa 



