70 OF NORTH CAROLINA. 



At these festivals it is, that they give a tradi- 

 tional relation of what hath passed amongst them, 

 to the younger fry, these verbal deliveries being 

 always published in their most public assemblies, 

 serve instead of our traditional notes by the use 

 of letters. Some Indians, that I have met withal, 

 have given me a very curious description of the 

 great deluge, the immortality of the soul, with a 

 pithy account of the reward of good and wicked 

 deeds in the life to come; having found amongst 

 some of them, great observers of moral rules, 

 and the law of nature ; indeed, a worthy founda- 

 tion to build Christianity upon, w^ere a true meth- 

 od found out and practiced for the performance 

 thereof. 



Their way of dancing is nothing but a sort of 

 stamping motion, much like the treading upon 

 founder's bellows. This female gang held their 

 dance for above six hours, being all of them of a 

 white lather, like a running horse, that has just 

 come in from his race. My landlady was the ring- 

 leader of the Amazons, who, when in her own 

 house, behaved herself very discreetly, and weari- 

 ly in her domestic affairs ; yet, custom had so in- 

 fatuated her, as to almost break her heart with 

 dancing amongst such a confused rabble. During 

 this dancing, the spectators do not neglect their 

 business in working the loblolly-pots, and the oth- 

 er meat that was brought thither ; more or less of 

 them being continually eating, whilst the others 

 were dancing*. When the dancing was ended, eve- 



