OF NORTH CAROLINA. 817 



this wampum will quit him of, and make him, in 

 their opinion, good and virtuous, though never so 

 black before. 



All the Indians give a name to their children, 

 which is not the same as the father or mother, but 

 what they fancy. This name they keep, (if boys) 

 till they arrive to the age of a warrior, which is 

 sixteen or seventeen years ; then they take a name 

 to themselves, sometimes, eagle, panther, allega- 

 tor, or some such wild creature, esteeming noth- 

 ing on earth worthy to give them a name, but these 

 wild fowl, and beasts. Some again take the name 

 of a fish, which they keep as long as they live. 



The king is the ruler of the nation, and has oth- 

 ers umder him, to assist him, as his war captains, 

 and counsellors, who are picked out and chosen 

 from among the ancientest men of the nation he is 

 king of. These meet him in all general councils 

 and debates, concerning war, peace, trade, hun- 

 ting, and all the adventures and accidents of hu- 

 man affairs, which appear within their verge ; 

 where all affairs are discoursed of and argued pro 

 and con, very deliberately (without making any 

 manner of parties or divisions) for the good of the 

 public ; for, as they meet there to treat, they dis- 

 charge their duty with all the integrity imagina- 

 ble, never looking towards their own interest, be- 

 fore the public good. After every man has given 

 his opinion, that which has most voices, or, in 

 summing up, is found the most reasonable, that 

 they make use of without any jars and wrangling. 



