380 LAWSON'S HISTORY 



is so contrary to ours, that neither we nor they 

 can fathom one another's designs and methods. 

 They call rum and physic by one name, which 

 implies that rum make people sick, as when they 

 have taken any poisonous plant ; yet they cannot 

 forbear rum. They make offerings of their first 

 fruits, and the most serious sort of them throw in- 

 to the ashes, near the fire, the first bit or spoonful 

 of every meal they sit down to, which they say, is 

 the same to them as the pulling off our hats and 

 talking when we go to victuals, is to us. They 

 name the months very agreeably, as one is the 

 herring month, another the strawberry month, 

 another the mulberry month. Others name them 

 by the trees that blossom, especially the dogwood 

 tree ; or they say, we will return when turkey 

 cocks gobble, that is in March and April. The 

 age of the moon they understand, but know no 

 different name for sun and moon. They can guess 

 well at the time of the day by the sun's height. 

 Their age they number by winters, and say, such 

 a man or woman is so many winters old. They 

 have no sabbath or day of rest. Their slaves are 

 not overburdened with work, and so not driven 

 by severity to seek for that relief. Those that are 

 acquainted with the English, and speak the tongue, 

 know when Sunday comes ; besides the Indians 

 have a distinct name for christmas, which they 

 call "Winnick Keshuse, or the Englishman's God's 

 moon. There is one most abominable custom 

 amongst them, which they call husquenawing their 



