OF NORTH CAROLINA. 381 



young men, which I have not made any mention 

 of as yet, so will give you an account of it here. 

 You must know, that most commonly, once a year, 

 at farthest, once in two years, these people take 

 up so many of their young men, as they think are 

 able to undergo it, and husquenaugh them, which, 

 is to make them obedient and respective to their 

 superiors, and, as they say, is the same to them as 

 it is to us to send our children to school, to be 

 taught good breeding and letters. This house of 

 correction is a large, strong cabin, made on pur- 

 pose for the reception of the young men and boys, 

 that have not passed the graduation already; and 

 it is always at Christmas that they husquenaugh 

 their youth, which is by bringing them into this 

 house and keeping them dark all the time, where 

 they more than half starve them. Besides, they 

 give them pellitory bark, and several intoxicating 

 plants, that make them go raving mad as ever 

 were any people in the world ; and you may hear 

 them make the most dismal and hellish cries and 

 bowlings that ever human creatures expressed ; 

 all which continues about five or six weeks, arid 

 the little meat they eat, is the nastiest, loathsome 

 stuff, and mixt with all manner of filth it is possi- 

 ble to get. After the time is expired, they are 

 brought out of the cabin, which never is in the 

 town, but always a distance off, and guarded by a 

 jailor or two, who watch by turn. Now when 

 they first come out, they are as poor as ever any 

 creatures were ; for you must know several die 



BIT 



