Evolution of Ibortfculture 



found it better to fodder their cattle on the 

 salt herbage of the sea-marshes.'* l 



At the time of the settlement at Ply- 

 mouth, the aboriginal inhabitants of New 

 England had been estimated at fifty thou- 

 sand in number, the population having 

 been reduced greatly by a pestilence 

 which raged among them. These were 

 considered of an inferior type, although 

 in physical conformation they were quite 

 equal to the Indians of the other groups. 

 They, however, exhibited an incapacity 

 for any continuous labor. In fact there 

 is every evidence presented that they were 

 lazy, filthy in their habits, ignorant, vin- 

 dictive, and cruel, and easily satisfied with 

 food, shelter, and clothing of the rudest 

 kind. Of these last we are here more 

 concerned with the food which they pro- 

 cured by means of their " wretched hus- 

 bandry.*' This consisted of Indian corn 

 or maize, the squash, pumpkin, and bean. 

 The soil was fertilized by fish which, with 



1 Palfrey, History of New England, vol. i., pp. 

 16,17 



52 



