THE ABORIGINES. 83 



bear. They make another sort of canoes of birchen bark, which 

 they close together, sewing them with a kind of bark, and then 

 smearing the places with turpentine of the pine tree. These 

 kinds of canoes are very neatly and artificially made, being 

 strengthened in the inside with some few thin timbers and ribs ; 

 yet they are so light, that one man will, and doth, ordinarily carry 

 one of them upon his back several miles, that will transport five 

 or six people. When in their huntings or wars, they are to pass 

 falls of rivers, or necks of land, into other rivers or streams, they 

 take up their canoes upon their backs, and others carry their arms 

 or provisions ; and so embark again, when their difficulty is past, 

 and proceed in their journey or voyage. But these kind of 

 canoes are much more ticklish and apt to overset, than the former. 

 But the Indians are so used to them, and sit so steady that they 

 seldom overturn with them ; and if they should, they can swim 

 well and save their lives, though sometimes they may lose their 

 peltry, arms, and provisions. 



They used to oil their skins and hair with bear's grease hereto- 

 fore ; but now with swine's fat, and then paint their faces with 

 vermilion, or other red, and powder their heads. Also they use 

 black and white paints, and make one part of their face of one 

 colour; and another, of another, very deformedly. The women 

 especially do thus ; and some men also, especially when they are 

 marching to their wars ; and hereby, as they think, are more 

 terrible to their enemies. The women, in the times of their 

 mourning, after the deaths of their husbands or kindred, do paint 

 their faces all over black, like a negro ; and so continue in this 

 posture many days. But the civilized and christian Indians do 

 leave these customs. The men, in their wars, do use turkey or 

 eagle's feathers, stuck in their hair, as it is traced up in a roll. 

 Others wear deer shuts, made in the fashion of a cock's comb 

 died red, crossing their heads like a half moon. 



They are addicted to gaming ; and will, in that vein, play away 

 all they have. And also they delight much in their dancings and 

 revellings ; at which time he that danceth (for they dance singly 

 the men and not the women, the rest singing, which is their chief 

 musick) will give away in his froHck, all that ever he hath, grad- 

 ually, some to one, and some to another, according to his fancy 

 and affection. And then, when he hath stripped himself of all 



