58 T'HE HISTORY OF 



So soon as they approacli the grounds on which tlie enemy is used to hunt, 

 they never kindle any fire themselves, for fear of being found out by tiie 

 smoke, nor will they shoot at any kind of game, though they should be half 

 famished, lest they might alarm their foes, and put them upon their guard. 

 Sometimes indeed, while they are still at some distance, they roast either 

 venison or bear, till it is very dry, and then having strung it on their belts, 

 wear it round their middle, eating very sparingly of it, because they know 

 not when they shall meet with a fresh supply. But coming nearer, they begin 

 to look all round the hemisphere, to watch if any smoke ascends, and listen 

 continually for the report of guns, in order to make some happy discovery 

 for their own advantage. It is amazing to see their sagacity in discerning 

 the track of a human foot, even amongst dry leaves, which to our shorter 

 sight is quite undiscoverable. If by one or more of those signs they be 

 able to find out the camp of any southern Indians, they squat down in some 

 thicket, and keep themselves hush and snug till it is dark ; then creeping up 

 softly, they approach near enough to observe all the motions of the enemy. 

 And about two o'clock in the morning, when they conceive them to be in a 

 profound sleep, for they never keep watch and ward, pour in a volley upon 

 them, each singling out his man. The moment they have discharged their 

 pieces, they rush in with their tomahawks, and make sure work of all that 

 are disabled. Sometimes, when they find the enemy asleep round their little 

 fire, they first pelt them with little stones to wake them, and when they get 

 up, fire in upon them, being in that posture a better mark than when prostrate 

 on the ground. Those that are killed of'the enemy, or disabled, they scalp, 

 that is, they cut the skin all round the head just below the hair, and then 

 clapping their feet to the poor mortals' shoulders, pull the scalp off clean, and 

 carry it home in triumph, being as proud of those trophies, as the Jews used 

 to be of the foreskins of the Philistines. This way of scalping was practised 

 by the ancient Scythians, who used these hairy scalps as towels at home, and 

 trappings for their horses when they went abroad. They also made cups 

 of their enemies' skulls, in which they drank prosperity to their country, and 

 confusion to all their foes. The prisoners they happen to take alive in these 

 expeditions generally pass their time very scurvily. They put them to all 

 the tortures that ingenious malice and cruelty can invent. And (what shows 

 the baseness of the Indian temper in perfection) they never fail to treat those 

 with greatest inhumanity that have distinguished themselves most by their 

 bravery ; and, if he be a war captain, they do him the honour to roast him 

 alive, and distribute a collop to all that had a share in stealing the victory.* 



They are very cunning in finding out new ways to torment their unhappy 

 captives, though, like those of hell, their usual method is by fire. Sometimes they 

 barbacue them over live coals, taking them off every now and then, to pro- 

 long their misery ; at other times they will stick sharp pieces of lightwood 

 all over their bodies, and setting them on fire, let them burn down into the 

 flesh to the very bone. And when they take a stout fellow, that they believe 

 able to endure a great deal, they will tear all the flesh off his bones with red 

 hot pincers. While these and such like barbarities are practising, the victors 

 are so far from being touched with tenderness and compassion, that they 



* Though who can reproach the poor Indians for thi?, when Homer makes his celebrated 

 hero, Achilles, drag the body of Hector at the tail of his chariot, for having fought 

 gallantly in defence of his country. Nor was Alexander the Great, with all his famed 

 gtnerosity, less inhuman to the brave Tyrians, two thousand of whom he ordered to be cru- 

 cified in cold blood, for no other fault but for having defended their city most courageously 

 against him, during a siege of seven months. And what was still more brutal, he dragged 



alive at the tail of his chariot, through all the streets, for defending the town with so 



much vigour. 



