lawson's history 65 



it being a lioiise of great resort. The fire was sur- 

 rounded with roast *meet, or barbecues, and the 

 pots continually boiling full of meat, from morn- 

 ing till night. This she-cook was the cleanliest 

 I ever saw amongst the heathens of America, 

 washing her hands before she undertook to do any 

 cookery ; and repeating this unusal decency very 

 often in a day. She made us as white bread as 

 any English could have done^r^mtl was full as neat 

 and expeditious in hef^affairs. It happened to be 

 one of their great feasts when we were there. 

 The first day that we came amongst them, arrived 

 an ambassador from the king of Sapona, to treat 

 with these Indians about some important affairs. 

 He was painted with vermilion all over his face, 

 having a very large cutlass stuck in his girdle, and 

 a fusee in his hand. At night the revels began, 

 where this foreign Indian was admitted. The 

 king and war captain inviting us to see their mas- 

 querade. This feast was held in commemoration 

 of the plentiful harvest of corn they had reaped 

 the summer before, with an united supplication 

 for the like plentiful produce the year ensuing. 

 These revels are carried on in a house made for 

 that purpose, it being done round with white 

 benches of fine canes, joining along the wall ; and 

 a place for the door being left, which is so low 

 that a man must stoop very much to enter there- 

 in. This edifice resembles a large hay rick, its 

 top being pyramidal, and much Ifigger than tlieir 

 other dwellings, and at the building wereof, every 



