lawson's history 67 



haps every one is acquainted witli him, yet, first, 

 the king bids him welcome, after him the war cap- 

 tain, so on gradually from high to low ; not one 

 of all these speaking to the white guest, till his su- 

 perior has ended his salutation. Amongst wo- 

 men, it seems impossible to find a scold : if they 

 are provoked or afironted, by their husbands, or 

 some other, they resent the indignity ofiered them 

 in silent tears, or by refusing their meat. Would 

 some of our European daughters of thunder set 

 these Indians for a pattern, there might be more 

 quiet families found amongst them, occasioned 

 by that unruly member, the tongue. 



Festination proceeds from the devil, says a 

 learned doctor, a passion the Indians seem 

 wholly free from ; they determining no business 

 of moment without a great deal of deliberation 

 and weariness. ISTone of their aftairs appear to 

 be attended with impetuosity or haste, being 

 more content with the common accidents incident 

 to human nature, (as losses, contrary winds, bad 

 weather, and povert}^,) than those of more civiliz- 

 ed countries. 



]S"ow, to return to our state house, whither we 

 were invited by the grandees. As soon as we 

 came into it, they placed our Englishmen near 

 the king, it being my fortune to sit next him, 

 having his great general or war captain on my 

 other hand. The ho use is as dark as a dungeon, 

 and ad hot as one of the Dutch stoves in Holland. 

 They had made a circular fire of split canes in 



