284 lawson's history 



made liim very serviceable upon all such occasions. 

 No people have better eyes, or see better in the 

 night or day than the Indians. Some alledge that 

 the smoke of the pitch pine which they chiefly 

 burn, does both preserve and strengthen the eyes ; 

 as, perhaps, it may do, because that smoke never 

 offends the eyes, though you hold your face over 

 a great fire thereof. This is occasioned by the 

 volatile part of the turpentine, which rises ivith 

 the smoke, and is of a friendly, balsamic nature ; 

 for the ashes of the pine tree afford no fixed salt 

 in them. 



They let their nails grow very long, which, they 

 reckon, is the use nails are designed for, and laugh 

 at the Europeans for pairing theirs, which, they 

 say disarms them of that which nature designed 

 them for. 



They are not of so robust anil strong bodies as 

 to lift great burdens, and endure labor and slavish 

 work, as the Europeans are ; yet some that are 

 slaves, prove very good and laborious ; but, of 

 themselves, they never woKk as the English do, 

 taking care tor no farther than what is absolutely 

 necessary to support life. In traveling and hunt- 

 ing, they are very indefatigable, because that car- 

 ries a pleasure along with the profit. I have 

 known some of them very strong ; and as for run- 

 ning and leaping, they are extraordinary fellows, 

 and will dance for several nights together with the 

 greatest briskness imaginable, their wind never 

 failing them. 



