286 lawson's history 



like an Indian, having all the Indians habit, be- 

 sides abundance of Wampum and their money, 

 made of shells, that hangs about his neck. The 

 image none of the young men dare approach ; for 

 the old ones will not suffer them to come near 

 him, but tell them that he is some famous Indian 

 warrior that died a great while ago, and now is 

 come amongst them to see if they Avork well, 

 which if they do, he will go to the good spirit and 

 speak to him to send them plenty of corn, and to 

 make the young men all expert hunters and 

 mighty warriors. All this while, the king and old 

 men sit round the image and seemingly pay a 

 profound respect to the same. One great help to 

 these Indians in carrying on these cheats, and in- 

 ducing youth to do what they please, is, the uninter- 

 rupted silence which is ever kept and observed 

 with all the respect and veneration imaginable. 



At these feasts which are set out with all the 

 magnificence their tare allows of, the masquerades 

 begin at night and not before. There is common- 

 ly a fire made in the middle of the house, which 

 is the largest in the town, and is very often the 

 dwelling of their king or war captain ; where sit 

 two men on the ground upon a mat ; one with a 

 rattle, made of a gourd, with some beans in it; 

 the other with a drum made of an earthern pot, 

 covered with a dressed deer skin, and one stick in 

 his hand to beat thereon ; and so they both begin 

 the song appointed. At the same time one drums 

 and the other rattles, which is all the artificial mu- 



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