OF NORTH CAROLINA. 308 



into debate before all the relations, that are old 

 people, on both sides, and sometimes the king 

 with all his great men, give their opinions therein. 

 If it be agreed on, and the young woman approve 

 thereof, for these savages never give their children 

 in marriage without their own consent, the man 

 pays so much for his wife ; and the handsomer 

 she is the greater price she bears. ISTow, it often 

 happens, that the man has not so much of their 

 money ready as he is to pay for his wife ; but if 

 they know him to be a good hunter, and that he 

 can raise the sum agreed for, in some few moons, 

 or any little time they agree, she shall go along 

 with him as betrothed, but he is not to have any 

 knowledge of her till the utmost payment is dis- 

 charged ; all which is punctually observed. Thus 

 they lie together under one covering for several 

 months, and the woman remains the same as she 

 was when she first came to him. I doubt our Eu- 

 ropeans would be apt to break this custom, but 

 the Indian men are not so vigorous and impatient 

 in their love as we are. Yet the women are quite 

 contrary, and those Indian girls that have con- 

 versed with the English and other Europeans, 

 never care for the conversation of their own coun- 

 trymen after\vards. 



They never marry so near as a first cousin, and 

 although there is nothing more coveted amongst 

 them than to marry a woman of their own nation, 

 yet when the nation consists of a very few people, 

 as nowadays it often happens, so that they are all 



