320 lawson's history 



about their designs ; tliey being never impatient 

 or hasty in executing any of their designs of re- 

 venge. 



]!l»fow I am gone so far in giving an account of 

 the Indian's temper, I will proceed, and can give 

 you no other character of them, but that they are 

 a very wary people, and are never hasty or impa- 

 tient. They will endure a great many misfor- 

 tunes, losses, and disappointments without show- 

 ing themselves, in the least, vexed or uneasy. 

 "When they go by water, if there proves a head 

 wind, they never vex and fret as the Europeans 

 do, and let what misfortune come to them as will 

 or can happen, they never relent. Besides, there 

 is one vice very common everywhere, which I 

 never found amongst them, which is, en^^-^ing oth- 

 er men's happiness, because their station is not 

 equal to, or above their neighbors. Of this sin I 

 cannot say I ever saw an example, though they 

 are a people that set as great a value upon them- 

 selves, as any sort of men in the world, upon which 

 accountthey find something valuable in themselves 

 above riches. Thus, he that is a good warrior is 

 the proudest creature living ; and he that is an 

 expert hunter, is esteemed by the people and him- 

 self; yet all these are natural virtues and gifts, 

 and not riches, which are as often in the posses- 

 sion of a fool as a wise man. Several of the In- 

 dians are possessed of a great many skins, wam- 

 pum, ammunition, and what other things are es- 

 teemed riches amongst them ; yet such an Indian 



