OF NORTH CAROLINA. 357 



was resolved to let no snake come into his bed, 

 for he might as well die of the distemper he had, 

 as be killed with the bite of that serpent. To 

 which the Indian replied, he could not bite him 

 now nor do him any harm, for he had taken out 

 his poison teeth, and shewed him that they were 

 gone. At last, with much persuasion, he admit- 

 ted the snake's company, which the Indian put 

 about his middle, and ordered no body to take 

 him away upon an}^ account, which was strictly 

 observed, although the snake girded him as hard 

 for a great while, as if he had been drawn in by 

 a belt which one pulled at with all his strength. 

 At last the snake's twitches grew weaker and 

 weaker, till, by degrees, he felt him not ; and 

 opening the bed he was found dead, and the man 

 thought himself better. The Indian came in the 

 morning, and seeing the snake dead, told the 

 man that his distemper was dead along with that 

 snake, which proved so as he said, for the man 

 speedily recovered his health and became perfect- 

 ly well. 



The}^ cure the spleen, which they are much ad- 

 dicted to, by burning with a reed. They lay the 

 patient on his back, so put a hollow cane into the 

 fire, where they burn the end thereof till it is very 

 hot, and on fire at the end. Then they lay a piece 

 of thin leather on the patient's belly, between the 

 pit of the stomach and the navel, so press the hot 

 reed on the leather, which burns the patient so 



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