AN OLD STORY OF THE NEW WORLD. 31 



and pebbles for the defence of it. There are in the 

 towne about fiftie houses, at the utmost about fiftie 

 paces long, and twelve or fifteen broad, built all of 

 wood, covered over with the barke of the wood, as 

 broad as any boord, very finely and cunningly joyned 

 togither according to there fashion. Within the said 

 houses, there are many roomes. In the midest of 

 every one there is a great hall, in the middle whereof 

 they make their fire. They live in common togither : 

 then doe the husbands, wives and children each one 

 retire themselves to their chambers. They have also 

 on the top of their houses certaine granaries,* wherein 

 they keepe their corne to make their bread withall ; 

 they call it Caracony, which they make as hereafter 

 shall follow. They have certaine peeces of wood, like 

 those whereon we beat our hempe, and with certain 

 beetles of wood they beat their corne to powder ; then 

 they make paste of it, and of the paste, cakes or 

 wreathes, then they lay them on a broad and hote 

 stone, and then cover it with hote pebbles and so they 

 bake their bread instead of ovens. They make also 

 sundry sorts of pottage with the said corne and also 

 of peas and beanes, whereof they have great store, as 

 also with other fruits, great cowcumbers and other 

 fruits. They have also in their houses certaine 

 vessels as bigge as any But or Tun, wherein they 

 keepe their fish, causing the same in sommer to be 

 dried in the smoke, and live therewith in winter, 

 whereof they make great provision, as we by expe- 

 * Corn-cribs. 



