214 



vidual by a stranger as done to the whole, and resent 

 it accordingly? In short this picture is not applicable 

 to any nation of Indians I have ever known or lieard of 

 in North America. 



(5.) p. 99. As far as 1 have been able to learn, the 

 country from the sea coast to the Alleghany, and from 

 the most soutiiern waters of James river up to Patuxen 

 river, now in the state of Maryland, was occupied by 

 three different nations of Indians, eacii of which spoke 

 a different language, and were under separate and dis- 

 tinct governments. What the original or real names 

 of those nations were, I have not been able to learn 

 with certainty ; but by us they are distinguished by the 

 names of Powhatans, Mannahoacs, and Monacans, now 

 commonly called Tuscaroras. The Powhatans, who 

 occupied the country from the sea shore up to the falls 

 of the rivers, were a jjowerful nation, and seem to have 

 consisted of seven tribes, five on the western and two ^ 

 on the eastern shore. Each of these tribes was subdi- 

 vided into towns, families, or clans, who lived together. 

 All the nations of Indians in North America lived in 

 the hunter state and depended for subsistence on hunt- 

 ing, fishing, and the spontaneous fruits of the eartli, and 

 a kind of grain which was planted and gathered by the 

 women, and is now known by the name of Indian corn. 

 Long potatoes, pum{)kins of various kinds, and squashes, 

 were also found in use among then). They had no 

 flocks, herds, or tamed animals of any kind. Their 

 government is a kind of patriarchal confederacy. Eve- 

 ry town or family has a chief, who is distinguished by 

 a particular title, and whom we commonly call 'Sa- 

 chem.' The several towns or families that compose a 

 tribe, have a chief who presides over it, and the several 

 tribes composing a nation have a chief who presides 

 over the whole nation. These chiefs are generally men 

 advanced in years, and distinguished by their prudence 

 and abilities in council. The niatters which merely re- 

 gard a town or family are settled by the chief and j»rin- 

 cipal men of the town : those which regard a tribe, such 

 as the appointment of head warriors or captains, and 

 settling differences between different towns and fami- 



