616 MOUND EXPLORATIONS. 



cally Considered," that but little is left for others to offer on this sub- 

 ject. Nevertheless a somewhat fuller presentation of some of the state- 

 ments of the early authorities bearing;' ou the subject is given here. 



Thomas Hariot, a very intelligent and reliable observer, gives the 

 following notes in regard to the method of cultivating maize and other 

 vegetables by the Indians of the Virginia coast: 



Pagatowr, a kind of grain so called by tlie inhabitants ; the same in the West Indies 

 is called Mayze, Englishmen call it Oniny-wheat or Turkey-wheat, according to the 

 names of the countries from whence the like hath been brought. The grain is about 

 the bigness of our ordinary English peas and not much ditt'ereut in form and shape; 

 but of divers colors, some white, some red, some yellow and some blue. All of these 

 yield a very white and sweet Hour, being used according to his kind, it maketh a 

 very good bread. We made of the same in the country some liialt whereof was 

 brewed as good ale as was to be desired. So likewise by the help of hops thereof 

 may be made as good beer. » • » 



Okindgier, called liy us beans, because in greatness and partly in shape they are 

 like the beans in England, saving that they are flatter. * » * 



Wickonzowr, called by us pease, in respect" of the beans for distinctions sake, 

 because they are much less although iu form they little differ. • * • 



Maeoqwer, according to their several forms, called by us Pompions, Melons, and 

 Gourds because they are of like forms as those kiuds in Englaud. 



All the aforesaid commodities for victual are set or sowed, sometimes iu grounds 

 apart and severally by themselves, but for the most part together in one ground 

 mixtly : the manner thereof with the dressing and preparing of the ground, because 

 I will note unto you the fertility of the soil, I think good briefly to describe. 



The ground they never fatten with niucli, dung or an.vthiug, neither plow nor dig 

 it as we in England, but only prepare it iu sort as folio weth: A few days before 

 they sow or set, the men with wooden instruments made almost iu the form of mat- 

 tocks or hoes with long handles, the women with short peckers or parers, because 

 they use them sitting, of a foot long, and about five inches iu breadth, do only break 

 the ujiper part of the ground to raise up the weeds, grass, and old stubs of corn- 

 stalks with their roots. The which after a day or two days drying in the sun, being 

 scraped up into many small heaps, to save them lalior for carrying them away, they 

 burn to ashes. And whereas some may think that they use the ashes for to better 

 the ground, I say that then they would either disperse the ashes abroad, which we 

 observe they do not, except the heaps be too great, or else would take special care to 

 set their corn where the ashes lie, which also we find they are careless of. And this 

 is all the husbanding of their ground that they use. 



Then their setting or sowing is after this manner. First, for their corn, beginning 

 in one corner of the plot with a pecker they make a hole wherein they put out four 

 grains, with care that they touch not one another, (about an inch asunder) and cover 

 them with the mould again ; and so throughout the whole plot, making such holes 

 and using them after such manner, but with this regard, that they be made iu ranks, 

 every rank differing from the other half a fatliom or a yard, and the h(des also in 

 every rank. By this means there is a yard of spare ground between every hole; 

 where, according to discretion here and there, th(\v set as many beans and pease; in 

 divers places also among the seeds of Macocqwer, Melden and Plauta Soils. ' » » 

 There is an herb which is sowed apart by itself, and it is called by the inhabitants 

 Uppowoc; in the West Indies it has divers names according to the several placeu 

 and countries where it groweth and is used ; the Spaniards generally call it tobacco, 

 the leaves thereof being dried and brought into powder they use to take the fume or 

 smoke thereof by sucking it through pii)cs made of clay, into their stomach and 

 head, from whence it pnrgeth superfluous fleame aud other gross humors, and open- 

 eth all the pores aud passages of the body ; by which meaus the use thereof uot only 



