Chap. II. 



AMERICA. 



J51 



The Tenants are a ftately Warlike People, juft and equal in their dealings . not J£f™$ 

 treacherous either to their Country-men, or Englijh y to whom ( except in time of *** KM,a ' 

 War) they were not any ways uncivil. Their next Neighbors the Narraganfcts, are *™ 

 the moft numerous People in thofe Parts, the moft rich alio, and the moft induftri- 

 ous 5 being the Store.houfe of all fuch kind of wild Merchandize as is amongft 

 them. Thefe Men are the moft curious Minters of their Wampompeage and Mm- 

 bakes, which they form out of the inmoft Wreaths of Peri winkle-fli ells. The Nor- 

 thern, Eaftern, and Weftern Indians fetch all their Coyn from thefe Southern Mint- 

 Mafters. From hence they have moft of their curious Pendants and Bracelets,from 

 hence they have their great Stone Pipes, which will hold a quarter of an Ounce 

 of Tobacco, which they make with Steel Drills and other Inftruments . fuch is 

 their Ingenuity and dexterity, that they can imkate the Englijh Mo\d fo accurately, 

 that were it not for matter and colour, it were hard to diftinguiOi them \ they 

 make them of green, and fometimes of black Stone . they are much dehYd of our 

 Englijh Tobacconifts, for their rarity, ftrength, handfomnefs, and coolnefs. Hence 

 likewife our Indians had their Pots, wherein they us'd to feeth their Victuals before 

 they knew the ufe of Brafs. Since the Englijh came, they have employ 'd moft of 

 their time in catching of Beavers, Otters, and Muf quashes, which they bring down 

 into the Bay, returning back loaden with English Commodities, of which they 

 make double profit, by felling them to more remote Indians, who are ignorant 

 at what cheap rates they obtain them, in comparifon of what they make them pay, 

 fo making their Neighbors ignorance their enrichment : They were never known 

 to be defirous to take in hand any Martial Enterprize, or expofe themfelves to the 

 uncertain events of War j wherefore the fequants call them WomenMke Men, refting 

 fecure under the conceit of their popularity, and feeking rather to grow rich by in- 

 dustry, than famous by deeds of Chivalry. 



Moft of thefe Northward Indians are between five and fix Foot high,ftraight Bo- «»■« 

 dy'd, ftrongly compos'd, fmooth $kin'd, merry Countenanc'd, of Complexion fffj** 

 more fwarthy than die-Spaniards, black Hair'd, high Foreheaded, black Ey'd, out- '"*'""*'' 

 Nos'd, broad Shoulder'd, brawny Arm'd, long and (lender Handed, outBreaftcd, 

 fmall Wafted, lank Belly'd, wellThigh'd, flat Kneed, with handfome grown Legs, 

 and fmall Feet : In a word, take them when the Blood skips in their Veins,when the 

 Flefli is on their Backs, and Marrow in their Bones, when they frolick in their an- 

 tique Deportments and Indian Poftures, they are more amiable to behold (though 

 onely in Mam's Livery) than many a trim Gallant in the neweft Mode . and 

 though their Houfes are but mean, their Lodging as homely, Commons fcant, their 

 Drink Water, and Nature their beft Clothing, yet they ftill are healthful and lufty. 

 Their fmooth Skins proceed from the often anointing of their Bodies with the Oyi 

 of Fillies, and the fat of Eagles, with the greafe of %ackoons, which they hold in 

 Summer the beft Antidote to keep their Skin from bliftering with the fcorching 

 Sun 5 it is their beft Armor againft the Musketoes , and the fureft abrafour of the 

 hairy Excrement , and flops the Pores of their Bodies againft the nipping Winters 

 cold. Their black Hair is natural, yet is brought to a more Jetty colour by Oyl- 

 ing, Dying, and daily drefling ; fometimes they wear it very long, hanging down 

 in a loofe diflieverd Womanifli manner, otherwife ty'd up hard and fliort like a 

 Horfe Tail, bound clofe with a Fillet, which they fay makes it grow the fafter ; 

 they are not a little Phantaftical in this particular . their Boys being not permit- 

 ted to wear their Hair long till fixteen years of Age, and then they muft come to it 

 by degrees . fome being cut with a long forctop, a long lock on the Crown, one 

 of each fide of his Head , the reft of his Hair being cut even with the Scalp } the 



young 



1 









