i 5 6 



AMERICA. 



Chap. II- 



Of their 





action they have commonly but three or four, as Football, Shooting, Running, and 

 Swimming 5 when they play Countrey againft Countrey, there are rich Goals, all 

 behung with Wampompeage, MoVbacks, Beaver Skins, and black Otter Skins : Their 

 Goals are a Mile long plac'd on the Sands, which 2re as even as a Board • their Ball 

 is no bigger than a Hand-ball, which fometimes they mount in the Air with their 

 naked Feet, fometimes it is fway'd by the multitude, fomecime alfo it is two days 

 before they get a Goal, then they mark the Ground they win v and begin there the 

 next day. Before they come to this Sport they paint themfelves, even as when 

 t hey go to War, in policy to prevent future mifchief, becaufc no man (hould know 

 him that mov'd his patience, or accidentally hurt his Pcrfon, taking away the oc 

 cafion of ftudying revenge. Before they begin, their Arms arc put off, and hung 

 upon fome neighboring Tree, after which they make a long fcrowl on the Sand, 

 over which they fhake Hands, and with loving Hearts fcuffle for Viftory. While 

 the Men Play, the Boys Pipe, and the Women Dance and Sing Trophies of their 

 Husbands Conquefts 5 all being done, a Fcaft fummons their departure. 



Such is their dexterity in Shooting, that they can hit a running Hind, or flying 

 Pigeon, without a (landing paufe or left-ey'd blinking . they draw their Arrows 

 between their Fingers and the Thumb, their Bowes are quick, but not very ftrong, 

 not killing at above fix or feven fcore diftance : Shooting at one another,they have 

 a trick with fwift conveyance to fliun the Arrow . this they do to make them 

 expert againft time of War. They are train'd up to their Bowes even from their 

 Childhood, for little Boys with Bowes made of little Sticks, and Arrows made 

 of great Bents; will hit down a piece of Tobacco-pipe every time a good way 

 off. As thefc Indians are good Marks-men, fo are they well experienced where the 

 very Life of every Creature lieth, and know where to fmite him to make him die 

 prefently. Their Swimming is not after our Englifh fafhion, of -fpread Arms and 

 Legs, which they hold too tirefom, but like Dogs, their Arms before them, cut* 

 ting through the Liquids with their right Shoulder : In this manner they will 

 Swim very fwift and far, either in rough or fmooth Waters, fometimes for their 

 eafe lying as ftill as a Log ; fometimes they will play the Dive*doppers, and come 

 up in unexpected places. 



For their Hunting, it is to be noted, that they have no fwift-footed Greyhounds 

 to let flip at the fight of the Deer, no deep-mouth'd Hounds, or fcenting Beagles, 

 to find out their defired Prey j themfelves are all this, who in that time of the year 

 when the Deer comes down, having certain Hunting-houfes in fuch places where 

 they know the Deer doth ufually frequent, in which they keep their Rendezvouz, 

 their Snares, and all their Accoutrements for that Employment : when they get 

 fight of a Deer, Moofe, or Bear, they ftudy how to get the Wind of him, and ap. 

 proaching within {hot, ftab their Mark quite through, if the Bones hinder 

 not. The chief thing they Hunt after is Deer, Moofes and Bears : It grieves them 

 more to fee an Big/i/kman take one Deer, than a thoufand Acres of Land. They 

 Hunt likewife after Wolves, wild Cats, %acfaons, Otters, Beavers, and Muf quashes, 

 Trading both their Skins and Flelh to the English. Befide this Artillery they have 

 other devices to kill their Game, as fometimes Hedges, a Mile or two Miles long, 

 being a Mile wide at one end, and made narrower and narrower by degrees, lea- 

 ving onely a Gap of fix Foot long 5 over againft which in the day*time they lie 

 lurking, to (hoot the Deer which come through that narrow paiTage ; fo many as 

 come within the circumference of that Hedge, feldom return back to leap over, 

 unlefs they be fore'd by the chafing of fome ravenous Wolf, or fight of fome acci- 

 dental Paffenger : In the Night, at the Gap of this Hedge, they fet Deer-traps, 



which 



