Their fitting 

 ia Ccuucil* 



180 A M E^I C A. Chap. II. 



Spectators to havefhort Sticks in their Hands, and to knock the Ground and Sing 

 altogether, whilft they that Dance fometimes a6t Warlike poftures, and then they 

 come in painted for War with their Faces black and red, or fome all black, fome all 

 red, with fome ftreaks of white under their Eyes, and fo jump and leap up and 

 down without any order, uttering many Expreffions of their intended Valour, 

 For other Dances they onely fhew what antick Tricks their ignorance will lead 

 them to, wringing of their Bodies and Faces after a ftrange manner, fometimes 

 jumping into the Fire, fometimes catching up a Firebrand, and biting off a live 

 Coal, with many fuch tricks, that will affright rather than pleafe an £wg/i/fc.man 

 to look upon them, refembling rather* company of infernal Furies than Men. 



When their King or Sachem fits in Council, he hath a Company of Arm'd Men to 

 guard his Perfon, great refpeft being (hewn him by the People, which is princi- 

 pally manifefted by their filence. After he hath declared the caufe of their Con- 

 vention, he demands their Opinion, ordering who fliall begin : The Perfon or- 

 der'd to fpeak, after he hath declar'd his mind, tells them he hath done : no Man 

 ever interrupting any Perfon in his Speech, nor offering to fpeak, though he make 

 never fo many long flops, till he fays he hath no more to fay. The Council having 

 all declar'd their Opinions, the King after fome paufe gives the definitive Sentence, 

 which is commonly feconded with a fhout from the People, every one feeming to 

 , applaud and manifeft their AlTent to what is determin'd. 



If any Perfon be condemn'd to die, which is feldom, unlefs for Murther or In- 

 ceft, the King himfelf goes out in Perfon (for you muft underftand they have no 

 Prifons, and the guilty Perfon flies into the Woods) where they go in queft of him, 

 and having found him, the King (hoots firft, though at never fuch a diftance, 

 and then happy is the Man that can (hoot him down ♦ for he that hath the fox* 

 tune to be Executioner, is for his pains made fome Captain, or other Military 

 Officer. 



They greafe their Bodies and Hair very often, and paint their Faces with feve- 

 ral Colours, as black, white, red, yellow, blue, O-c. which they take great pride in, 

 every one being painted in a feveral manner. 



Within two Leagues of New York lieth Staten*IJland , it bears from 2^V»? York Weft 

 fomething Southerly : It is about twenty Miles long, and four or five broad, moft 

 jjgri it very good Land, full of Timber, and producing all fuch Commodities as 

 Long'IJland doth, befides Tin and ftore of Iron Oar 5 and the Qdamine Stone is faid 

 likewife to be found there : There is but one Town upon it, confiftingof Englifb 

 and French, but it is capable of entertaining more Inhabitants. 



Betwixt this and Long-lfland is a large Bay, which is the coming in for all Ships 

 and Veflels out of the Sea. 



On the "North-fide of this Ifland After-skull River puts into the J^jain Land, on 

 the Weikfide whereof there are two or three Towns, buton the Eaft-fide but one. 

 There are very great Marfliesor Meadows on both fides of it, excellent good Land, 

 and good convenience for the fetling of feveral T^wns. There grows black Wal- 

 nut and Locuft, as there doth in Virginia, with mighty ,tall,ftreight Timber, as good 

 as any in the North of America : Itproduceth any Commodity .which Long-Ijland 

 doth. ^ * 



Hudfons River runs by ]>{eTt>York Northward into the Countrey, towards rhc 

 Head of which is feated Nef» Many, a Place of great Trade with the Indians, be- 

 twixt which and Ne^York, being above a hundred Miles, jsas good Corn- Land as 

 the World affords, enough to entertain hundreds of Families, which in the time of 

 the Dutch Government of thefe Parts could not be fetled by rcafon of the Indians, ex- 

 cepting 



