l^o 



Of Ac Trutiz 



ans in Mary- 

 land. 





AMERICA. Chap. II. 



the Puliation is proper, for that it commands the breadth of the faid River of Saint 

 Gcorves • fo that when it is finifli'd, all Shipping may lafely Ride before the Town,, 

 withou't the lead fear of any fudden AlTault, or Attempt of Pirats or other Enemy 

 whatfoever. This City has formerly been the ufual place of abode for his Lord- 

 {hips Lieutenants, and their Retinue . but of late years the prefent Governor 

 Mr. Charles Calvert, hath built himfelf a fair Houfe of Brick and Timber, with all 

 Out.houfes, and other Offices thereto belonging, at a place call'd Mattapany,nczt the 

 River of <Patuxent beforcmention'd, where he and his Family refide,bcing a pleafant, 

 healthful,and commodious Seat,about eight Miles by Land diftant from St.Maries. 



The Indians in Maryland are a People generally of ftreight, able, and well pro- 

 portion'd Bodies,fomething exceeding the ordinary pitch of the English,thcir Com. 

 plexion Swarthy, their Hair naturally long and black, without Curie, which ge. 

 nerally they cut after fome ftrange Fantaftical Mode . nay, fometimes they Dye 

 it with red and other prepofterous Colours : They Liquor their Skins with Bears 

 Greafe, and other Oyls, which renders them more tawny, and lefs apt to receive 

 injury 'from the Weather : They are fubtile from their Infancy, and prone to learn 

 any thing their Fancy inclines them to, in other things flothful. 



There are as many diftincl: Nations among them as there are Indian Towns, 

 (which are like Countrey-Villages in England, but not fo good Houfes) difpers'd 

 throughout the Province : Each Town hath its King (by them term'd WeroVance) 

 and every forty or fifty Miles diftance differs much from its Neighbors in Speech 

 and Difpofuion: The Safquahanocks, though but few in number, yet much exceed 

 the reft in Valor , and Fidelity to the English \ the reft being generally of a more 

 Treacherous Spirit, and not fo ftout, and the number of the English do already ex- 

 ceed all the Indians in the Province. 



The Wero^ance is a/lifted by Councellors, call'd Wifoes, who are commonly of 

 the fame Family, and are chofen at the pleafureof the Werowance: They have Cap- 

 tains in time of War which they term Cochoroofes. 



Moft of their Governments are Monarchical, (except the Safauahanocks, which is 

 aRe-publick) but for fucceffion they have a peculiar Cuftom, that the IlTue of the 

 Males never fuccecd, but the IffucMale of the Female fucceed in Government, as 

 the furer fide : They all fubmit to, and are protected by the Lord Proprietaries 

 Government ; and in cafe of any Affault or Murder, committed on any Englijh, the 

 Party offending is try'd by the Laws of the Province . and in cafe of any new Ele- 

 ction of King or Emperor among them, they prefent the Perfon fo Ele&ed to the 

 Governor for the time being, who as he fees caufe, cither alters or confirms their 



Choice. 



In the Year 166]. at the Indians Requeft, the prefent Governor Mr. (harks Calvert, 

 and fome others of his Lordfliips Privy-Council there, went to fafcatoway, in this 

 Province, to be prefent at the Election of a new Emperor for that Nation : They 

 prefented a Youth nam'd fyttawajfo, and humbly Requefted to have him confirm'd 

 Emperor oWafcatoway, by the Name of IVahocajfo . which after fome charge given 

 them in general, to be good and faithful Subjects to him, the Governor according- 

 ly did, and receiv'd him into his Prote&ion. 



They pay great Refpe& and Obedience to their Kings and Superiors, whofe 

 Commands they immediately Execute,, though with an apparent hazard of their 



Lives. 



The Mens chief employment is Hunting, and the Wars, in both which they 

 commonly ufe Bowes and Arrows . fome of late have Guns and other Weapons, 

 by a private Trade with fome Englijh Neighboring Plantations : They are excel- 

 lent 





