49° A M E%^1 C A. Chap. VII. 



" the Country of vlic Tapuyans, czules (it he thinks fie) to be publifh'd through the 

 " the whole Camp of the Enemy, whither he will go the next Morning, and what 

 "he will do all the Day following, having firft confulted with his Council of 

 " Sorcerers. Before they march they warn their Bodies in the River, rub them. 

 " felves all over with Sand, and afterwards waft it off again, then ftretch thenv- 

 " felves till all their Joynts crack, run to the Fire, and when throughly warm 

 « fcratch their Bodies with certain Fifti-Tecth, infomuch that the Blood gufhel 

 " out of feveral places, all which they judge to be good againft wearifomnefs 

 " About a Stones-caft from the King's Tent lie two thick Logs, a large Stride one 

 " from the other, againft which the whole Multitude ftand divided into twoPar- 

 " ties, each of whom chufe the ftrongeft Man accounted amongft them to carry 

 "the Log for a Wager, and when thefe two are tir'd, they arc releas'd by others 

 " and he that comes laft to the appointed place with the Log, is laugh'd at by the 

 " Party to which he belong'd that was there firft, where they all ftay for the Youths 

 " that bring their Arms, which when they have deliver'd, they all fall to work 

 " cutting down Trees, breaking off the Boughs, flicking them in the Ground, and' 

 " tying them together on the top for Tents, which are built in rows one againft 

 " another, leaving a broad Path between. Mean while the Women and Children 

 " coming with their Baggage, the Men run to Fifh and Hunt, or to feek Honey. 

 " The old Women dig up Roots, which ftamp'd fervethem for Bread, whileft the 

 " young Women help one another to prepare the Meat in the Huts. Moreover the 

 « Wen fpend their time in feveral Exercifcs, as Wreftlingand Running, of which 

 . "two Women, appointed for that purpofe, are the Judges. When the Evening 

 " draws on upon them, then the Youths dividing themfelves into Companies, go 

 '? Singing from one Tent to another, and are follow'd by the Maids Dancing and 

 " Leaping, every one ftanding behind him whom (he loves beft . and this is look'd 

 " upon as a fingular fign of affeftion. When a young Man is jncltn'd to Marry 

 « he carries Honey and Venifon to his Miftreffes Father, who if he hath more than 

 " one Daughter acquaints the Sopthfayers with it, who inform the King concern. 

 '.< ing it - r he then caufes all the young Men and Maids to be call'd together out of 

 " the Camp, fends them into the Woods to Hunt out a wild Beaft, which they no 

 " fooncr fee, but they return and acquaint the Multitude therewith, who immedi- 

 " ately furrounding the Place, foon catch the Beaft, whofe Entrails they pull out 

 ^andthrpw to the Dogs, and give the Flefh to the Women to roaft, which 

 « when ready they make merry with, Singing and Dancing after they have 

 " eaten ; then if the Youth hath behav'd himfelf well in purfuing of the wild 

 " Beaft, the King grants him the Maid which he defires for his Wife : Four days 

 " before the Wedding they bore a Hole through each of the Bridegrooms Cheeks 

 " with a fliarp piece of Wood, which done they.fblemnize the Marriage • at which 

 « the King himfelf diftributes the Meat tp every Gueft as he thinks fit , after Din- 

 ger they extol the Mothers Care, in preferving her Daughters Viroinity for the 

 « Bridegroom in ftrange Songs. If a Maid be Marriageable, and no Suitor comes 

 " to her, then the Mother draws red Strokes under her Eyes, and conduits her to 

 " the King, who fets the Maid down by him on a Mat, warms his Hands againft 

 « the Fire, then ftroaks himfelf and the Maid, and alfo blows Tobacco-Smoak on 

 " her and himfelf, which done, he performs the part of a Husband with her. But 

 " their making Holes through their Ears and Lips is done whileft they areChil- 

 " dren, after this manner : The Boys who undergo this Ceremony, come to the 

 " Place appointed, where the whole Multitude Dance and Sing, and the Conju- 

 '« rers (who are the onely Prieftsthey have) fit in two rows oppofite to one ano. 





