Travels in North America. it<^ 



A good old Woman, whofe whole Stock confifted in a Collar 

 A fin ular In ^^^^^^^^^î"^» Shells, which was worth about 



/and S Thin ^^^^^ Crowns, carried it always with h«r in a 

 f ^/i little Bag. One Day as fhe was working ia 



-J ^ ' the Field, fhe hung her Bag upon a Tree ; 



another Woman who perceived it, and who longed very muck 

 to fharp her out of her Collar, thought it a favourable Oppor- 

 tunity to get it without being accufed of Theft: She never lofl 

 Sight of it, and in an Hour or two, the old Woman being gone 

 into the next Field, llie ran to the Tree and began to cry out, 

 fhe had made a good Find. The old W oman at this Cry turned 

 her Head, and faid the Bag belonged to her ; that it was £he who 

 had hung it to the Tree, that ilie had neither loil nor forgot it, and 

 that fhe intended to take it again when Ihe had done her Work, 

 The other Party replied, that there v/as no judging of Inten- 

 tions, and that having quitted the Field v/ithout taking a- 

 gain her Bag, one might naturally conclude. Hie had for- 

 got it. 



After many Difputes betv/een thefe two Women, between 

 ' whom there pafTed neverthelefs not the leall difobliging Word, 

 the Affair was carried before an Arbitrator, v/ho was the Chief 

 of the Village, and this was his Decree: *^ To judge Uridly, 

 ** fays he, the Bag belongs to her that found it; but the Cir- 

 ** cumftances are fuch, that if this Woman will not be taxed 



with Avarice, fhe muft reftore it to her that claims it, and 

 ** be contented with a fmall Frefent, which the other is indif- 



penfably obliged to make her : " The tv/o Parties fubmitted 

 to this Deciiion ; and it is proper to obferve, that the Fear of 

 being noted for Avarice has as much Influence on the Mind of 

 the Savages, as the Fear of Punifament would have, and that in 

 general thefe People are governed more by Principles of Ho~ 

 Pxour than by any other Motive. What I have further to add. 

 Madam, will give you another Proof of this : I have faid before 

 that to hinder the Confequences of a Murder, the Public takes 

 upon itfelf to make the Submifiions for the Guilty, and to make 

 Amends to the Parties concerned : Would you believe that even 

 this has more Power to prevent thefe Diforders than the fevereil 

 Laws ? But this is certainly true: For as thefe Submifiions arc 

 extremely mortifying to Men whofe Pride furpafîes all Defcrip- 

 tion, the Criminal is more afFeded by the Trouble which he 

 fees the Public fuiier on his Account, than he would be for 

 himfelf ; and a Zeal for the Honour of the Nation refl:rains 

 thefe Barbarians much more powerfully, than the Fear of Deatk 

 or Punifhments. 



But it is very certain, that Impunity has not always prevailed 

 ^mongft them as it ha^ done in thefs latter Times, and our 



Mifïîoiiaries 



