if Ifthmus ^America. 12 j 



expert. I have feen things performed by 

 them with a Dexterity almoft incredible : 

 For Inftance, a little Boy of about eight Their 

 Years old, would fet a Cane up on end, Dextency< 

 and going about twenty Paces from it, 

 would fplit it with a Bow and Arrow, and 

 not mifs once, in feveral Effays. This I 

 have feen, and this is the chief of their Ex- 

 ercife : And as they generally accompany 

 their Fathers on Hunting, (efpecially ivhen 

 about ten or twelve Years old, and big 

 enough to carry their own Provifion, and 

 a Calabafh of Corn-Drink) fo they will 

 moot little Birds they meet with, and ftrike 

 in with the Hunt. Their young Children 

 they never carry abroad with them on a 

 Journey, or on a hunting or fighting Expe^ 

 dition. The Boys, when grown fome- 

 what big, always go abroad with the Fa- 

 ther and Mother, and do what little Servi- 

 ces they can 5 but the Girls ftay at home 

 with the old Women. 



They feem very fond of their Children, indui- 

 both Fathers and Mothers 5 and IhavefcarceS cncc - 

 feen them ufe any Severiry towards them. 

 And the Children are fuffer'd to divert 

 themfelves which way they will. Swim- 

 ming in the Rivers and catching Fifh, is a 

 great Exercife even for the fmall Boys and 

 Girls 5 and the Parents alfo ufe that Re- 

 freftiment. They go quite naked, both 

 Boys and Girls, till the Age of Puberty $ 



when 



