The Hijlory of BookII* 



childhood by abftinence from feveral kinds of meat, by rigo- 

 rous Fafts, and that to begin his apprenticeftiip, there is blood 

 drawn from all parts of his body with the tooth of an Agouty^ 

 after the fame manner as thofe are to be treated who are recei- 

 ved Souldiers. 



The Caribbians do alfo teach their Children to fifh s fwim, 

 make Bafkets, Clubs, Bows, Arrows, Girdles, Beds of Cotton 

 and Vyragas : But to have any care of cultivating their minds, 

 and inftru&ing them in any thing of civility, or vertue, is more 

 than could be expe&ed from thofe poor Savages, who have no 

 other light than their own blinded underftanding , nor follow 

 any other rule in all the afrionsof their lives, than the fad dis- 

 order of vicious and corrupt nature. 



CHAP. XXIV. 



Of the ordinary Age of the Caribbians ^ their Difeafes, 

 the Remedies ufed by them in Order to the Recovery 

 of their Health } their Death y and Funeral Solemnities. 



THe Caribbians being naturally of a very good tempera- 

 ment, and endeavouring all they can to avoid trouble 

 and difquiet, and confequently to fpend their Jives with the 

 greateft enjoyment of mind 3 it is nb Wonder,confidering with- 

 al! their ordinary temperance and fobriety, that they mould be 

 free from an infinite number of inconveniences and indifpofi- 

 tions whereto other Nations are fubjed, and that they fliould 

 come to their graves later than mod other people : The good 

 air they live in does alfo in fome meafure contribute to their 

 health and long life. 



If therefore they do not die of violent deaths, they all of 

 them live to a very great age 5 nay they are fo vigorous in the 

 extremities of age, that at fourfcore and ten they commonly 

 get children : There are many among them who being above a 

 hundred years of age, have not fo much as a grey hair : De Lery 

 an Author worthy credit, affirms, that he feldom faw any grey 

 Cb.B. hairs in the heads of the tapnambous of the fame age : 

 Other Hiftorians affirm, that the wives of thofe Savages 

 DeLacts bear Children till tliey are fourfcore years of age: And 

 Htft.ofhme- fame French took notice of a Savage in the Country of Cana- 

 Hca. da> who had a better fight than any of them, and the hair of 

 Lefcarbot. t ^ ie ^ eac ^ aD folutely black, though he were above a hundred 

 years of age. 



The Caribbians live ordinarily a hundred and fifty years, 



and 



