3S 6 ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [October, 



To exalt thefe people at all above the brute creation, it is neceffary 

 to mew that they have the gift of reafon, and that they knew the 

 diftin&ion between right and wrong, as well as between what food 

 was good and what was bad. Of thefe latter qualities their fenfes in- 

 formed them ; but the knowledge of right and wrong eould only pro- 

 ceed from reafon. It is true, they had no diftin&ion or terms for 

 thefe qualities; wee-re and bood-yer-re alike implying what was good 

 and bad, and right and wrong. Inftances, however, were not want- 

 ing, of their ufing them to defcribe the fenfations of the mind as well 

 as of the fenfes : thus, their enemies were wee-re ; their friends bood- 

 yer-re. On being fpoken to, of cannibalifm, they exprefled great 

 horror at the mention, and laid it was wee re. On feeing any of the 

 people who had ill-treated them punifhed, they expreffed their appro- 

 bation, by faying it was bood-yer-re. Midnight murders, though 

 frequently pracTifed among them whenever pafTion or revenge dictated, 

 they reprobated, but applauded ads of kindnefs and generofity ; for 

 of both thefe they were capable. A man who would not (land to have 

 a fpear thrown at him, but ran away, was a coward, jee-run, and 

 wee- re. But their knowledge of the difference between right and 

 wrong certainly never extended beyond their exiftence in this world ; 

 not leading them to believe that the practice of either had any relation 

 to their future Mate : this was manifeft from their idea of quitting this 

 world, or rather of entering the next, in the form of little children, 

 under which form they would re-appear in this. 



Stature and Appearance. 

 Very few men or women among them could be faid to be tall, and 

 ftill fewer were well made. At one time a dwarf, a female, appeared 

 among them, who, when {he flood upright, meafured about four feet 

 two inches : none of her limbs were difproportioned, nor were her 

 features unpleafant ; and (he had a child at her back. The other na- 

 tives feemed to make her an object of their merriment. In general, 

 indeed almoft univerfally, the limbs of thefe people were final! ; of 



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