3 62 ACCOUNT OF THE ENGLISH COLONY [October, 



Thefe wood natives make a pafte formed of the fern-root and the 

 ant bruifed together; in the fcafon, they alfo add the eggs of this 

 infect. 



Courtship and Marriage. 



How will the refined ear of gallantry be wounded at the reading an 

 account of the courtfhip of thefe people ! It has been faid, that there 

 was a delicacy vifible in the manners of the females. Is it not mock- 

 ing then to think, that the prelude to love mould be violence ? yet 

 fuch it is in their country, and violence of the moft brutal nature. 

 Thefe unfortunate victims of luft and cruelty (it will admit of no better 

 term) are, it is believed, always felected from the women of a different 

 tribe from that of the males, (for they ought not to be dignified with 

 the title of men,) and with whom they are at enmity. Secrecy is ne- 

 cefTarily obferved, and the poor wretch is ftolen upon in the abfence 

 of her protectors. Being firft ftupified with blows, infli&ed with clubs 

 or wooden fwords, on the head, back, and moulders, every one of 

 which is followed by a ftream of blood, fhe is then dragged through 

 the woods by one arm, with a perfeverance and violence that it might 

 be fuppofed would difplace it from its focket. The lover, or rather 

 the ravifher, is regardlefs of the ftones or broken pieces of trees 

 which may lie in his route, being anxious only to convey his prize, in 

 fafety, to his own party, where a fcene enfues too fhocking to relate. 

 This outrage is not refented by the relations of the female, who only 

 retaliate by a fimilar outrage when they find an opportunity. This is 

 fo conftantly the practice among them, that even the children make it 

 a play- game or exercife. 



The women thus ravifhed become their wives, are incorporated into 

 the tribes to which their hufbands belong, and but feldom quit them 

 for others. 



Many of the men do not confine themfelves to one woman. Ben- 

 nil-long, previous to his vifit to England, was poiTefTed of two wives, 

 both living with him and attending on him wherever he went. One, 



5 named 



