84 
Traveh into ? I N D I E S. Part III. 
fome on Flutes, others on Timbals, and fome have a long kind of Drums 
like narrow Barrels , which hang about their Neck-, and befidcs thefe, 
others hold Copper-Cups, which/liey ftrîke one againft another, and there- 
by render a very bad Harmony ; though thefe Initruments together make 
a great noife , feverâl little Bo]^s of five, fix or feven years of Age, come af- 
ter on Horfe-back, and Children tjvo or three years Old in little Chariots, 
about a Foot high, or fomewhat more, drawn by Goats or Calves, and af- 
ter them, the Husband appears upon the faireft Horfe he can have , with a 
Coco in his hand -, he is Cloathedin his beft Apparel, his head covered with 
a Garland of Flowers , or a Cap in form of a Mitre , adorned with Painters 
Gold,and a Fringe that reaches down tothe lower part of his Face -, he hath 
about him a great many Banians on Foot , who have their Coif and Caba 
dawbed over with Saffron , and are mingled with thofe that carry Vw- 
hella's and Banners, who make a great ftiew with them ; after the Bride- 
groom hath in this equipage made many turns about the Town , he goes to 
the Houfe of his Bride , and there the Ceremony is performed. 
A Brameti having faid fome Prayers over both , puts a Cloath betwixt the 
Husband and the Wife , and orders the Husband with his naked foot to 
touch the naked foot of his Wife , and that Ceremony compleats the Mar- 
riage , the Confummation whereof is delayed till a competent Age, if the 
Parties be too young , after that, the Bride is conduded with her Face un- 
covered to the Bride-grooms Lodgings ^ her Train (which confifts of feveral 
pieces of Stuff of different Colours,) is carried by Men -, and amongfl other 
pieces of Houfliold Furniture , they carry a Cradle for the Child that is to 
be born of that Marriage , Drums and Trumpets going before all the Pro- 
ceffion. The rich malce their Cavalcades by Torch-light in the night 
time for greater State , and are better accompanied. When they come to 
the Bride-grooms Houfe, the Feafting begins, and becaufe the Hiisbandsarc 
obliged to treat moft of their Cafte, the Solemnity lafts feven or eight days. 
The Women all over the Indies are fruitful , becaufe they live very fru- 
gally as well as their Husbands, and they are fo eahly brought to Bed , that 
The Ceremo- 
nks of the 
Marriage, 
Women of the 
Indies fTuitfa\. 
They are tafi- 
]y brought to 
bed. 
fome of them go abraid the fame day they have been Delivered, to wafli 
themfelves in the River. Their Children are brought up with the fame 
facility -, they go naked till they be feven Years old , and when they are 
two or three Months old, they fuffcr them to crawl upon the ground till 
they be able to go ^ when they are dirty they wafii them , and by degrees 
they come to walk as ftreight as ours do, without the torture of Swathing- 
bands or Clouts. 
C H A P. XLIX. 
Of the Z)fage of the Dead. 
The Widow- 
hood of the 
Women. 
THe Indian Wives have a far different fate from that of their Husbands, 
for they cannot provide themfelves of a fécond, when their firfl Hus- 
band is dead'-, they dare not Marry again , they have their Hair cut off for 
ever after ^ and though they be but five or fix years old (they are obliged ) 
if they will not burn themfelves, to live in perpetual Widowhood, which 
happens very often -, but then they live wretchedly, for they incur the con- 
tempt of their Family and Cafle, as being afraid of death -, what Vertue fo- 
ever they make appear,they can never regain the efteem of their Relations, 
and it is rare (though they oe young and beautiful-,) that they ever find ano- 
ther Husband ; not but that fome of them tranfgrefs the Law of Widow- 
hood, but they are turned out of the Tribe when it comes to be known -, 
and fuchof them as are refolved to Marry again, have recourfe to the Chri- 
ftians 
