NORTH AMERICA. 
ax I 
The Indians make war againfl, kill, and deftroy 
their own fpecies, and their motives fpring from 
the fame erroneous fource as they do in all other 
nations of mankind ; that is, the ambition of exhi- 
biting to their fellows a fuperior character of per- 
fonal and national valour, and thereby immorta- 
lizing themfelves, by tranfmitting their names with 
honour and luftre to pofterity ; or revenge of 
their enemy, for public or perfonal infults ; or, laft- 
ly, to extend the borders and boundaries of their 
territories. But I cannot find, upon the flridteft in- 
quiry, that their bloody Cornells at this day are 
marked with deeper llains of inhumanity or favage 
cruelty, than what may be obferved amongft the 
moll civilized nations: they do indeed fcalp their 
llain enemy, but they do not kill the females or chil- 
dren of either fex : the moll ancient traders, both in 
the Lower and Upper Creeks, allured me they ne- 
ver faw an inllance of either burning or tormenting 
their male captives; though it is faid they ufed to 
do it formerly. I faw in every town in the Nation 
and Siminoles that I vifited, more or lefs male cap- 
tives, fome extremely aged, who were free and in as 
good circumftances as their mailers; and all llaves 
have their freedom when they marry, which is per- 
mitted and encouraged, when they and their offspring 
are every way upon an equality with their conquer- 
ors. They are given to adultery and fornication, 
but, I fuppofe, in no greater excefs than other na- 
tions of men. They punilh the delinquents, male 
and female, equally alike, by taking off their ears. 
This is the punifhment for adultery. Infamy and 
difgrace is fuppofed to be a fufficient punifhment for 
fornication, in either fex. 
They are fond of games and gambling, and amufe 
P 2 themfelves 
