NORTH AMERICA. 
2l t 
The Indians make war againd, 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 charade r of per- 
fonal and national valour, and thereby immorta- 
lizing themfelves, by transmitting their names with 
honour and luftre to pofterity ; or revenge of 
their enemy, for public or perfonal infults ; or, lad- 
!y, to extend the borders and boundaries of their 
territories. But I cannot find, upon the drifted in- 
quiry, that their bloody contefts at this day are 
marked with deeper ftains of inhumanity or favage 
cruelty, than what may be obferved arnongfi: the 
mod civilized nations : they do indeed fcalp their 
(lain enemy, but they do not kill the females or chil- 
dren of either fex : the mod ancient traders, both in 
the Lower and Upper Creeks, allured me they ne- 
ver faw an indance of either burning or tormenting 
O O 
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 lefis male cap- 
tives, fome extremely aged, who were free and in as 
good circumdances as their maders ; and all fiaves 
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 punifli the delinquents, male 
and female, equally alike, by taking off their ears. 
This is the punilhment for adultery. Infamy and 
difgrace is fuppofed to be a fufficient punilhment for 
fornication, in either fex. 
They are fond of games and gambling, and amufe 
P 2 them le Ives 
