Not But That The Indians Have As Many Lying Stories
Of Spirits And Conjurers, As Any People In The World;
But they tell it
with no Disadvantage to themselves; for the great Esteem
which the Old Men bring themselves to,
Is by making the others believe
their Familiarity with Devils and Spirits, and how great a Correspondence
they have therewith, which if it once gains Credit, they ever after are held
in the greatest Veneration imaginable, and whatever they after impose
upon the People, is receiv'd as infallible. They are so little startled
at the Thoughts of another World, that they not seldom murder themselves;
as for Instance, a Bear-River Indian, a very likely young Fellow,
about twenty Years of Age, whose Mother was angry at his drinking
of too much Rum, and chid him for it, thereupon reply'd,
he would have her satisfied, and he would do the like no more;
upon which he made his Words good; for he went aside, and shot himself dead.
This was a Son of the politick King of the Machapunga, I spoke of before,
and has the most Cunning of any Indian I ever met withal.
Most of the Savages are much addicted to Drunkenness, a Vice
they never were acquainted with, till the Christians came amongst them.
Some of them refrain drinking strong Liquors, but very few of that sort
are found amongst them. Their chief Liquor is Rum, without any Mixture.
This the English bring amongst them, and buy Skins, Furs,
Slaves and other of their Commodities therewith. They never are contented
with a little, but when once begun, they must make themselves quite drunk;
otherwise they will never rest, but sell all they have in the World,
rather than not have their full Dose. In these drunken Frolicks,
(which are always carried on in the Night) they sometimes murder one another,
fall into the Fire, fall down Precipices, and break their Necks,
with several other Misfortunes which this drinking of Rum brings upon them;
and tho' they are sensible of it, yet they have no Power
to refrain this Enemy. About five years ago, when Landgrave Daniel
was Governour, he summon'd in all the Indian Kings and Rulers to meet,
and in a full Meeting of the Government and Council, with those Indians,
they agreed upon a firm Peace, and the Indian Rulers desired
no Rum might be sold to them, which was granted, and a Law made,
that inflicted a Penalty on those that sold Rum to the Heathens;
but it was never strictly observ'd, and besides, the young Indians
were so disgusted at that Article, that they threatned to kill the Indians
that made it, unless it was laid aside, and they might have Rum sold them,
when they went to the Englishmens Houses to buy it.
Some of the Heathens are so very poor, that they have no Manner of Cloaths,
save a Wad of Moss to hide their Nakedness. These are either lusty
and will not work; otherwise, they are given to Gaming or Drunkenness;
yet these get Victuals as well as the rest, because that is common
amongst them.
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