The King Himself Is Commonly Chief Doctor
In That Cure.
They are so well versed in Poison, that they are often found to poison
whole Families; nay, most of
A Town; and which is most to be admired,
they will poison a running Spring, or Fountain of Water,
so that whosoever drinks thereof, shall infallible die.
When the Offender is discover'd, his very Relations urge for Death,
whom nothing will appease, but the most cruel Torment imaginable,
which is executed in the most publick Manner that it's possible
to act such a Tragedy in. For all the whole Nation, and all the Indians
within a hundred Mile (if it is possible to send for them) are summon'd
to come and appear at such a Place and Time, to see and rejoyce at
the Torments and Death of such a Person, who is the common and profess'd Enemy
to all the friendly Indians thereabouts, who now lies under
the Condemnation of the whole Nation, and accordingly is to be put to Death.
Then all appear (young and old) from all the adjacent Parts,
and meet, with all the Expressions of Joy, to consummate
this horrid and barbarous Feast, which is carried on after this dismal Manner.
{Poisoning Indians how punished.} First, they bring the Prisoner
to the Place appointed for the Execution, where he is set down on his Breech
on the Ground. Then they all get about him, and you shall not see
one sorrowful or dejected Countenance amongst them, but all
very merrily dispos'd, as if some Comedy was to be acted,
instead of a Tragedy. He that is appointed to be the chief Executioner,
takes a Knife, and bids him hold out his Hands, which he does,
and then cuts round the Wrist through the Skin, which is drawn off
like a Glove, and flead quite off at the Fingers Ends; then they break
his Joints and Bones, and buffet and torment him after a very inhumane Manner,
till some violent Blow perhaps ends his Days; then they burn him to Ashes,
and throw them down the River. Afterwards they eat, drink and are merry,
repeating all the Actions of the Tormentors and the Prisoner,
with a great deal of Mirth and Satisfaction. This Accusation is laid
against an Indian Heroe sometimes wrongfully, or when they have a mind
to get rid of a Man that has more Courage and Conduct than his neighbouring
Kings or great Men; then they alledge the Practice of poisoning Indians
against him, and make a Rehearsal of every Indian that died
for a year or two, and say, that they were poison'd by such an Indian;
which Reports stir up all the Relations of the deceased
against the said Person, and by such means make him away presently.
In some Affairs, these Savages are very reserv'd and politick,
and will attend a long time with a great deal of Patience,
to bring about their Designs; they being never impatient or hasty
in executing any of their Designs of Revenge.
Now I am gone so far in giving an Account of the Indians Temper,
I will proceed; and can give you no other Character of them,
but that they are a very wary People, and are never hasty or impatient.
They will endure a great many Misfortunes, Losses, and Disapointments
without shewing themselves, in the least, vex'd or uneasy.
When they go by Water, if there proves a Head-Wind, they never vex and fret,
as the Europeans do, and let what Misfortune come to them,
as will or can happen, they never relent. Besides, there is one Vice
very common every where, which I never found amongst them,
which is Envying other Mens Happiness, because their Station is not equal to,
or above, their Neighbours. Of this Sin I cannot say I ever saw an Example,
though they are a People that set as great a Value upon themselves,
as any sort of Men in the World; upon which Account they find something
Valuable in themselves above Riches. Thus, he that is a good Warriour,
is the proudest Creature living; and he that is an expert Hunter, is esteem'd
by the People and himself; yet all these are natural Vertues and Gifts,
and not Riches, which are as often in the Possession of a Fool as a Wise-man.
Several of the Indians are possess'd of a great many Skins, Wampum,
Ammunition, and what other things are esteem'd Riches amongst them;
yet such an Indian is no more esteem'd amongst them, than any other
ordinary Fellow, provided he has no personal Endowments, which are
the Ornaments that must gain him an Esteem among them; for a great Dealer,
amongst the Indians, is no otherwise respected and esteemed,
than as a Man that strains his Wits, and fatigues himself, to furnish others
with Necessaries of Life, that live much easier and enjoy more of the World,
than he himself does, with all his Pelf. {Indians not afraid to die.}
If they are taken Captives, and expect a miserable Exit, they sing;
if Death approach them in Sickness, they are not afraid of it;
nor are ever heard to say, Grant me some time. They know by Instinct,
and daily Example, that they must die; wherefore, they have
that great and noble Gift, to submit to every thing that happens,
and value nothing that attacks them.
Their Cruelty to their Prisoners of War is what they are seemingly
guilty of an Error in, (I mean as to a natural Failing) because they strive
to invent the most inhumane Butcheries for them, that the Devils themselves
could invent, or hammer out of Hell; they esteeming Death no Punishment,
but rather an Advantage to him, that is exported out of this
into another World.
{Indians Cruelty to Prisoners of War.}
Therefore, they inflict on them Torments, wherein they prolong Life
in that miserable state as long as they can, and never miss Skulping of them,
as they call it, which is, to cut off the Skin from the Temples,
and taking the whole Head of Hair along with it, as if it was a Night-cap.
Sometimes, they take the Top of the Skull along with it; all which
they preserve, and carefully keep by them, for a Trophy of their Conquest
over their Enemies.
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