The immortality of the soul was universally believed among them. When good men died, they said, their souls went to Kichtau, where they met with their friends, and enjoyed all manner of pleasures; when the wicked died, they went to Kichtau also, but were commanded to walk away; and so wander about in restless discontent and darkness for ever.

The natives of New-England in general were quick of approhension, ingenious, and when pleased nothing could exceed their courtesy and friendship. Gravity and eloquence distinguished them in council, address and bravery in war. They were not more easily provoked than the English, but when once they have received an injury, it is never forgotten. In anger, they were not like the English, talkative and boisterous, but sullen and revengeful. The men declined all labour and spent their time in hunting, fishing, shooting and warlike exercise. They imposed all the drudgery upon their women, who gathered and brought home their wood, planted, dressed and gathered their corn. When they travelled the women carried their children packs and provisions. The women submitted patiently to such treatment. This ungenerous usage of their husbands they repaid with smiles and good humour.

The clothing of the natives was the skins of wild beasts. The men threw a mantle of skins over them, and wore a small flap which was termed Indian breeches. The women were much more modest. They wore a coat of skins girt about their loins, which reached down to their hams; which they never put off in company. If the husband chose to dispose of his wife's beaver petticoat, she could not be persuaded to part with it until he had provided another of some sort. In the winter their blankets of skins, which hung loose in the summer, was tied or wrapped more closely about them. The old men in the severe seasons also wore a sort of trowsers made of skins and fastened to their girdles, and on their fee

they wore moccasons, made of moose leather, and their chiefs or sachems wore on their heads a cap decorated with feathers.

Their houses or wigwams were at best but miserable cells; they were constructed generally like arbours, or small young trees bent and twisted together, and so curiously covered with mats or bark that they were tolerably dry and warm. They made their fires in the centre of the house, and there was an opening at the top which emitted the smoke. For the convenience of wood and water, these huts were commonly erected in groves, near some river, brook or living spring. When either failed, the family removed to another place.

They lived in a poor low manner. Their food was coarse and simple, without any kind of seasoning, having neither spice, salt or bread. Their food was principally the entrails of moose, deer, bears, and all kinds of wild beasts and fowls. Of fish and snakes they were extremely fond. They had strong stomachs, and nothing came amiss. They had no set meals, but like other wild creatures ate when they were hungry and could find any thing to satisfy the cravings of nature. They had but little food from the earth except what is spontaneously produced. Indian corn, beans and squashes were the only eatables for which the natives of New-England laboured.

Their household furniture was of but small value. Their beds were composed of mats or skins. They had neither chairs or stools, but commonly sat upon the ground with their elbows upon their knees, Α few wooden and stone vessels and instruments served all the purpose of domestic life. Their knife was a sharp stone, shell or kind of reed, which they sharpened in such a manner as to cut their hair, make their bows and arrows, &c. They made their axes of stone, which they shaped somewhat similar to our axes, but with the diffe.ence of their being made with a neck snstead of an eye, and fastened with a withe like a blackksmith's chissel.

The manner of the courtship and marriage of the natives manifested the impurity of their morals. When a young Indian wished for marriage he presen ted the girl with whom he was enamoured, with braceletts, belts and chains of wampum. If she received his presents, they cohabited together for a time upon trial. If they pleased each other they joined in marriage; but if, after a few weeks, they were not suited, the man, leaving his presents, quitted the girl and sought another mistress, and she another lover. In this manner they courted until two met who were agreeable to each other.

The natives of New-England although they consisted of a great number of different nations and clans, appear to have spoken the same language. From Piscataqua to Connecticut it was so nearly the same that the different tribes could converse tolerably together. The Mohegan or Pequot language was essentially that of all the Indians in New-England. The word Mohegan, is a corruption of Muhhekaneew, in the singular, or of Muhhekaneek in the plural number. The Penobscots, bordering on Nova Scotia; the Indians of St. Francis, in Canada; the Delawares, in Pennsylvania; the Shawnese, on the Ohio, and the Chippewas, at the westward of lake Huron, all now speak the same radical language.

CHAPTER VI.

OF THE DIFFERENT TRIBES OF INDIANS INHABITING THE WESTERN COUNTRY.

As we are now about to speak of the wars with the savages in the western country, we shall commence with a description of their prevailing customs and habits.

They are the descedants of those who once inhabited the sea coasts, and who where driven by the English, as mentioned in the preceding chapter, far to the westward; so that but few of their descendants are now to be found within less than two or three hundred miles of the sea; for though many of them have been instructed in the knowledge of Christianity, and districts of land have been alloted them in several of the British colonies, where they have been formed into societies; yet it has been found that in proportion as they lay by their ancient customs and conform to the manners of civilized life, they dwindle away, either because the change is prejudicial to their constitutions, or because when settled among the English they have great opportunities of procuring spiritous liquors, of which both sexes are in general inordinately fond; very little care being ever taken to prevent those who are inclined to take advantage of them in trade from basely intoxicating them for that purpose. This has a powerful effect on their constitutions, and soon proves fatal, producing diseases to which they were formerly strangers. Thus were a few years ago there were considerable settlements of them, their name is almost forgotten; and those

who still remain have, for, the most part, joined themselves to other nations in the interior part of the country on the banks of the lakes and rivers.

The Indians in Canada, and to the south of it, are tall and straight beyond the proportion of most other nations, Their bodies are strong, but, as has been before observed, this is a strength rather suited to endure the exercise of the chase than much hard labour, by which they are soon consumed. They have generally supple limbs, and the smallest degree of defor mity is rarely seen among them. Their features are regular, their complexion somewhat of a copper colour or reddish brown. Their hair, which is long, black and lank, is as strong as that of a horse. They carefully eradicate the hair from every part of the body except the head, and they confine that to a tuft at the top; whence an erroneous idea has much prevailed that the men of this country are naturally destitute of beards; but it is unquestionable that it is only an artificial deprivatation.

They geuérally wear only a blanket wrapped about them, or a shirt, both of which they purchase of the English traders. When the Europeans first came among them they found some nations entirely naked, and others with a coarse cotton cloth, wove by themselves, round their waiste; but in the northern parts their whole bodies were in winter covered with skin's.

The Huron Indians possess a very pleasant and fertile country on the eastern side of the lake which bears the same name. Half a century ago they were very numerous, and could raise six or seven hundred warriors, but they have suffered greatly from the attacks of neighbouring tribes. They differ in their manners from any of the Indian tribes with which they are surrounded. They build regular hou es, which they cover with bark; and are considered as the most wealthy Indians on the continent, having not only many horses, but some black cattle and swine. They likewise raise much corn, so that after provid