Part 8

Missêsu, The whole.

Poquêsu, The halfe.

Waskèke, The Whalebone.

Wussúckqun, A taile.

Aumaûog, They are fishing.

Ntaûmen, I am fishing.

Kuttaûmen? Doe you fish?

Nnattuckqunnûwem, I goe a fishing.

Aumáchick, } Fishes. Natuckqunnuwâchick, }

Aumaûi, He is gone to fish.

Awácenick kukkattineanaûmen? What doe you fish for.

Ashaûnt-teaûg, Lobsters.

Opponenaûhock, Oysters.

Sickíssuog, Clams.

Obs: This is a sweet kind of shellfish, which all Indians generally over the Countrey, Winter and Summer delight in; and at low water the women dig for them: this fish, and the naturall liquors of it, they boile, and it makes their broth and their Nasaúmp (which is a kind of thickened broth) and their bread seasonable and savoury, in stead of Salt: and for that the English Swine dig and root these Clams wheresoever they come, and watch the low water (as the Indian women do) therefore of all the English Cattell, the Swine (as also because of their filthy disposition) are most hatefull to all Natives, and they call them filthy cut throats, &c.

Séqunnock, } A Horse fish. Poquaûhock, }

Obs: This the English call Hens, a little thick shell fish which the Indians wade deepe and dive for, and after they have eaten the meat there (in those which are good) they breake out of the shell, about halfe an inch of a blacke part of it, of which they make their Suckaúhock, or blackmoney, which is to them pretious.

Meteaûhock, The Periwinkle.

Of which they make their Wómpan or white money, of halfe the value of their Suckáwhock, or blacke money, of which more in the Chapter of their Coyne.

Cumménakiss, } Cummenakíssamen, } Have you taken store? Cummuchickinneanâwmen? }

Numménakiss, I have taken store.

Nummuchikineanâwmen, I have killed many.

Machàge, I have caught none.

Aúmanep, A fishing line.

Aumanapeash, Lines.

The Natives take exceeding great paines in their fishing, especially in watching their seasons by night; so that frequently they lay their naked bodies many a cold night on the cold shoare about a fire of two or three sticks, and oft in the night search their Nets; and sometimes goe in and stay longer in frozen water.

Hoquaùn aûnash, Hooke, hookes.

Peewâsicks, Little hookes.

Maúmacocks, Great hookes.

Nponamouôog, I set nets for them.

Npunnouwaûmen, I goe to search my nets.

Mihtúckquashep, An Eele-pot.

Kunnagqunneûteg, A greater sort.

Onawangónnakaun, A baite.

Yo onawangónnatees, Baite with this.

} A little sort of fish, halfe Moamitteaúg, } as big as Sprats, plentifull } in Winter.

Paponaumsúog, A winter fish,

which comes up in the brookes and rivulets; some call them Frost fish, from their comming up from the Sea into fresh Brookes, in times of frost and snow.

Qunôsuog, A fresh fish,

which the Indians break the ice in fresh ponds, when they take also many other sorts: for, to my knowledge the Country yeelds many sorts of other fish, which I mention not.

_The generall Observation of Fish._

How many thousands of Millions of those under water, sea inhabitants, in all Coasts of the world, preach to the sonnes of men on shore, to adore their glorious Maker, by presenting themselves to Him as themselves (in a manner) present their lives from the wild Ocean, to the very doores of men, their fellow creatures in New-England.

More particular.

What Habacuck once spake, mine eyes Have often seene most true, The greater Fishes devoure the lesse, And cruelly pursue. Forcing them through coves and creekes To leape on driest sand, To gaspe on earthie element, or die By wildest Indians hand. Christs little ones must hunted be Devour’d; yet rise as Hee. And eate up those which now a while Their fierce devourers be.

CHAP. XX.

_Of their Nakednesse and Clothing._

Paúskesu, Naked.

Pauskesítchck, Naked men and women.

Nippóskíss, I am naked.

They have a two-fold nakednesse:

First, ordinary and constant, when although they have a Beasts skin, or an English mantle on, yet that covers ordinarily but their hinder parts and all the foreparts from top to toe, (except their secret parts, covered with a little Apron, after the patterne of their and our first Parents) I say all else open and naked.

Their male children goe starke naked, and have no Apron untill they come to ten or twelve yeers of age; their Female they, in a modest blush cover with a little Apron of an hand breadth from their very birth. Their second nakednesse is when their men often abroad and both men and women within doores, leave off their beasts skin, or English cloth and so (excepting their little apron) are wholly naked; yet but few of the women but will keepe their skin or cloth (though loose) or neare to them ready to gather it up about them.

Custome hath used their minds and bodies to it, and in such a freedom from any wantonnesse, that I have never seen that wantonnesse amongst them, as, (with griefe) I have heard of in Europe.

Nippóskenitch, I am rob’d of my coat.

Nippóskenick ewò, He takes away my Coat.

Acòh, Their Deere skin.

Tummóckquashunck, A Beavers coat.

Nkéquashunck, An Otters coat.

Mohéwonck, A Rakoone-skin coat.

Natóquashunch, A Wolves-skin coat.

Mishannéquashunck, A Squirril-skin coat.

Neyhommaûashunck, a coat or Mantle,

curiously made of the fairest feathers of their Neyhommaûog or Turkies, which commonly their old Men make; and is with them as velvet with us.

Maúnek: nquittiashíagat, An English Coat or Mantell.

Cáudnish, Put off.

Ocquash, Put on.

Neesashíagat, Two coats.

Shwíshiagat, Three coats.

Piuckquashiágat, Ten coats, &c.

Obs: Within their skin or coat they creepe contentedly, by day or night, in house, or in the woods, and sleep soundly, counting it a felicitie, (as indeed an earthly one it is;) _Intra pelliculam quemque tenere suam_, That every man be content with his skin.

Squáus aúhaqut, A Womans Mantle.

Muckíis auhaqut, A childs Mantle.

Pétacaus, An English Wastecoat.

Petacawsunnése, A little wastecoat.

Aûtah & aútawhun, Their apron.

Caukóanash, Stockins.

Nquittetiagáttash, A paire of stockins.

Mocússinass, & Mockussinchass, Shooes.

Obs: Both these, Shoes and Stockins they make of their Deere skin worne out; which yet being excellently tann’d by them, is excellent for to travell in wet and snow; for it is so well tempered with oyle, that the water cleane wrings out; and being hang’d up in their chimney, they presently drie without hurt as myselfe hath often proved.

Noonacominash, Too little.

Taubacóminash, Big enough.

Saunketíppo, or, Ashónaquo, A hat or Cap.

} The skin of a great beast Moôse, } as big as an Ox, some } call it a red Deere.

Wussuckhósu, Painted.

They also commonly paint these Moose and Deere skins for their Summer wearing, with varietie of formes and colours.

Petouwássinug, Their Tobacco-bag,

which hangs at their necke, or sticks at their girdle, which is to them instead of an English pocket.

Obs: Our English clothes are so strange unto them, and their bodies inured so to endure the weather, that when (upon gift &c.) some of them have had English cloathes, yet in a showre of raine, I have seen them rather expose their skins to the wet, than their cloaths, and therefore pull them off, and keep them drie.

Obs: While they are amongst the English they keep on the English apparell, but pull off all, as soone as they come againe into their owne Houses, and Company.

_Generall Observations of their Garments._

How deep are the purposes and Councells of God? What should bee the reason of this mighty difference of One mans children that all the Sonnes of men on this side the way (in Europe, Asia and Africa,) should have such plenteous clothing for Body, for soule! and the rest of Adams sonnes and Daughters on the other side, or America (some thinke as big as the other three,) should neither have nor desire clothing for their naked Soules, or Bodies.

More particular:

1. O what a Tyrant’s custome long, How doe men make a push, At what’s in use, though ne’re so fowle, Without once shame or blush?

2. Many thousand proper Men and Women, I have seen met in one place: Almost all naked, yet not one, Thought want of clothes disgrace.

3. Israell was naked, wearing clothes! } The best clad English-man, } Not cloth’d with Christ, more naked is } Ex. 32. Than naked Indian. }

CHAP. XXI.

_Of Religion, the Soule, &c._

Manìt-manittówock, God, Gods.

Obs: He that questions whether God made the World, the Indians will teach him. I must acknowledge I have received in my converse with them, many Confirmations of those two great points, Heb. 11. 6. viz:

1. That God is.

2. That hee is a rewarder of all them that diligently seek him.

They will generally confesse that God made all: but then in speciall, although they deny not that Englishmans God made English Men, and the Heavens and Earth there! yet their Gods made them, and the Heaven, and the Earth where they dwell.

Nummus quauna-mùckqun manit, God is angry with me.

Obs: I heard a poore Indian lamenting the losse of a child at break of day, call up his Wife and children, and all about him to Lamentation, and with abundance of teares cry out! O God thou hast taken away my child: thou art angry with me: O turne thine anger from me, and spare the rest of my children.

If they receive any good in hunting, fishing, Harvest, &c. they acknowledge God in it.

Yea, if it be but an ordinary accident, a fall, &c. they will say God was angry and did it.

Musquantum manit, God is angry.

But herein is their Misery.

First, they branch their Godhead into many Gods.

Secondly, attribute it to Creatures.

First, many Gods: they have given me the Names of thirty-seven, which I have, all which in their solemne Worships they invocate: as,

Kautántowwit, The great South West God,

to whose House all soules goe, and from whom came their Corne, Beanes, as they say.

Wompanànd, The Easterne God.

Chekesuwànd, The Westerne God.

Wunnanaméanit, The Northerne God.

Sowwanànd, The Southerne God.

Wetuómanit, The house God.

Even as the Papists have their He and Shee Saint Protectors as St. George, St. Patrick, St. Dennis, Virgin Mary, &c.

Squàuanit, The Womans God.

Muckquachuckquànd, The Childrens God.

Obs: I was once with a Native dying of a wound, given him by some of the murtherous English (who rob’d him and run him through with a Rapier,) from whom in the heat of his wound, he at present escaped from them, but dying of his wound, they suffered Death at new Plymouth, in New England, this Native dying call’d much upon Mackquachuckquànd, which of other Natives I understood, (as they believed) had appeared to the dying young man, many yeares before, and bid him whenever he was in distresse call upon him.

Secondly, as they have many of these fained Deities: so worship they the Creatures in whom they conceive doth rest some Deitie:

Keesuckquànd, The Sun God.

Nanepaûshat, The Moone God.

Paumpágussit, The Sea.

Yotáanit, The fire God.

Supposing that Deities be in these, &c.

When I have argued with them about their Fire-God: can it say they be, but this fire must be a God, or Divine power, that out of a stone will arise in a Sparke, and when a poore naked Indian is ready to starve with cold in the House, and especially in the Woods, often saves his life, doth dresse all our Food for us, and if it be angry will burne the House about us, yea if a sparke fall into the drie wood, burnes up the Country, (though this burning of the Wood to them they count a Benefit, both for destroying of vermin, and keeping downe the Weeds and thickets?)

_Præsentem narrat quælibet herba Deum._

Every little Grasse doth tell, The sons of Men, there God doth dwell.

Besides there is a generall Custome amongst them, at the apprehension of any Excellency in Men, Women, Birds, Beasts, Fish, &c. to cry out Manittóo, that is, it is a God, as thus if they see one man excell others in Wisdome, Valour, Strength, Activity &c. they cry out

Manittóo, A God.

And therefore when they talke amongst themselves of the English ships, and great buildings, of the plowing of their Fields, and especially of Bookes and Letters, they will end thus: Manittôwock, They are Gods: Cummanittôo, You are a God, &c. A strong Conviction naturall in the soule of man, that God is filling all things, and places, and that all Excellencies dwell in God, and proceed from him, and that they only are blessed who have that Jehovah their portion.

Nickómmo, A Feast or Dance.

Of this Feast they have publike, and private and that of two sorts.

First in sicknesse, or Drouth, or Warre, or Famine.

Secondly, After Harvest, after hunting, when they enjoy a caulme of Peace, Health, Plenty, Prosperity, then Nickómmo, a Feast, especially in Winter, for then (as the Turke saith of the Christian, rather the Antichristian,) they run mad once a yeare in their kind of Christmas feasting.

Powwáw, A Priest.

Powwaûog, Priests.

Obs: These doe begin and order their service, and Invocation of their Gods, and all the people follow, and joyne interchangeably in a laborious bodily service, unto sweating, especially of the Priest, who spends himselfe in strange Antick Gestures, and Actions even unto fainting.

In sicknesse the Priest comes close to the sick person, and performes many strange Actions about him, and threatens and conjures out the sicknesse.

They conceive that there are many Gods or divine Powers within the Body of a Man: In his pulse, his heart, his Lungs, &c. I confesse to have most of these their customes by their owne Relation, for after once being in their Houses, and beholding what their Worship was, I durst never be an eye witnesse, Spectatour, or looker on, least I should have been partaker of Sathans Inventions and Worships, contrary to Ephes. 5. 14.

Nanouwétea, An over-Seer and Orderer of their Worship.

Neennanowwúnnemun, I will order or oversee.

They have an exact forme of King, Priest, and Prophet, as was in Israel typicall of old in that holy Land of Canaan, and as the Lord Jesus ordained in his spirituall Land of Canaan his Church throughout the whole World: their Kings or Governours called Sachimaûog, Kings and Atauskowaûg Rulers doe govern: Their Priests performe and manage their Worship: Their wise men and old men (of which number their Priests are also,) whom they call Taupowauog they make solemne speeches and Orations, or Lectures to them, concerning Religion, Peace or Warre and all things.

Nowemasúitteem, I give way at the Worship.

He or she that makes this Nickòmmo Feast or Dance, besides the feasting sometimes twenty, fifty, an hundredth yea I have seene neere a thousand persons at one of these Feasts: they give I say a great quantity of money, and all sort of their goods, (according to and sometimes beyond their Estate) in severall small parcells of goods, or money, to the value of eighteen pence, two Shillings, or thereabouts to one person: and that person that receives this Gift, upon the receiving of it, goes out and hollowes thrice for the health and prosperity of the Party that gave it, the Mr. or Mistris of the Feast.

Nowemacaûnash, Ile give these things.

Nutteaugûash, My money.

Nummaumachiúwash, My goods.

Obs: By this Feasting and Gifts, the Divell drives on their worships pleasantly (as he doth all false worships, by such plausible earthly Arguments of uniformities, universalities, antiquities, immunities, Dignities, Rewards unto Submitters, and the contrary to Refusers) so that they run farre and neere and aske

Awaun Nákommit, Who makes a feast?

Nkekinneawaûmen, I goe to the Feast.

Kekineawûi, He is gone to the Feast.

They have a modest Religious perswasion not to disturb any man, either themselves English, Dutch, or any in their conscience, and worship, and therefore say:

Aquiewopwaûwash, Peace, hold your peace. Aquiewopwaûwock,

Peeyaûntam, He is at Prayer.

Peeyaúntamwock, They are praying.

Cowwéwonck, The Soule,

derived from Cowwene, to sleep, because say they, it works and operates when the Body sleepes. Michachunck, the soule, in a higher notion which is of affinity, with a word signifying a looking glasse, or cleere resemblance, so that it hath its name from a cleere sight or discerning, which indeed seemes very well to suit with the nature of it.

Wuhóck, The Body.

Nohòck, cohòck, My body, your body.

Awaunkeesitteoûwincohòck, Who made you?

Tunna-awwa Whether goes your soule commitchichunckkitonckquéan? when you die?

Anan sowanakitaûwaw, It goes to the South West.

Obs: They believe that the soules of Men and Women goe to the South-west, their great and good Men and Women to Cautantouwit his house, where they have hopes (as the Turkes have of carnall Joyes): Murtherers, thieves and Lyers, their soules (say they) wander restlesse abroad.

Now because this Book (by Gods good Providence) may come into the hand of many fearing God, who may also have many an opportunity of occasionall discourse with some of these their wild Brethren and Sisters, and may speake a word for their and our glorious Maker, which may also prove some preparatory Mercy to their Soules: I shall propose some proper expressions concerning the Creation of the world, and mans Estate and in particular theirs also, which from myselfe many hundredths of times, great numbers of them have heard with great delight, and great convictions: which who knowes (in Gods holy season) may rise to the exalting of the Lord Jesus Christ in their conversion and salvation?

Nétop Kunnatótemous, Friend, I will aske you a Question.

Nntótema, Speake on.

Tocketunnántum? What thinke you?

Awaun Keesiteoûwin Kéesuck? Who made the Heavens?

Aûke Wechêkom? The Earth, the Sea.

Mittauke, The World.

Some will answer Tattá, I cannot tell, some will answer Manittôwock, the Gods.

Tà suóg Manittowock, How many Gods bee there?

Maunaúog Mishaúnawock, Many, great many.

Netop macháge, Friend, not so.

Paúsuck naúnt manìt, There is onely one God.

Cuppíssittone, You are mistaken.

Cowauwaúnemum, You are out of the way.

A Phrase which much pleaseth them, being proper for their wandring in the Woods, and similitudes greatly please them.

Kukkakótemous, wachitquáshouwe, I will tell you, presently.

Kuttaunchemókous, I will tell you newes.

Paûsuck naúnt manít kéesittin One onely God made the keesuck, &c. Heavens &c.

Napannètashèmittan Five thousand yeers agoe, naugecautúmmonabnshque, and upwards.

Naúgom naúnt wukkesittinnes He alone made all things. wâmeteâgun,

Wuche mateâg, Out of nothing.

Quttatashuchuckqunnacaus In six dayes he made all things. keesitinneswâme,

Nquittaqúnne, The first day hee made Wuckéesitin weqâi, the Light.

Neesqunne, The second day Hee made Wuckéesitin Keésuck, the Firmament.

Shúckqunne wuckéesitin The third day hee made Aúkekà wechêkom, the Earth and sea.

Yóqunne wuckkéesitin The fourth day he made Nippaúus kà Nanepaúshat, the Sun and the Moon.

Neenash-mamockíuwash Two great Lights. wêquanantiganash,

Kà wáme anócksuck, And all the Starres.

Napannetashúckqunne The fifth day hee made Wuckéesittinpussuckseesuckwâme, all the fowle.

Keesuckquíuke, In the Ayre or Heavens

Kawámeaúmúasuck, Wechekommiuke, And all the Fish in the Sea.

Quttatashúkqunne Wuckkeésittin The sixth day hee made penashímwock wamè, all the Beasts of the Field.

Wuttàke wuckèwuckeesittin Last of all he made one pausuck Enìn, or, Man. Eneskéetomp,

Wuche mishquòck, Of red Earth.

Kawesuonckgonnakaûnes And call’d him Adam, Adam, túppautea mishquòck, or red Earth.

Wuttáke wuchè Then afterward, while Câwit mishquock, Adam or red Earth slept.

Wuckaudnúmmenes manit God tooke a rib from Adam, peetaúgonwuche Adam, or red Earth.

Kà wuchè peteaúgon And of that rib he made Wukkeessitínnes pausuck squàw, One woman.

Kà pawtouwúnnes Adâmuck And brought her to Adam.

Nawônt Adam wuttunnawaun When Adam saw her, he nuppeteâgon ewò, said, this is my bone.

Enadatashúck qunneaquêi The seventh day hee rested

Nagaû wvchè quttatashúckqune And therefore Englishmen anacaúsuock, Englishmánnuck, worke six days

Enadatashuckqunnóckat- On the seventh day they taubataumwock, praise God.

Obs: At this Relation they are much satisfied, with a reason why (as they observe) the English and Dutch, &c. labour six dayes and rest and worship the seventh.