CHAP. XVI.
Of the Earth, and the Fruits thereof, &c.
| Aûke, and | Earth or Land. |
| Sanaukamuck, | |
| Níttauke, | My Land. |
| Nissawnâwkamuck, | |
| Wuskâukamuck, | New ground. |
| Aquegunnítteash, | Fields worne out. |
| Mìntúck-quash, | Trees. |
| Pauchautaqunnêsash, | Branch, Branches. |
| Wunnèpog-guash, | Leafe, leaves. |
| Wattáp, | A roote of Tree. |
| Séip, | A River. |
| Toyùsk, | A bridge. |
| Sepoêse, | A little River. |
| Sepoêmese, | A little Rivulet. |
| Takèkum, | A Spring. |
| Takekummûo? | Is there a Spring. |
| Sepûo, | Is there a River. |
| Toyusquanûo, | Is there a Bridge. |
Obs: The Natives are very exact and punctuall in the bounds of their Lands, belonging to this or that Prince or People, (even to a River, Brooke,) &c. And I have knowne them make bargaine and sale amongst themselves for a small piece, or quantity of Ground: notwithstanding a sinfull opinion amongst many that Christians have right to Heathens Lands: but of the delusion of that phrase, I have spoke in a discourse concerning the Indians Conversion.
| Paugáutemisk, | An Oake. |
| Wómpimish, | A Chesnut Tree. |
| Wómpimineash, | Chesnutts. |
Obs: The Indians have an Art of drying their chesnuts, and so to preserve them in their barnes for a daintie all the yeare.
| Anáuchemineash, | Akornes. |
These Akornes also they drie, and in case of want of Corne, by much boyling they make a good dish of them: yea sometimes in plentie of Corne doe they eate these Acornes for a novelty.
| Wússoquat, | A Wallnut Tree. |
| Wusswaquatómineug, | Wallnut. |
Of these Wallnuts they make an excellent Oyle good for many uses, but especially for their anoynting of their heads. And of the chips of the Walnut Tree (the barke taken off) some English in the Countrey make excellent Beere both for Tast, strength, colour, and inoffensive opening operation:
| Sasaunckpâmuck, | The Sassafrasse Tree. |
| Mishquáwtuck, | The Cedar Tree. |
| Cówaw-ésuck, | Pine, young Pine. |
| Wenomesíppaguash, | The Vine-Tree. |
| Micúckaskeete, | A Medow. |
| Tataggoskìtuash, | A fresh Medow. |
| Maskituash, | Grasse or Hay. |
| Wékinash-quash, | Reed, Reeds. |
| Manìsimmin, | To cut or Mow. |
| Qussuckomineânug, | The Cherry Tree. |
| Wuttáhimneash, | Strawberries. |
Obs: This Berry is the wonder of all the Fruits growing naturally in those parts: it is of itselfe Excellent: so that one of the chiefest Doctors of England was wont to say, that God could have made, but God never did make a better Berry: In some parts where the Natives have planted, I have many times seen as many as would fill a good ship within a few miles compasse: The Indians bruise them in a Morter, and mixe them with meale and make Strawberry bread.
| Wuchipoquámeneash, | A kind of sharp fruit like a Barbary in tast. |
Sasémineash, another excellent sharp cooling Fruit growing in fresh waters all the winter, Excellent in conserve against Feavers.
| Wenómeneash, | Grapes. |
| Wuttahimnasíppaguash, | Strawberry leaves. |
| Peshaûiuash, | Violet leaves. |
| Nummoúwinneem, | I goe to gather. |
| Mowinnee-aûog, | He or they gather. |
| Atáuntowash, | Clime the Tree. |
| Ntáuntawem, | I clime. |
| Punnoûwash, | Come downe. |
| Npunnowaûmen, | I come downe. |
| Attitáash, | Hurtle-berries, |
Of which there are divers sorts sweete like Currants, some opening, some of a binding nature.
Saûtaash are these Currants dried by the Natives, and so preserved all the yeare, which they beat to powder, and mingle it with their parcht meale, and make a delicate dish which they call Sautáuthig; which is as sweet to them as plum or spice cake to the English.
They also make great use of their Strawberries having such abundance of them: making Strawberry bread, and having no other Food for many dayes, but the English have exceeded, and made good Wine both of their Grapes and Strawberries in some places, as I have often tasted.
| Ewáchim neash, | Corne. |
| Scannémeneash, | Seed Corne. |
| Wompiscannémeneash, | White seed-corne. |
Obs: There be diverse sorts of this Corne, and of the colours: yet all of it either boild in milke, or buttered, if the use of it were knowne and received in England (it is the opinion of some skillfull in physic) it might save many thousand lives in England, occasioned by the binding nature of the English wheat, the Indian Corne keeping the body in a constant moderate loosenesse.
Obs: The Women set or plant, weede, and hill, and gather and barne all the corne and Fruites of the Field: yet sometimes the man himselfe, (either out of love to his Wife, or care for his Children, or being an old man) will help the Woman which (by the custome of the Countrey) they are not bound to.
When a field is to be broken up, they have a very loving sociable speedy way to dispatch it: All the neighbours men and Women forty, fifty, a hundred, &c. joyne, and come in to helpe freely. With friendly joyning they breake up their fields, build their Forts, hunt the woods, stop and kill fish in the Rivers, it being true with them as in all the World in the Affaires of Earth or Heaven: By concord little things grow great, by discord the greatest come to nothing. Concordiâ parvæ res crescunt, discordiâ magnæ dilabuntur.
| Anáskhig-anash, | How, Howes. |
| Anaskhómwock, | They how. |
| Anaskhommonteâmin, | They break for me. |
| Anaskhomwáutowwin, | A breaking up How. |
The Indian women to this day (notwithstanding our Howes), doe use their naturall Howes of shells and Wood.
| Monaskúnnemun, | To weede. |
| Monaskunnummaûtowwin, | A weeding or broad How. |
| Petascúnnemun, | To hill the Corne. |
| Kepenúmmin, & | To gather Corne. |
| Wuttúnnemun, | |
| Núnnowwa, | Harvest time. |
| Anoûant, | At harvest. |
| Wuttùunemitch, | When harvest is in. |
| Ewáchim, | |
| Pausinnummin, | To dry the corne. |
Which they doe carefully upon heaps and Mats many dayes, before they barne it up, covering it up with Mats at night, and open it when the Sun is hot.
| Sókenug, | A heap of corne. |
Obs: The women of the Family will commonly raise two or three heaps of twelve, fifteene, or twentie bushells a heap, which they drie in round broad heaps; and if she have helpe of her children or friends much more.
| Pockhómmin, | To beat or thrash out. |
| Npockhómmin, | I am threshing. |
| Cuppockhómmin? | Doe you thrash? |
| Wuskockkamuckómeneash, | New ground Corne. |
| Nquitawánnanash, | One basket full. |
| Munnòte, tash, | Basket, Baskets. |
| Máûseck, | A great one. |
| Peewâsick, | A little one. |
| Wussaumepewâsick, | Too little. |
| Pokowánnanash, | Halfe a basket full. |
| Neesowannanash, | Two baskets full. |
| Shéanash, | Three. |
| Yowanannash, | Foure, &c. |
| Aníttash, | Rotten corne. |
| Wawéekanash, | Sweet corne. |
| Tawhìtch quitchemáuntamen? | Why doe you smell to it? |
| Auqúnnash, | Barnes. |
| Necawnáuquanash, | Old barnes. |
Askútasquash, their Vine apple.—Which the English from them call Squashes about the bignesse of Apples of severall colours, a sweet, light, wholesome refreshing.
| Uippakumíneash, | The seed of them. |
The Observation generall of the Fruits of the Earth.
God hath not left himselfe without wit in all parts and coasts of the world; the raines and fruitfull seasons, the Earth, Trees, Plants, &c. filling mans heart with food and gladnesse, witnesseth against and condemneth man for his unthankfullnesse and unfruitfullnesse towards his Maker.
More particular.
Yeeres thousands since, God gave command
(As we in Scripture find)
That Earth, and Trees and Plants should bring
Forth fruit each in his kind.
The wildernesse remembers this
The wild and howling land
Answers the toyling labour of,
The wildest Indians hand.
But Man forgets his Maker, who,
Fram’d him in Righteousnesse.
A paradise in Paradise, now worse
Than Indian wildernesse.