CHAP. XXVII.

Of their Hunting, &c.

Wee shall not name over the severall sorts of Beasts which we named in the Chapter of Beasts.

The Natives hunt two wayes: First, when they pursue their game (especially Deere, which is the generall and wonderfull plenteous hunting in the Countrey:) I say, they pursue in twentie, fortie, fiftie yea, two or three hundred in a company, (as I have seene) when they drive the woods before them. Secondly. They hunt by Traps of severall sorts, to which purpose after they have observed, in spring time and Summer, the haunt of the Deere, then about Harvest, they goe ten or twentie together, and sometimes more, and withall (if it be not too farre) wives and children also, where they build up little hunting houses of Barks and Rushes (not comparable to their dwelling houses) and so each man takes his bounds of two, three, or foure miles, where he sets thirty, forty or fiftie Traps, and baits his Traps with that food the Deere loves, and once in two dayes he walkes his round to view his Traps.

Ntauchaûmen,I goe to hunt.
Ncáttiteam weeyoùs,I long for Venison.
Auchaûtuck,Let us hunt.
Nowetauchaûmen,I will hunt with you.
Anúmwock,Dogs.
Kemehétteas,Creepe.
Pitch nkemehétteem,I will creepe.
Pumm púmmoke,Shoote.
Uppetetoúa,A man shot accidentally.
Ntaumpauchaúmen,I come from hunting.
Cutchashineánna?How many have you kild?
Nneesnneánna,I have kild two.
Shwinneànna,Three.
Nyowinneánna,Foure.
Npiuckwinneánna,Ten, &c.
Nneesneechecttashínneanna,Twentie.
Nummouashàwmen,I goe to set Traps.
Apè hana,Trap, Traps.
Asháppock,Hempe.
Masaûnock,Flaxe.
Wuskapéhana,New Traps.
Eataúbana,Old Traps.

Obs: They are very tender of their Traps, where they lie, and what comes at them; for they say, the Deere (whom they conceive have a Divine power in them) will soone smell and be gone.

Npunnowwâumen,I must goe to my Traps.
Nummíshkommin,I have found a Deere;

Which sometimes they doe, taking a Wolfe in the very act of his greedy prey, when sometimes (the Wolfe being greedy of his prey) they kill him: sometimes the Wolfe having glutted himselfe with the one halfe, leaves the other for his next bait; but the glad Indian finding of it prevents him.

And that wee may see how true it is, that all wild creatures, and many tame, prey upon the poore Deere, (which are there in a right embleme of Gods persecuted, that is, hunted people, as I observed in the Chapter of Beasts according to the old and true saying:

Imbelles Damæ quid nisi præeda sumus?

To harmlesse Roes and Does

Both wilde and tame are foes.)

I remember how a poore Deere was long hunted and chased by a Wolfe, at last (as their manner is) after the chase of ten, it may be more, miles running, the stout Wolfe tired out the nimble Deere, and seasing upon it kill’d; In the act of devouring his prey, two English Swine, big with Pig, past by, assaulted the Wolfe, drove him from his prey, and devoured so much of that poore Deere, as they both surfeited and dyed that night.

The Wolfe is an Embleme of a fierce blood-sucking persecutor.

The Swine of a covetous, rooting worldling, both make a prey of the Lord Jesus in his poore Servants.

Ncummóotamúck qun natóqus,The Wolfe hath rob’d me.

Obs: When a Deere is caught by the leg in a Trap, sometimes there it lies a day together before the Indian come, and so lies a pray to the ranging Wolfe, and other wild Beasts (most commonly the Wolfe) who seaseth upon the Deere and Robs the Indian (at his first devouring) of neere halfe his prey, and if the Indian come not the sooner, hee makes a second greedie Meale and leaves him nothing but the bones, and the torn Deereskins, especially if he call some of his greedy Companions to his bloody banquet.

Upon this, the Indian makes a falling trap called Sunnúckhig, (with a great weight of stones) and so sometimes Knocks the Wolfe on the head with a gainefull revenge, especially if it bee a blacke Wolfe, whose Skins they greatly prize.

Nonówwussu,It is leane.
Wauwunockôo,It is fat.
Weékan,It is sweet.
Machemóqut,It smells ill.
Anit,It is putrified.
Poquêsu,Halfe a Deere.
Poskáttuck & Missêsu,A whole Deere.
Kuttíomp,A Buck.
Paucottaúwat,
Wawúnnes,A young Buck.
Qunnèke,A Doe.
Aunàm,A Fawne.
Moósqin,
Yo asipaúgon,Thus thick of fat.
Noónatch, or, attuck ntíyu,I hunt Venison.
Mishánneke ntíyu,I hunt a Squirrill.
Paukunnawaw ntío,I hunt a Beare, &c.
Wusséke,The hinder part of the Deere.
Apome-ichash,Thigh: Thighes.
Uppèke-quòck,Shoulder, shoulders.
Wuskàn,A bone.
Wussúckqun,A taile.
Awemaníttin,Their Rutting time.
Paushinùmmin,To divide.
Paushinummauatíttea,Let us divide.

This they doe when a Controversie falls out, whose the Deere should bee. Causkashunck, the Deere skin.

Obs: Púmpom, a tribute skin when a Deere (hunted by the Indians or Wolves) is kild in the Water. This skin is carried to the Sachim or Prince, within whose territory the Deere was slaine.

Ntaumpowwashaûmen,I come from hunting.

Generall Observation of their Hunting.

There is a blessing upon endeavour, even to the wildest Indians; the sluggard rosts not that which he tooke in hunting, but the substance of the diligent (either in earthly or heavenly affaires) is precious. Prov. 25.

More particular.

Great paines in hunting th’ Indians wild,

And eke the English tame,

Both take, in woods and for rests thicke,

To get their precious game.

Pleasure and Profit, Honour false,

(The World’s great Trinitie)

Drive all men, through all wayes, all times,

All weathers, wet and drie.

Pleasure and Profits, Honour sweet,

Eternall, sure and true,

Laid up in God, with equall paines,

Who seekes, who doth pursue?