The Hills are most of a fat and clayie Soil, fit to make Pots, Tobacco-pipes, or any other sort of Earthen Ware.
Gold and Silver-Mines.
In some places also is store of Mountain Crystal, and that sort of Mineral which we call Muscovia Glass: Others afford Marble, Serpentine Stone, and other sorts of hard Stone. And though the Natives did not think it worth their while, or were not in a capacity to dig for Minerals themselves, yet it remains without contradiction, that the Mountains inclose both Gold and Silver.
When Captain William Clieff, Anno 1645. us’d the Indian Interpreter Agheroense (to decide the Differences which arose between the West-India Company and the wild People call’d Makwaes,) he observ’d him to paint his Face with a yellow glittering colour, which he judg’d to be of some rich Mineral: whereupon buying some of the said Agheroense, he put it into a Crusible, and gain’d two small pieces of Gold out of the same, valu’d at six Shillings; but keeping it private, and purchasing a great quantity of the said Mineral from Agheroense (who had show’d him the Mountain which produced the same) extracted good store of Gold out of it; which possessing Clieff with a belief of having found out a business of great consequence, he sent Arent Corsen of New-haven with the fore-mention’d Mineral to Holland; but the Ship being never heard of afterwards, and the Princess Pink, in which Captain Clieff was himself, with store of the new-found Mineral, being cast away, the Business came to nothing.
Paint after a strange manner.
The Inhabitants, though divided into several Nations, yet agree in many things, as in painting their Bodies, Shields, Clubs, and other Utensils in their Houses. The Colours wherewith they paint themselves they press out of Plants, or make them of certain Stones grownd into very fine Powder. The chiefest Plant is not unlike the Myrtle, onely it hath more Boughs, and bears red Berries; the Juice of which being dry’d in the Sun, is afterwards preserv’d in little Bags. The Natives temper their Colours with Water, and paint their Bodies with the same: It is as good a Purple as can be found. They also draw Ships, Trees, and Beasts after a very rough manner: In stead of Feathers they wear pleited Hair, which being colour’d red, hath an excellent gloss, which never fades though it Rain on the same.
Horses.
The Horses bred in this Countrey, being either brought thither from England or Utrecht, far exceed those of English breed; but are both of them subject to a strange Disease, of which many die in few hours. The same Distemper also seizes on Cattel if they go into Forrest Pasture: But the onely thing to cure the same, is Hay from salt Marshy Grounds.
Hogs.
The Oaken Woods have store of Hogs, which if taken and fatned with Turkish Wheat, are most delicious Meat.