Their Houses with low Roofs, serve them onely to sleep in the Night upon Cotton Hammocks, for in the day-time they sit under high Arch’d open places, that the Wind may blow full upon them. Their Houshold-stuff consists of Earthen Pots and Dishes neatly painted. They live in Tribes or Families together in a Town, which is Govern’d by the eldest of them; and their Militia is Commanded by one that is able to endure most Stripes with Switches without any shew of pain. The chiefest of their Families have commonly three or four Wives, whereas others are contented with one. The Men seldom do any toilsom Work, but make their Wives do all, insomuch that as soon as a Woman is Deliver’d of a Child, she must immediately go about her usual Employment, whilest her Husband lies lozelling out his Moneth on a Hammock.
Their Language sounds not unpleasantly, but is hard to learn, because many words differ but little in the pronunciation, and yet have quite another signification.
When they march into the Field against their Enemies, then the General sends a Stick to all the Villages under his Jurisdiction, on which are cut so many Notches as there are Days appointed before he intends to set forth, which they cut out again as the Days expire, and on the last they repair to the appointed place.
A not much unlike Custom they observe in all Promises and Bargains; for they give one another as many Sticks as they desire Days to perform the same in, and so throw away every day one, till they have onely one remaining, and then they begin to think of performing their Promise or Bargain.
They know no word whereby to express any greater number than Ten; Twenty they express by laying their ten Fingers on their Toes, and all that exceeds Twenty, they compare to the Hairs of their Head, crying Ounsa awara.
Some of the painted Canoos made of the Trunks of Trees, will carry five or six Tuns.
Their manner of Fighting, Religion, &c.
In their Wars they use Bowes, poyson’d Arrows, short Truncheons of speckled Wood, and Shields full of carv’d Images, and Fight without any Order. They go upon no Design but in the Night, and upon certain advantages. All Women and Children which they take Prisoners, are sold for Slaves, but the Men are cruelly put to death.
There is but little of Religion that can be ascrib’d to these People, onely that some shew Reverence to the Sun and Moon, which they believe are both living Creatures; but they make no Offerings to them.
Their Funeral-Feasts for great Persons are strangely kept, viz. all the Men making themselves Drunk with the Liquor Parranoro, Dance three or four days one after another, and he that drinks most, and is worst Drunk, gains the greatest Honor, whilest the Women lament and mourn for the Deceased.