Land, after their Manner, and spent part of the Day, those the Land belongs to, give the others to Eat, and then they spend the rest of the Day in Dancing and Merry Making. This same is practis'd from Canton to Canton, and so they till Land all together.
Instrument for Tilling.
Women sow.
This Tillage consists in breaking up just the Surface of
the Earth with a Sort of Wooden Instrument, like a little
Pick-axe, which they make by splitting the End of a thick
Piece of Wood, that serves for a Handle, and putting
another Piece of Wood sharp Pointed at one End into the
Slit. This Instrument serves them instead of a Hoe, or
Spade, for they have no Iron Tools. When the Land has
been thus till'd or broke up, the Women Sow and Plant the
Indian Corn, Beans, Pompions, Water Melons, and other
Grain and Garden Ware, which is for their Sustenance.
Indians disfigure themselves. The Indians are generally Handsom, but disfigure themselves by making Scores, or Streaks on their Faces, from the Top of the Forehead down the Nose to the Tip of the Chin; which is done by pricking the Skin with Needles, or other sharp Instruments, till it bleeds, whereon they strew fine Powder of Charcoal, and that sinks in and mixes with the Blood within the Skin. They also make after the same Manner, the Figures of living Creatures, of Leaves and Flowers on their Shoulders, Thighs, and other Parts of their Bodies, and Paint themselves, as has been said before, with Black or Red, and sometimes both together.
Women. The Women are generally well Shap'd, and would not be disagreeable, did they adhere to Nature; but they Disguise themselves as ridiculously as the Men, not only with the Streak they have like them down their Face, but by other Figures they make on it, at the Corners of their Eyes, and on the other Parts of their Bodies; whereof they make more particular Show on their Bosom, and those who have the most, are reckoned the handsomest; tho' that pricking in that Part be extremely painful to them.
It is they that do all the Work[1] in the Cottage, either in
- ↑ Fr. "presque tout le travail"—almost all the work.
