A Book of American ExplorersHigginson, Thomas Wentworth
History
A Book of American Explorers
Higginson, Thomas Wentworth
America -- Discovery and exploration; United States -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775
SO soon as we were come near the town, a great number of the
inhabitants thereof came to present themselves before us, after their
fashion, making very much of us. We were by our guides brought into
the midst of the town. They have in the middlemost part of their houses
a large square place, being from side to side a good stone’s-cast,
whither we were brought, and there with signs were commanded to stay.
Then suddenly all the women and maidens of the town gathered themselves
together, part of which had their arms full of young children; and as
many as could came to rub our faces, our arms, and what part of the
body soever they could touch, weeping for very joy that they saw us,
showing us the best countenance that possibly they could, desiring us
with their signs that it would please us to touch their children. That
done, the men caused the women to withdraw themselves back; then they
every one sat down on the ground round about us, as if they would have
shown and rehearsed some comedy or other show; then presently came
the women again, every one bringing a large square mat, in manner of
carpets; and, spreading abroad on the ground in that place, they caused
us to sit upon them.
That done, the lord and king of the country was brought upon
nine or ten men’s shoulders,――whom in their tongue they call
Agouhanna,――sitting upon a great stag’s skin; and they laid him down
upon the foresaid mats, near to the captain, every one beckoning unto
us that he was their lord and king. This Agouhanna was a man about
fifty years old: he was no whit better apparelled than any of the rest,
only except he had a certain thing made of the skins of hedgehogs, like
a red wreath; and that was instead of his crown. He was full of the
palsy; and his members shrunk together. After he had with certain signs
saluted our captain and all his company, and by manifest tokens bid
all welcome, he showed his legs and arms to our captain, and with signs
desired him to touch them; and so he did, rubbing them with his own
hands. Then did Agouhanna take the wreath or crown he had about his
head, and gave it unto our captain; that done, they brought before him
divers diseased men,――some blind, some cripple, some lame and impotent,
and some so old that the hair of their eyelids came down, and covered
their cheeks,――and laid them all along before our captain, to the end
they might of him be touched; for it seemed unto them that God was
descended and come down from heaven to heal them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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