New York (State) -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775 -- Sources
abundance of oysters and clams.
<1> Connecticut, Hudson and Delaware.
The Indians are of ordinary stature, strong and broad shouldered;
olive color, light and nimble of foot, subtle of mind, of few
words which they previously well consider, hypocritical,
treacherous, vindictive; brave and obstinate in self-defence,
in time of need right resolute to die. They seem to despise
all the torments that can be inflicted on them without once
uttering a sigh--go almost naked except a lap which hangs
before their private parts, and on the shoulders a deer skin
or a mantle, a fathom square, of woven Turkey feathers or
peltries sewed together. They now make great use of duffel
cloths, blue or red, in consequence of the frequent visits of
the Christians. In winter they make shoes of deer skins,
manufactured after their fashion. Except their chiefs, they
have generally but one wife whom they frequently change
according to caprice; she must do all the work, as well corn-
planting as wood-cutting and whatever else is to be done.
They are divided into various nations. They differ even in
language, which would be altogether too long to be narrated
in this short space. They dwell together in tribes, mostly
of one consanguinity, over which commands a chief who is
general and is generally called Sackema, possessing not much
authority and little advantage, unless in their dances and
other ceremonies. They have no knowledge at all of God, no
divine worship, no law, no justice; the strongest does what
he pleases and the youths are master. Their weapons are the
bow and arrow, in the use of which they are wonderful adepts.
They live by hunting and fishing in addition to maize which
the women plant.
By Whom and How New Netherland was peopled.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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