The Ceremony used among the Natives, as it is uncommon, so an Account of it may, perhaps, be agreeable to my Readers. The Parties, who swear to each other, interweave their Toes and Fingers, so that they must necessarily sit very close to each other. When they have thus knit their Hands and Feet, they reciprocally swear to do each other all friendly Offices, to be a Friend or Enemy to the Friend or Enemy of the Party to whom they swear; and if they falsify the Oath they make, they imprecate several Curses on themselves, as may they fall by the Lance, be devoured by the Alligator, or struck dead by the Hand of God; then an Assistant scarifies each of the contracting Parties on the Chest, and wiping up the Blood with a Piece of Bread, gives this bloody Bread to each of them to eat, that is, each eats the Blood of the other; and this Oath whether it be with equal Parties, or with a Prince and his Subject, where the one promises Protection, and the other Obedience (which was the Nature of that taken between _North_ and this Prince) is look'd upon inviolable, and they have few Examples of its being broken; but where any has been wicked enough to violate this solemn Oath, they say, they have been ever punish'd according to their Imprecations. As this Prince had War with powerful Neighbours, he left his Country, taking with him all his great Men, Wives, and Relations, and with a Company of about 500 fighting Men, followed _North_, and settled by him, where he staid two Years, the Time _North_ staid; during this Space, being supplied with Arms, Powder, and several Natives by Captain _North_, he made several Inroads into his Enemies Countries, and made all he conquer'd, swear Allegiance to Capt. _North_. At the Expiration of two Years, Captain _Halsey_ came in with a Brigantine, as is said in the Life of Captain _White_. This Crew having made a broken Voyage were discontented with their Captain, and desired _North_ to take the Command upon him; but he declined it, saying, _Halsey_ was every Way as capable, and that they ought not to depose a Man, whom they could not tax with either Want of Courage or Conduct; and for his Part, he would never take the Command from any who did not justly merit to be turn'd out, which was not _Halsey_'s Case. The Crew were not, however, satisfied, and they made the same Offer to _White_, but by _North_'s Industry, they were, at last, prevail'd on to continue their old Commander; and as _North_ and his Companions had expended their Money in the settling their Plantations, and wanted Cloaths, the former, therefore, accepted of the Quarter-Master's Post under _Halsey_, and the others went in the Capacity of private Gentlemen Adventurers, I mean plain foremast Men, as may be gathered in the Life of that Pyrate, to which I refer for an Account of the Expedition they made in the _Red Seas_, beginning at Page 113. Captain _Halsey_ on board a Prize left _North_ to command the Brigantine they set out in.