The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 6 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and PrivateJefferson, Thomas
History
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Vol. 6 (of 9): Being His Autobiography, Correspondence, Reports, Messages, Addresses, and Other Writings, Official and Private
Jefferson, Thomas
United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783; United States -- Politics and government -- 1783-1865
"After this they fell to great licentiousness of life, in all
prophaneness, and the said Morton became lord of misrule, and maintained
(as it were) a school of Atheism, and after they had got some goods into
their hands, and got much by trading with the Indians, they spent it as
vainly, in quaffing and drinking both wine and strong liquors in great
excess, (as some have reported,) ten pounds worth in a morning, setting
up a May pole, drinking and dancing about like so many fairies, or
furies rather, yea and worse practices, as if they had anew revived and
celebrated the feast of the Roman goddess Flora, or the beastly practices
of the mad Bacchanalians. The said Morton likewise to show his poetry,
composed sundry rythmes and verses, some tending to licentiousness,
and others to the detraction and scandal of some persons names, which
he affixed to his idle or idol May-pole; they changed also the name of
their place, and instead of calling it Mount Wollaston, they called it
the Merry Mount, as if this jollity would have lasted always. But this
continued not long, for shortly after that worthy gentleman Mr. John
Endicot, who brought over a patent under the broad seal of England for
the government of the Massachusetts, visiting those parts, caused that
May-pole to be cut down, and rebuked them for their prophaneness, and
admonished them to look to it that they walked better; so the name was
again changed and called Mount Dagon.
"Now to maintain this riotous prodigality and profuse expense, the said
Morton thinking himself lawless, and hearing what gain the fishermen made
of trading of pieces, powder, and shot, he as head of this consortship,
began the practice of the same in these parts; and first he taught the
Indians how to use them, to charge and discharge 'em, and what proportion
of powder to give the piece; according to the size of bigness of the
same, and what shot to use for fowl, and what for deer; and having
instructed them, he employed some of them to hunt and fowl for him; so
as they became somewhat more active in that imployment than any of the
English, by reason of their swiftness of foot, and nimbleness of body,
being also quick-sighted, and by continual exercise, well knowing the
haunt of all sorts of game; so as when they saw the execution that a
piece would do, and the benefit that might come by the same, they became
very eager after them, and would not stick to give any price they could
attain to for them; accounting their bows and arrows but baubles in
comparison of them.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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