Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/139

 'Their ideas of purity, 127

cTuration in that wanton female government, he flattered himfelf of in- grofiing her affections, could he be fo happy as to get her fanctified by one of our own beloved men with a large quantity of holy water in baptifm and be taught the conjugal duty, by virtue of her new chrif- tian name, when they were married a-new. As me was no ftranger in the Englifh fettlements, he foon perfuaded her to go down to the Conggarees, to get the beloved fpeech, and many fine things befide. As the prieft was one of thofe ions of wifdom, the church fent us in her maternal benevolence, both to keep and draw us from eflcntial errors, he readily knew the value of a convert,, and grafping at the opportunity, he changed her from a wild favage to a believing chriftian in a trice.

He afked her a few articles of her creed, which were foon anfwered- by the bridegroom, as interpreter, from fome words me fpoke on a trifling queflion he afked her. When the prieft propofed to her a religious queftion, the bridegroom, by reafon of their low ideas, and the idiom of their dia lects, was obliged to mention fome of the virtues, and fay he- recommended to her a very drift chaftity in the married ftate. " Very well, faid fhe, that's a good fpeech, and fit for every woman alike, unlefs fhe is very old But what fays he now ?" The interpreter, after a fhort paufe, replied, that he was urging her to ufe a proper care in domeftic life* " You evil fpirit, faid fhe, when was I wafteful, or cardefs at home ?" He replied, " never" : " Well then, fax! me, telt him his fpeech is troublefome and light. But, firft, where are thofe fine things you prorrvifed me ?" He- bid her be pa tient a little, and fhe fhould have plenty of every thing fhe liked beft ; at tins fhe fmiled. Now the religious man was fully confirmed in the hope of her converfion, however, he afked if fhe underflood, and believed that needful article, the doctrine of the trinity. The bridegroom fwore heartily, that if he brought out all the other articles of his old book, fhe both knew and believed them, for fhe was. a fenfible young woman.

The bridegroom had a very difficult part to act, both to pleafe the hu mour of his Venus, and to fatisfy the inquifitive temper of our religious fon of Apollo, he behaved pretty well however, till he was defired to afk her belief of the uni-trinity, and tri-unity of the deity \ which the beloved man endeavoured to explain. On this, fhe fmartly afked him the fubject of their long and crooked-like difcourfe. But, as his patience was now ex-

hauftedj,

�� �