Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/244

 232 An Account of the Cheerake Nation.

for it was a noted favourite place, on account of the name it went by"; and being a well-ficuated and good fpring, there all travellers commonly drank a bottle of choice : But now, moft of the packhorfe-men, though they be dry, and alfo matchlefs fons of Bacchus, on the mod prefixing invita tions to drink there, would fvvear to forfeit facred liquor the better part of their lives, rather than bafely renew, or confirm the lofs of their liberty* which that execrable fountain occafions.

About the year 1738, the Cheerake received a moft depopulating mock, by the fmall pox, which reduced them almoft one half, in about a year's time : it was conveyed into Charles-town by the Guinea-men, and foon after among them, by the infected goods. At firft it made flow advances, and as it was a foreign, and to them a ftrange difeafe, they were fo deficient in proper {kill, that they alternately applied a regimen of hot and cold things, to thofe who were infected. The old magi and religious phy- ficians who were confulted on fo alarming a crifis, reported the ficknefs had been fent among them, on account of the adulterous intercourfes of their young married people, who the-paft year, had in a moft notorious man ner, violated their ancient laws of marriage in every thicket, and broke down and polluted many of the honeft neighbours bean-plots, by their heinous crimes, which would coft a great deal of trouble to purify again. To thofe flagitious crimes they afcribed the prefent difeafe, as a neceflary effect of the divine anger, and indeed the religious men chanced to fuffer the moft in their fmall fields, as being contiguous to the town-houfe, where they ufually met at night to dance, when their corn was out of the {talks ; upon this pique, they mewed their prieft-craft. However, it was thought needful on this occafion, to endeavour to put a flop to the progrefs of fuch a dangerous difeafe : and as it was believed to be brought on them by their unlawful copulation in the night dews, it was thought moft practi cable to try to effect the cure, under the fame cool element. Immediately, they ordered the reputed finners to lie out of doors, day and night, with their breaft frequently open to the night dews, to cool the fever : they were likewife afraid, that the difeafed would otherwife pollute the houfe, and by that means, procure all their deaths. Inftead of applying warm remedies, they at laft in every vifit poured cold water on their naked breafts, fung their religious myftical fong, To To, &c. with a doleful tune,

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