Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/422

 4. jo General Obfervations on

chiefly round the watry alder \ and the hogs 'feed 'often upon the grapes, Their furface is uneven, yet inclining to a round figure. They are large, of a coarfe grain, well-tafted, and very wholefome, in the woods, they are a very agreeable repaft. There grows a long flag, in (hallow ponds, and on- the edges of running waters, with an ever-green, broad, round leaf, a little indented where it joins the ftalk ; it bears only one leaf, that always floats on the furface of the water, and affords plenty of cooling fmall nuts, which make a fweet-tafted, and favourite bread, when mixed with Indian corn flour. It is a fort of marfh-mallows, and reckoned a fpeedy cure for burn ing maladies, either outward or inward, for the former, by an outward ap plication of the leaf; and for the latter, by a decoction of it drank plenti fully. The Choktafc fo highly efteem this vegetable, that they call one of their head-towns, by its name.

Providence hath furnifhed even the uncultivated parts of America with fufficient to fupply the calls of nature. Formerly, about fifty miles to the north-eaft of the Chikkafah country, I faw the chief part of the main camp of the Shawano, confiding of about 450 perfons, on a tedious ramble to the Mufkohge country, where they fettled, feventy-miles above the Ala- bahma-garrifon : they had been draggling in the woods, for the fpace of four years, as they allured me, yet in general they were more corpu lent than the Chikkafah who accompanied me, notwithftanding they had lived during that time, on the wild produces of the American defarts. This evinces how eafily nature's wants are fupplied, and that the divine goodnefs extends to America and its inhabitants. They are acquainted with a great many herbs and roots, of which the general part of the Englifh have not the leaft knowledge. If an Indian were driven out into the extenfive woods, with only a knife and tomohawk, or a fmall hatchet, it is not to be doubted but he would fatten, even where a wolf would ftarve. He could foon collect fire, by rubbing two dry pieces of wood together, make a bark hut, earthen veffels, and a bow and arrows ; then kill wild game, fifh, frefh water tortoifes, gather a plentiful variety of vegetables, and live in affluence. For merly, they made their knives of flint-ftone, or of fplit canes ; and fome- times they are now forced to ufe the like, in flaying wild animals, when in their winter hunt they have the misfortune to lofe their knives.

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