d in it, only
covered with seal skins, having a cross laid over them. The people are
of good stature, well in body proportioned, with small, slender hands and
feet, with broad visages, and small eyes, wide mouths, the most part
unbearded, great lips, and close toothed. Their custom is, as often as
they go from us, still at their return, to make a new truce, in this
sort: holding his hand up to the sun, with a loud voice crieth
"Ylyaoute," and striketh his breast, with like signs being promised
safety, he giveth credit. These people are much given to bleed, and
therefore stop their noses with deer hair or the hair of an elan. They
are idolaters, and have images great store, which they wear about them,
and in their boats, which we suppose they worship. They are witches, and
have many kinds of enchantments, which they often used, but to small
purpose, thanks be to God.
Being among them at shore, the 4th of July, one of them, making a long
oration, began to kindle a fire, in this manner: he took a piece of a
board, wherein was a hole half through; unto that hole he puts the end of
a round stick, like unto a bed staff, wetting the end thereof in train,
and in fashion of a turner, with a piece of leather, by his violent
motion doth very speedily produce fire; which done, with turfs he made a
fire, into which, with many words and strange gestures, he put divers
things which we suppose to be a sacrifice. Myself and divers of my
company standing by, they were desirous to have me go into the smoke; I
willed them likewise to stand in the smoke, in which they by no means
would do. I then took one of them, and thrust him into the smoke, and
willed one of my company to tread out the fire, and to spurn it into the
sea, which was done to show them that we did contemn their sorcery.
These people are very simple in all their conversation, but marvellous
thievish, especially for iron, which they have in great account. They
began through our lenity to show their vile nature; they began to cut our
cables; they cut away the _Moonlight's_ boat from her stern; they cut our
cloth where it lay to air, though we did carefully look unto it, they
stole our oars, a calliver, a boat's spear, a sword, with divers other
things, whereat the company and masters being grieved, for our better
security desired me to dissolve this new friendship, and to leave the
company of these thievish miscreants; whereupon there was a calliver shot
among them, a
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