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286 History of the Dividing Line [November
merciful Sport is called Fire Hunting, and is much practic'd by the
Indians and Frontier Inhabitants, who sometimes, in the Eagerness of their
Diversion, are Punish't for their cruelty, and are hurt by one another when
they Shoot across at the Deer which are in the Middle.
What the Indians do now by a Circle of Fire, the ancient Persians
performed formerly by a circle of Men: and the same is practis'd at
this day in Germany upon extraordinary Occasions, when any of the
Princes of the Empire have a Mind to make a General Hunt, as they call
it. At such times they order a vast Number of People to Surround a
whole Territory. Then Marching inwards in close Order, they at last
force all the Wild Beasts into a Narrow Compass, that the Prince and his
Company may have the Diversion of Slaughtering as many as they please
with their own hands.
Our Hunters massacred two Brace of Deer after this unfair way, of
which they brought us one Brace whole, and only the Primings of the rest.
So many were absent on this Occasion, that we who remained excus'd the
Chaplain from the Trouble of spending his Spirits by Preaching to so
thin a Congregation. One of the men, who had been an old Indian Trader,
brought me a Stem of Silk Grass, which was about as big as my little
Finger. But, being so late in the Year that the Leaf was fallen off, I
am not able to describe the Plant.
The Indians use it in all their little Manufactures, twisting a Thread of
it that is prodigiously Strong. Of this they make their Baskets and the
Aprons which their Women wear about their Middles, for Decency's
Sake. These are long enough to wrap quite round them and reach down
to their Knees, with a Fringe on the under part by way of Ornament.
They put on this modest covering with so much art, that the most im-pertinent
curiosity can't in the Negligentest of their Motions or Postures
make the least discovery. As this species of Silk Grass is much Stronger
than Hemp, I make no doubt but Sail Cloth and Cordage might be made
of it with considerable Improvement.
11. We had all been so refresht by our day of rest, that we decamp'd
earlier than Ordinary, and passed the Several Fords of Hico River. The
Woods were thick great Part of this Day's Journey, so that we were forced
to scuffle hard to advance 7 miles, being equal in fatigue to double that
distance of Clear and Open Grounds,
We took up our Quarters upon Sugar-tree Creek, in the same camp we
had lain in when we came up, and happen'd to be entertained at Supper
with a Rarity we had never had the fortune to meet with before, during
the whole Expedition.
A little wide of this creek, one of the men had the Luck to meet with
a Young Buffalo of two Years Old. It was a Bull, which, notwithstanding
he was no older, was as big as an ordinary Ox. His Legs are very thick
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| Title | Page 326 |
| Full Text | 286 History of the Dividing Line [November merciful Sport is called Fire Hunting, and is much practic'd by the Indians and Frontier Inhabitants, who sometimes, in the Eagerness of their Diversion, are Punish't for their cruelty, and are hurt by one another when they Shoot across at the Deer which are in the Middle. What the Indians do now by a Circle of Fire, the ancient Persians performed formerly by a circle of Men: and the same is practis'd at this day in Germany upon extraordinary Occasions, when any of the Princes of the Empire have a Mind to make a General Hunt, as they call it. At such times they order a vast Number of People to Surround a whole Territory. Then Marching inwards in close Order, they at last force all the Wild Beasts into a Narrow Compass, that the Prince and his Company may have the Diversion of Slaughtering as many as they please with their own hands. Our Hunters massacred two Brace of Deer after this unfair way, of which they brought us one Brace whole, and only the Primings of the rest. So many were absent on this Occasion, that we who remained excus'd the Chaplain from the Trouble of spending his Spirits by Preaching to so thin a Congregation. One of the men, who had been an old Indian Trader, brought me a Stem of Silk Grass, which was about as big as my little Finger. But, being so late in the Year that the Leaf was fallen off, I am not able to describe the Plant. The Indians use it in all their little Manufactures, twisting a Thread of it that is prodigiously Strong. Of this they make their Baskets and the Aprons which their Women wear about their Middles, for Decency's Sake. These are long enough to wrap quite round them and reach down to their Knees, with a Fringe on the under part by way of Ornament. They put on this modest covering with so much art, that the most im-pertinent curiosity can't in the Negligentest of their Motions or Postures make the least discovery. As this species of Silk Grass is much Stronger than Hemp, I make no doubt but Sail Cloth and Cordage might be made of it with considerable Improvement. 11. We had all been so refresht by our day of rest, that we decamp'd earlier than Ordinary, and passed the Several Fords of Hico River. The Woods were thick great Part of this Day's Journey, so that we were forced to scuffle hard to advance 7 miles, being equal in fatigue to double that distance of Clear and Open Grounds, We took up our Quarters upon Sugar-tree Creek, in the same camp we had lain in when we came up, and happen'd to be entertained at Supper with a Rarity we had never had the fortune to meet with before, during the whole Expedition. A little wide of this creek, one of the men had the Luck to meet with a Young Buffalo of two Years Old. It was a Bull, which, notwithstanding he was no older, was as big as an ordinary Ox. His Legs are very thick |
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