Thomas Wentworth Higginson, A book of American explorers

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[240] town,—which was only thirty or forty hunting-houses made of mats, which they remove as they please, as we our tents,—all the women and children staring to behold him, the soldiers first, all in file, performed the form of a bissom¹ so well as could be; and on each flank, officers as sergeants to see them keep their order. A good time they continued this exercise, and then cast themselves in a ring, dancing in such several postures, and singing and yelling out such hellish notes and screeches; being strangely painted, every one his quiver of arrows, and at his back a club; on his arm a fox or an otter's skin, or some such matter for his vambrace;² their heads and shoulders painted red with oil and pocones³ mingled together, which scarlet-like color made an exceeding handsome show; his bow in his hand, and the skin of a bird with her wings abroad dried, tied on his head, a piece of copper, a white shell, a long feather, with a small rattle growing at the tails of their snakes tied to it, or some such like toy. All this while, Smith and the king stood in the midst, guarded, as before is said; and after three dances they all departed. Smith they conducted to a long house, where thirty or forty tall fellows did guard him; and ere long more bread and venison was brought him than would have served twenty men. I think his stomach⁴ at that time was not very good: what he left they put in baskets, and tied over his head. About midnight, they set the meat again before him, all this time not