ing went
round the Multitude, that they never will forget that Ceremony, never
before us'd or known. _Caesar_ had a Mind to see and talk with their
War-Captains, and we were conducted to one of their Houses, where we
beheld several of the great Captains, who had been at Council: But so
frightful a Vision it was to see 'em, no Fancy can create; no sad Dreams
can represent so dreadful a Spectacle. For my Part, I took 'em for
Hobgoblins, or Fiends, rather than Men; But however their Shapes
appear'd, their Souls were very humane and noble; but some wanted their
Noses, some their Lips, some both Noses and Lips, some their Ears, and
others cut through each Cheek, with long Slashes, through which their
Teeth appear'd: They had several other formidable Wounds and Scars, or
rather Dismembrings. They had _Comitias_, or little Aprons before them;
and Girdles of Cotton, with their Knives naked stuck in it; a Bow at
their Back, and a Quiver of Arrows on their Thighs; and most had
Feathers on their Heads of divers Colours. They cry'd _Amora Tiguamy_ to
us, at our Entrance, and were pleas'd we said as much to them: They
seated us, and gave us Drink of the best Sort, and wonder'd as much as
the others had done before to see us. _Caesar_ was marvelling as much at
their Faces, wondring how they should be all so wounded in War; he was
impatient to know how they all came by those frightful Marks of Rage or
Malice, rather than Wounds got in noble Battle: They told us by our
Interpreter, That when any War was waging, two Men, chosen out by some
old Captain whose fighting was past, and who could only teach the Theory
of War, were to stand in Competition for the Generalship, or great
War-Captain; and being brought before the old Judges, now past Labour,
they are ask'd, What they dare do, to shew they are worthy to lead an
Army? When he who is first ask'd, making no Reply, cuts off his Nose,
and throws it contemptibly on the Ground; and the other does something
to himself that he thinks surpasses him, and perhaps deprives himself of
Lips and an Eye: So they slash on 'till one gives out, and many have
dy'd in this Debate. And it's by a passive Valour they shew and prove
their Activity; a sort of Courage too brutal to be applauded by our
_Black_ Hero; nevertheless, he express'd his Esteem of 'em.

In this Voyage _Caesar_ begat so good an Understanding between the
_Indians_ and the _English_, that there were no more Fears or
Heart-burnings during