ad left 100 of his own
Men to guard them. Yet for all this great Confidence, he always left
one of his principal Men, for fear some of us should be too familiar
with his Women.

They did never stir out of their own Room when the General was at
Home, but as soon as he was gone out, they would presently come into
our Room, and sit with us all Day, and ask a Thousand Questions of us
concerning our English Women, and our Customs. You may imagine that
before this time, some of us had attained so much of their Language
as to understand them, and give them Answers to their Demands. I
remember that one Day they asked how many Wives the King of England
had? We told them but one, and that our English Laws did not allow
of any more. They said it was a strange Custom, that a Man should
be confined to one Woman; some of them said it was a very bad Law,
but others again said it was a good Law; so there was a great Dispute
among them about it. But one of the General's Women said positively,
That our Law was better than theirs, and made them all silent by the
Reason which she gave for it. This was the War Queen, as we called
her, for she did always Accompany the General whenever he was called
out to Engage his Enemies, but the rest did not.

By this Familiarity among the Women, and by often discoursing [with]
them, we came to be acquainted with their Customs and Priviledges. The
General lies with his Wives by turns; but she by whom he had the
first Son, has a double Portion of his Company: For when it comes
to her turn, she has him two Nights, whereas the rest have him but
one. She with whom he is to lye at Night, seems to have a particular
Respect shewn her by the rest all the precedent Day; and for a Mark
of distinction, wears a striped silk Handkerchief about her Neck,
by which we knew who was Queen that Day.

We lay here about five or six Days, but did never in all that time
see the least sign of any Beef, which was the Business we came about;
neither were we suffered to go out with the General to see the wild
Kine, but we wanted for nothing else: However, this did not please us,
and we often importuned him to let go out among the Cattle. At last he
told us, That he had provided a Jar of Rice-drink to be merry with us,
and after that we should go with him.

This Rice-drink is made of Rice boiled and put into a Jar, where it
remains a long time steeping in Water. I know not the manner of making
it, but it is very strong pleasan