Nevv Englands prospect· A true, lively, and experimentall description of that part of America, commonly called Nevv England: discovering the state of that countrie, both as it stands to our new-come English planters; and to the old native inhabitants. Laying downe that which may both enrich the knowledge of the mind-travelling reader, or benefit the future voyager. By William Wood.

CHAP. XIIII. Their games and sports of activitie.

BVt to leave their warres, and to speake of their games in which they are more delighted and better experien∣ced, spending halfe their dayes in gaming and lazing. They have two sorts of games, one called Puim, the other Hub∣bub, not much unlike Cards and Dice, being no other than Lotterie. Puim is 50. or 60. small Bents of a foote long which they divide to the number of their gamesters, shuf∣fling them first betweene the palmes of their hands; he that hath more than his fellow is so much the forwa••der in his game: many other strange whimseyes be in this game; which would be too long to commit to paper; hee that is a noted gamster, hath a great hole in his eare wherein hee carries his Pu••••is in defiance of his antagonists. Hubbub is five small Bones in a small smooth Tray, t••e bones bee like a Die, but something f••atter, blacke on the one side and white on the other, which they place on the ground, against which violentl•• themping the platter, the bones mount changi••g colours with the windy whisking of their hands too and fro; which action in that sport they much use, smi∣ting themselves on the breast, and thighs, crying out, Hub,

Hub, Hub; they may be heard play at this game a quarter of a mile off. The bones being all blacke or white, make a double game; if three be of a colour and two of another, then they affoard but a single game; foure of a colour and one differing is nothing; so long as a man winns, he keepes the Tray: but if he loose, the next man takes it. They are so bewitched with these two games, that they will loose sometimes all they have, Beaver, Moose-skinnes, Kettles, Wampompeage, Mowhackies, Hatchets, Knives, all is con∣fiscate by these two games. For their sports of acti∣vitie they have commonly but three or foure; as footeball, shooting, running and swimming: when they play country against country, there are rich Goales, all behung with Wampompeage, Mowhackies, Beaver skins, and blacke Ot∣ter skinnes. It would exceede the beleefe of many to re∣late the worth of one Goale, wherefore it shall be namelesse. Their Goales be a mile long placed on the sands, which are as even as a board; their ball is no bigger than a hand-ball, which sometimes they mount in the Aire with their naked feete, sometimes it is swayed by the multitude; sometimes also it is two dayes before they get a Goale, then they marke the ground they winne, and beginne there the next day. Before they come to this sport, they paint themselves, even as when they goe to warre, in pollicie to prevent future mischiefe, because no man should know him that moved his patience or accidentally hurt his person, ta∣king away the occasion of studying revenge. Before they begin their armes be disordered, and hung upon some neigh∣bouring tree, after which they make a long scrowle on the sand, over which they shake loving hands, and with laugh∣ing hearts scuffle for victorie. While the men play the boyes pipe, and the women dance and sing trophies of their husbands conqu••sts; all being done a feast summons their departure. It is most delight to see them play, in smaller companies, when men may view their swift footemanship, their curious tossings of their Ball, their flouncing into the water, their lubberlike wrestling, having no cunning at all in that kind, one English being able to beate ten Indians at

footeball. For their shooting they be most desperate marks∣men for a point blancke object, and if it may bee possible Cornicum oculos configere they will doe it: such is their ce∣lerity and dexterity in Artillerie, that they can smite the swift running Hinde and nimble winked Pigeon without a standing paule or left eyed blinking; they draw their Ar∣rowes between the fore fingers and the thumbe; their bowes be quicke, but not very strong, not killing above six or sea∣ven score. These men shoot at one another, but with swift conveighance shunne the Arrow; this they doe to make them expert against time of warre. It hath beene often admired how they can finde their Arrowes, be the weedes as high as themselves, yet they take such perfect notice of the flight and fall that they seldome loose any. They are trained up to their bowes even from their childhood; little boyes with Bowes made of little stickes and Arrowes of great bents, will smite downe a peece of Tobacco pipe every shoot a good way off: as these Indians be good markemen, so are they well experienced where the very life of every creature lyeth, and know where to smite him to make him dye pre∣sently. For their swimming it is almost naturall, but much perfected by continuall practise; their swimming is not af∣ter our English fashion of spread armes and legges which they hold too tiresome, but like dogges their armes before them cutting through the liquids with their right shoulder; in this manner they swimme very swift and farre, either in rough or smooth waters, sometimes for their ease lying as still as a log; sometimes they will play the dive-doppers, and come up in unexpected places. Their children likewise be taught to swimme when they are very yong. For their running it is with much celeritie and continuance, yet I sup∣pose there be many English men who being as lightly clad as they are, would outrun them for a spurt, though not able to continue it for a day or dayes, being they be very strong winded and rightly clad for a race.