THE savages who occasioned the following scenes, were sent from the British garrison at Niagara, some time in the fore part of March, A. D. 1780, through a deep snow, on a wretched skulking indian expedition, against a few scatter­ing people which they hoped to find about Sus­quehannah; especially those who were making sugar in the woods at that time of the year.

The number of indians which skulked about Westmorland at this time, was sixteen: whether they all come from Niagara in company and se­parated in the vicinity, or were separate parties from Niagara, I could never learn: but they ap­peared about Westmorland in two parties of six and ten indians in different parts of the country; the party of ten appeared the next day after the party of six.

I will give a narrative of each in their turns.

The party of ten indians, after lurking about the settlement for some time, first made their ap­pearance on Tuesday the 28th of March, at break of day, five miles below Plymouth settlement, where sundry people were scattered about making maple sugar, which is known to be a profitable branch of business here as in many parts of Ameri­ca: the manufacturers frequently build a litle [Page 4] hut near a maple grove, and continue boiling all night. In one of these huts was Mr. Upson and Jonah Rogers, a lad thirteen years of age, they watched with the sugar boiling-by turns; and at daybreaking Upson having finished his watch, was reclined on the floor a-sleep, and John was up, and at this time amusing himself in some trifles; when to his surprize, a savage suddenly entered the hut, and immediately fired his piece through the bowels of Upson, and with his toma­hawk split out his brains; a second of these frightful semi-painted daemons immediately enter­ed, and seized Jonah by the arm, when the whole gang presently rushed into the hut, with their shocking painted visages and savage shoutings, upon the devoted John, to whose affrighted mind they presented the utmost horrors of instant death, heightned by a glaring representation of the infer­nal pit: they gave him to understand by their jargon dialect, which he partly understood, that he must go with them; which in his present view was the more wretched alternative of instant death. He had no way to vent his horror but by immoderate crying, which the savages suppress'd by menaces of death; he then fell to supplicating them with all his might, for liberty to go home; but these intreaties also the savages suppress'd by the same threats as before: thus the lad, advanc­ed far enough in life to anticipate the horrors of savage cruelty and captivity, yet too young to share the full fortitude of manhood, not suffered to vent his horror by crying, or daring to beg for [Page 5] relief from his inexorable masters, and not a mor­tal with whom to confer or condole, he was fix'd in a plethory of grief and dispair, while the sava­ges perfomed their detestable custom, by taking off the scalp of Mr. Upson.

The savages next proceeded down the river, to a place called Fishing-Creek; where on Wednes­day they surprised and took Messi. Peter Pence, Moses Van Campen and a lad named Moses Van Campen, nephew to the former. They continued lurking about until Friday, when they discovered some sugar works where the kettles were boiling; they concluded that the people had hid themselves near by, whom they catch'd by the following stratagem: they obliged the prisoners to halloo, and call them out as if they were friends; this had the effect proposed, and brought out a Mr. Pike, with his wife and child; the man they re­tained as a prisoner, but the woman and child they spared, for the sake of gratifying a humour of painting them in the indian manner, which they performed, and then sent them home.

I may here observe, that I don't remember to have heard an instance of these savages offering to violate the chastity of any of the fair sex who have fallen into their hands; this is principally owing to a natural inappetancy in their constitutions; which circumstance, were it otherwise, and were they equally nefarious in this, as in their other violations of the laws of nature and humanity, it would render their depredations, if possible, much more demoniack than they are. This is an in­stance, [Page 6] among numberless, which an observing mind may perceive, where the wise Creator of all, in his assignments of passions powers and proper­ties, has ballanced and sorted those matters in a manner worthy of himself.

The savages being now in possession of five pris­oners, viz. Messrs. Pence, Van Campen, Pike, young Van Campen, seventeen years of age, and Jonah Rogers, thirteen years old, together with a number of blankets, and a quantity of sugar and indian meal which they had plundered in the sugar-huts, which was all the provision they had, they, without delay, shaped their course for Nia­gara. They usually marched about 15 miles in a day. The lad Jonah, after being joined by the other prisoners, recovered his spirits, and being somewhat humorous, rendered himself a great fa­vorite of the savages. The prisoners were mis­erably scanted in their allowance of provisions, but Jonah grew bold and familiar, and had the address to get as much as he pleased of any thing that the savages had; some of which he usually imparted secretly to his fellow prisoners, who were half starved, and obliged to stagger along with all the baggage of the whole party, which was very hea­vy; and what rendered their duty doubly bur­thensome the snow was up to their knees every step they trod, and all the chance any of them had for their lives, was from continuing this in­tolerable rout, 300 miles, to Niagara, without a­ny relief or refreshment, excepting the hope of the savages taking vension, or other game by the [Page 7] way; and to render their condition completely desperate, the indians, whose savage tempers can­not be sufficiently gorged, simply by the blood of their victims, but are greatly delighted in fre­quently reminding them of their approaching tortures, impoliticly informed the prisoners that they were to be kept alive for the purpose of car­rying the baggage, until they had marched well toward Niagara, and then they should feel the tamahawk, and their scalps, not themselves, be carried into Niagara; which sentence, it was ex­pected, would be put into execution, at least on some of them, especially on Mr. Pike, of whom they were apprehensive, on account of his having been a continental soldier.

In these desperate circumstances, it is easy to conceive, that people would be led to meditate, if possible, some way of escape; to save themselves by flight, was impracticable, as the savages were fleeter than themselves, and would pursue with fire arms, with fatal effect on the fugitives; the only chance was to rise by night, disarm and at­tack the savages: but if we consider that the prisoners had their hands carefully secured behind them both night and day, and carefully deprived of any utensil that might be used to seperate their ligatures; and that the enemy were active and watchful, and more than double in number to those who were able to assist in such an enterprize; and that the cruelest death that savages could in­flict, would be practised on them, in case their plot should be discovered, or miscarry; I say, if we [Page 8] consider these things, we may form some idea of the bravery, or rather desperation which inspired such an attempt. Some one of them first project­ed the enterprize, and when they had opportunity of conference on the march, the proposal was made to the rest, who all concurred on the first motion, without the least reluctance or hesi­tation in any one of them; and on the next Fri­day after they began their march, they resolved to put the plan into execution the ensuing night. They faithfully promise each other by all the ties of honor and common calamity, to stand by each other, and abide the combat, if fate so required, even to the spending their last drops of blood. Their plan expressly agreed on, was as follows: each one was to watch his opportunity, if possible, to possess himself of some instrument, wherewith to separate the cords which tied his hands behind him, and if any one should be so fortunate as to secure an instrument, he was at night, when the indians were well asleep, to cut himself loose; and then liberate the others himself, or reach the instru­ment to his nearest fellow, as he should judge safest, and to be handed if possible, until all were loose; this done, each one was, with the utmost address, dexterity and stilness, to secure such arms and am­munition, as were most contiguous, to him, and nimbly repair therewith to a certain spot of rendez­vous, about two rods distant from where they couched by the side of a fire; when, if leisure would permit, they were farther to consult on the particular mode of attack, and to assign to each [Page 9] man his duty, or in whatever stage of the plot af­ter they were loose, the savagegs might take the alarm, each man was to catch some weapon, and without giving the savages a moment's time to re­cover from their consternation, were to attack them with all fury, and at once put the matter to a fi­nal issue. But when night came on, no one had been able to secure any kind of tool, wherewith to cut himself loose; they however, when the sav­ages were asleep, struggled and strove to get their hands at liberty; but all in vain. The night passed without effecting any thing, and happily, without exciting the least suspicion.

On Saturday it was agreed at all events to bring matters to a crisis the ensuing night; they all as one declared they would march no farther toward Niagara. By Saturday night they had marched 75 miles; their lodging was as follows: after erecting a fire, they spread down their blankets, of which they now had such a plenty as to afford them a comfortable bed and covering. One circumstance worthy of notice in this place is, that the savages were so infested with lice▪ that they could not sleep quietly with their claoths on, and this being a cold night, they stript off even their shirts, and exposed them on some bushes to freeze, in order to thin the lice; whence it hap­pened, that when they turned out in the alarm at midnight, they were stark naked. Pike had ob­served that the indian whom he was taught to call his master, when he went to sleep, laid his knife under his body, which he possessed himself of by [Page 10] the following art: pretending a great fondness for his said master, he begged the favour of sleep­ing at night by his side, and had the dexterity when the indians were asleep, to extract the knife unperceived, wherewith he cut himself loose. Mr. Pence likewise being allowed a knife at supper time, instead of returning it, droped and covered it in a certain place by the couch; and when the indians demanded his knife, he pretended that it had been surrendered up, and so it passed over; and when the savages were asleep, he resumed his knife, and cut himself loose; and by means of these two knives, all the prisoners were soon at liberty, excepting Jonah, whom it was thought best not to awake; every one, as soon as possible, got hold of some kind of weapon, expecting every moment the savages would be upon their legs, give the yell of war, and commence a violent at­tack, with the inequality of ten to four; but still they slept. One grand object was secureing the fire arms; those were all set against a tree at the head of the couch, and were presently removed to a place appointed, about two rods distant, by the side of a tree. Some ammunition they likewise secured; with which they even had leisure to prime their pieces, which the indians, previous to their lying down, had cautiously unprimed. Thus in the space of a few lucky moments, these four men, with the most cautious dexerity, deprived ten sav­ages, not only of their fire arms, but nearly of all their tomakawks, removed them to the spot as­signed, and after a hasty, but very wise and pru­dent [Page 11] consultation, it was resolved that two men should stand by the guns, and fire upon the sava­ges as they rose up, and during the conflict; the other two men took each a tomahawk, and with undaunted bravery, advanced to the couch where the ten indians lay, in order to commence the at­tack, one on each side of the couch; they uncov­ered the indians heads, and with an unerring blow, each struck his tomahawk into the brains of an indian, killing both in an instant; the other eight indians sprang up the same moment, and at once perceived that their arms were not only taken from them, but fatally turned against themselves, and moved by that cowardly qualm which naturally ris­es in bosoms that delight in cruelty, they scamp­ered off as quick as they arose, without giving the two men time to give a second blow. The two men who stood by the guns, saluted the indians as they arose, and pursued them as they fled with the same salutation, as far as their naked precipi­tation would permit; they sorely wounded some, which appeared from a profusion of blood which they sprinkled on the snow as they fled: the snow at this time had a hard crust, yet not so strong but what they broke through almost every step; this had a sad opperation on their naked shins, which their present trouble and haste would not permit them to take any care of: some small de­fence for their legs in this race would have afford­ed them no small comfort, as they were oblig­ed to abandon them to the crust, which mang­led them most pitifully, which appeared the [Page 12] next morning by the numberless fragments of flesh and skin, which they left by their tracks, many of which were as big as dollars. Jonah being a­sleep with the indians, started in surprise and con­fusion, and run off with them a few rods, but re­collecting the plan to which he had been privy, he leaped back to the company; Pike humour­ously gave him a cuff on the ear, saying, what you rascal, was you going to run off with the indians? They were now all enraptured with their deliver­ance and victory, which was every way compleat, equal, or even superior to the utmost stretch of their fancy and fond wishes. Their joy was mix­ed with astonishment at so rare and surprising an event; which so dazzled their imaginations, that they could scarcely believe and realize facts, supported by the instant testimony of all their senses. How great and sudden was their change of circumstances! From the severest sufferings, and the most ill-boding apprehensions of extreme woe, under savage captivity, by a bold and manly execution of a wise concerted plan, they, in the space of a few minutes, vanquished the whole party of savages, so superior in number, that they deemed it needless to keep a guard; possed them­selves of their effects, and completely regained their liberty.

It was practiced in antient times, even by hea­then writers, in cases of sign [...] deliverance to as­cribe the efficiency thereof to the power of Deity; and it would be unpardonable in an American, at a day of such striking manifestations of divine [Page 13] patronage, not to ascribe to the auspicious provi­dence of Deity, not only the more general and important speciments of aid, but every subordinate instance, and in special the present. Who can conceive, that men without special assistance, could arise in the night, in such an attempt against such superior number of indians, who are alert and vigilent, and ever jealous in the extreme, cut themselves loose, secure the arms, and perform all the necessary transactions, moving about on the snow, crumping around their ears, without arous­ing those infernal dogs; and then, that they should instantly vanquish them, without a con­flict, when they could but know, that naked and destitute, they must inevitably and miserably freeze and starve, short of reaching any relief, which proved in fact to be their awful fate, their guilty consciences sufficiently remonstrating a­gainst turning about and submitting to the mercy of their victors. They probably set their faces toward Niagara, 230 miles distant, without arms, or a scrap of cloathing or food, and have never been heard of since, which occasioned great mournings at Niagara, as some prisoners inform. It is probable that the operation of famine and frost, landed those wretches, one after another, on a bed of snow, where they left the world, literally as naked as they came into it. Their horrid fate, had it fallen to the share even of wild beasts, ought to have moved compassion in every human breast; but when we consider how richly those monsters merited their fate by the most un­provoked, [Page 14] needless and voluntary hostilities, prose­cuted with the most wanton stretches of inhuman­ity and guilt, it moderates the pang of sympathy, and constrains the minds of the compassionate, in some measure, to acquiesce in the providential ex­ercise of those punishments, which human nature could not bare to inflict on the most accummulat­ed guilt.

Our people spent the remaining part of the night very agreeably by the fire side, without any fear of the vanquished savages. The booty which the indians left, was more than they could bring home, which determined them to make a raft of timber on the Susquehannah, in order to transport themselves, with their effects down the river; but this unluckily run aground, by which means they lost all their provisions and booty, excepting their fire arms, with which they made the best of their way home, having 75 miles to measure back, without any provisions but what they could catch by the way. They travelled until Monday, when they killed a raccoon, and on Tuesday found the carcass of a deer, lately killed; with which re­freshments they reached the settlements on Thurs­day. At their unexpected return, with the ac­count of their brilliant exploits, as we may well judge, they were heartily congratulated.

Having said thus much of the ten savages, I proceed to a tale of the six. These made their appearance on Monday the 27th of March, near a place called Kingston, within the limits of West­moreland, where they soon kidnapped Thomas [Page 15] Bennet, with his son, twelve years old, and a Mr. Hammond, and without delay, set out for Niaga­ra. The treatment they received from the sava­ges, was rough and menacing, especially Bennet, with whom they had long been acquainted, and at whose house they had been entertained: Such is the perfidious nature of these wretches, like the immortal Arnold, and his brethren, that hostilities, and inhumanity exercised on an old acquaintance, especially a friendly one, but serves more highly to season their taste for inhumanity and savage tri­umph. In short, as to situation and prospects, these people were similar to those who were pris­oners to the other party of indians, which I need not repeat; they were reduced to the same desper­ate alternative, which naturally in these brave men, produced a similar resolution. On Tuesday they agreed to attack the six indians the ensuing night, with the inequality of two to six, they placing no dependence on the boy. They were to endeavour, in couching at night, to place themselves as favourable as they could, and to take the best observation, as to where the indians placed their weapons, when they went to sleep, and by all means, each was to possess himself of a tomahawk, and watching each the others motion, Bennet was to give the signal, when both were to rise in an instant, and address themselves to the indians with their tomahawks, in the true savage taste. They had the address to prepare, and pro­vide themselves as was proposed, and just as they were about to fix their choice on a fatal moment, [Page 16] to arise in the desperate attempt, it so happened that one of the indians began to stir, and lift up his head, and presently raised up his body, and sat by the fire side, putting the fuel in order: Bennet determined still to pursue the plan, and not let it die thus in embryo, began to stretch himself as if just awake from sleep, and entered into some small conversation with the indian, in order to amuse him; be presently arose, and stood on his feet, turning himself by the fire, and watching a favour­able moment to put into execution the daring plan, which greatly swelled and heaved in their anxious bosoms▪ Hammond lay as if asleep, though ready, and waiting the signal to spring and second the blow of his fellow. Bennet began leisurely to renew his request for liberty to return home, promising, that if he might go home, he would supply them in a friendly manner with provisions, whenever they should apply; at this the indian turned up his face, pointing upwards with his finger; and in token of contempt, cries out with an indian accent, pee; at this instant, Bennit took his tomahawk, and with a violent blow buried it in the brains of the indian; Ham­mond sprang at the same time, and with a lucky blow killed another; the other four indians im­mediately arose, and turned to run, when Ham­mond, by a second blow, wounded a third deep­ly between his shoulders; Bennit's weapon was so fastened in the indian's skull, that he could not extract it for a second blow, but catched up a long indian spear which was at hand, and before [Page 17] they were out of reach, he pushed it quite thro' the trunk of a fourth indian's body, who ran off with the same in his body, as did likewise he that received a wound from Hammond, with the two sound indians, never presuming to contend; though had they dared to face the assailants, and put the matter to the issue of bodily strength, they might have had more than an equal chance; but properties of such opposite natures as bravery and cruelty, cannot exist in the same breast. Our people from being prisoners to savages, suddenly became prisoners of rapture and amazement, at such an extraordinary deliverance, and victory. They secured the arms, and without delay return­ed home to their applauding friends. It appears by some after discoveries, that the indians skulk­ed about in the dark, until they perceived that our people had left the ground, when they came to the place, and picked up some provisions and cloathing, hid their dead between some logs, in which point the indians are very assiduous, and marched for Niagara. The two savages who es­caped unhurt at this time, were all that reached Niagara, out of sixteen, to report the sorrowful fate to their shameless employers.

To this narrative it may not be wholly imper­tenent to subjoin a few hints concerning the reli­gion, government, customs and manners of the aborigines of this country.

As to religion, these aborigines, though they are perhaps the most rude and illiterate of all the human race, yet the principle of natural religion [Page 18] are not wholly extinguished in them; and indeed, though some authors have amused the world with tales of whole nations of atheists, more absurd to a man of thought, than the idea of nations of ideots and pigmies; yet I appeal to the common sense of mankind, whether the grand leading ideas of an all-wise, all-ruling Being, the deathless na­ture of mind, and a futute reckoning would not naturally arise in the mind of every thinking man, with an irresistable conclusion, though he were divested of all the partialities of education. These animals, though they trample on the rights of humanity, and the dictate of nature, yet seem to have some confused ideas of these leading points, as I have been informed. They address the Su­preme Being under the title of the Great Man, and frequently pronounce mandates, presages and oracles, which they pretend to receive from him, on many occasions, and more especially at their powows, a kind of beastly masquerade or frolic. There is a notion prevails among them, that when one is slain in battle, if the enemy get his body, he will fare worse for it after his decease, and for this reason they will hazard their lives more to bring off the bodies of the slain, than in almost any other attempt. A notable instance of this kind, we had a few years past, in an action at Westmorland: It is asserted, by all conversant a­mong the indians, that at their funerals they prac­tice burying bottles of rum, tomahawks, and such things as the deseased were most fond of, with them in their graves. Such rude customs, [Page 19] consonant to the ignorance of savages, discovers an assent to those natural principles of religion. Those who believe there is a God, and after a natural death, that they shall survive in his pre­sence and dominion, cannot suppress the idea of retribution. It is said that among these savages, when one commits any abominable crimes, which are shocking in their view, they treat him with abhorrence, and suppose that the vengeance of heaven will surely overtake him.

These people are as wholly destitute of any kind of government, as any of the human species can be. There is no kind of animals which herd together, but have some kind of government: a­mong cattle, rank is determined by bodily strength and activity; each one knows his superiors and inferiors, and when a stranger is added to the flock, the first business is to determine his rank, which is ordinarily done without much strife▪ this salutary regulation, suited to their natures produces general tranquility. Geese that pass and repass our country, spring and autumn, for change of climate, flying in regular wedges, with a cer­tain one at head to direct their way, have a kind of instinctive policy in assigning the time and place of rendezvous, and appointing an expert leader: so these savages when they hear the din of war, if there are white people inhuman enough to encourage them to skulk, surprise, kill and capattive the unwary or defenceless, which are their only exploits, they repair to their standard, and appoint or acknowledge certain leaders, whom [Page 20] they obey only in proportion to their natural talents, to awe, influence and command them: these are what they commonly stile head warriors; besides which, especially in times of peace, there are those whom they stile great men; and if one of these becomes eminent above the rest, and so continue for a number of years, perhaps he ob­tains the title of sachem, These great men are such to whom nature has been somewhat more liberal in the bestowment of sense and stability, who have distinguished themselves on divers oc­casions, or have a commanding address and de­portment; by such means they of course obtain what I would call a natural authority: this kind of authority obviously obtains among all man­kind, by an irresistable law of nature: conspicu­ous excellence commands obsequious deference. I am well informed these great men have consider­able awe over the rest, who pay a very considera­ble deference to their opinion and advice when they are under their inspection, and free from strong drink and passions.

But least we should form too respectable an idea of these great men, we may consider that they are drunk as often as they have cider, rum, or other spirits, and are frequently guilty of as gross enormities as the rest. These are the most consistent ideas I can form from the small infor­mation I have had, and the few observations I have made concerning rulers and authority among the indians, though I am willing to submit to the opinion of any who may be otherwise and better [Page 21] informed, I think I have represented them with as much dignity in these matters, as the specimens of their government will possibly support. It is universally acknowledged that there is no authori­ty among them that pretends to inflict any kind of punishment on those who commit any kind of crimes; if this be so, it is sufficient to my pur­pose, and without any comment, proves the essen­tials of government and authority to be wholly wanting. Murder is no very uncommon crime among them; they frequently gorge their unhal­lowed passions by mauling and stabing the objects of them to death; and herein the fear of punish­ment does not much excite the caution of doing it by night, or in a solitary, place but whenever their passions and malice impels; the perpetrator ex­pects perhaps to be called by some an ugly fel­low for a while, but is apprehensive of no punish­ment, unless some relative or friend of the slain has bravery enough to avenge his death. I was some years past at an indian settlement, and saw a recent grave where a murdered indian had a few days before been buried; the murderer was about among the others, and though this was in the chief town of that tribe or nation, yet no other notice was taken of the matter, than that the more steady people viewed the murderer as a wretch, whom the vengeance of heaven would some time over­take. If no avenger arose in that case, as I doubt whether any did, I conclude the odium declined with time, adding one to their numberless stigmas of national guilt. It is common for a relative or [Page 22] friend in such a case, to avenge the murder, and sometimes the avenger meets the vengeance of a third, and so on until several fall. I submit to common sense the idea of a sovereign or sachem presiding over such a tribe.

Theft and robbery among them are venial crimes▪ which renders their small property very precarious, and discourages the acquisition of more, were they disposed to it.

As to marriage, it is attended with some small ceremony among them; but an indian whenever he pleases, turns off one wife and takes an other: it is a little extraordinary for a man and woman to live together during life. It is said that if their wives happen to be too familiar with another indian, the husband is apt enough to resent it, but not so if with a white debauchee.

There is in the vicinity of some, if not all in­dian towns, a house constructed, called the wo­man house, to which their women periodically re­sort; to this the males never presume to approach, but if their business calls them that way, they shun it by a circuitous walk; if the males have occasion to carry them any necessaries, they leave the same at a certain distance, where, when they are gone, the women go and fetch it; this custom resembles one observed by the antient Jews. The manner of burying their dead, is to seat the body on the surface of the earth, with the trunk erect, and placing in his arms such things as used to delight him in his life, and which they suppose will be useful to him in future, they cover him [Page 23] with a pile of earth; these piles are sometimes flatted down by some means or other, and leave the bones and funeral treasure above ground.

The indians are universally intemperate in drink­ing; both males and females never fail of intox­icating themselves whenever they have the means. They are a most lazy, indolent generation, especi­ally the males, who by their greater strength, and total want of delicacy, oblige the squaws to per­form all the most laborious and fatiguing employ­ments; these, use has taught to carry the most incredible burthens when they travel to and fro, and on all occasions, while the males walk in their company without offering to partake of the burthen.

A gentleman of veracity who had resided con­siderably among them informed me, that he never observed any of the males to attempt any domes­tic labour, but at one particular time, when the squaws were much involved in business, they pro­posed an entertainment, and invited the men to assemble and hoe a field of corn for them, which they accordingly did, and then partook of the re­past which the squaws had provided, which was a pig cooked with some indian corn and beans, the flesh was carved into as many parts as their were guests, of which my informant by special invita­tion was one, each was presented with his share of flesh fixed on a sharpened stick, and were told if any chose to refresh themselves with the sauce, and carry the flesh home, they were at liberty so to do; accordingly some eat their allowance on the spot, and others bore theirs home.

[Page 24]The indians by way of ornament, pass a knife quite around the circumferrence of their ears, se­parating an annular piece of cartilage, near half an inch in width, which they curiously wind with wampum, but this is presently broken by some accident in their sylvan walks, and the strips are left pendulous. They likewise paint one half of thir faces with a deep red, which gives them a ve­ry frightful appearance. What little cloathing that they wear, is made either of skins of wild beasts, or some coarse cloath when they can get it. The women wear a kind of petticoat reaching precisely to their knees, and the men something of small width fastened about their loins, and both sexes a blanket, which is their chief garment, thrown over the whole; if they happen to get a linnen shirt, it is full mounted with ruffles of the same, seldom fastened at the collar or wristbands, and never put off for washing until it is worn to rags.