dren, and being thus assembled, they caused a great number of Bay boughes to bee cut, and therewith a place to be dressed for vs, distant from theirs two fadom. For it is their maner to talke and bargaine sitting: and the chiefe of them to bee apart, from the meaner sort, with a shewe of great obedience to their kinges, superiours, and elders. They bee all naked, and of a goodly stature, mightie, & as well shapen & proportioned of body, as any people in y͏ͤ world: very gentle, curteous, and of a good nature.
The most part of them couer their raines and priuities with faire Harts skinnes, painted most commonly with sundrie colours: and the fore part of their body and armes, bee painted with pretie deuised workes, of Azure, red, and blacke, so well and so properly as the best Painter of Europe coulde not amende it. The women haue their bodies painted with a certaine Herbe like vnto Mosse, whereof the Cedar trees, and all other trees be alwayes couered. The men for pleasure doe alwayes trimme them selues therwith, after sundrie fashions: They bee of tauny colour, hauke nosed, and of a pleasant countenance. The women be well fauoured, and will not suffer one dishonestly to approch too neare them. But wee were not in their houses for we sawe none at that time.
After we had taried in this North side of the riuer the most part of the day (which riuer wee haue called May,Why the riuer of May was so called. for that wee discouered the same the firste day of the Moneth) wee congratulated, made aliaunce, and entred into amitie with them, and presented the king and his brethren with Gownes of blewe cloth garnished with yellowe Flouredeluces. And it seemed that they were sory for our departure: so that the most part of them entred into the water vp to the necke, to set our boates a flote.
Putting into vs sundry kinde of fishes, which with merueilous speede they ranne to take in their packs made in the water with great Reedes, so well and cunningly set togeather, after the fashion of a Laberinth, or Maze, with so manyturnes
