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From: "Penny Ferguson" <>
Subject: [Melungeon] James Adair 1776
Date: Sun, 16 Feb 2003 19:01:58 -0500


James Adair, History of the American Indian, 1776 p 5

"They are ingenious, witty, cunning, and deceitful; very faithful indeed to their own tribes, but privately dishonest, and mischievous to the Europeans and christians. Their being honest and harmless to each other, may be through fear of resentment and reprisal--which is unavoidable in case of any injury. They are very close, and retentive of their secrets; never forget injuries; revengeful of blood, to a degree of distraction. They are timorous, and, consequently, cautious; very jealous of encroachments from their Christian neighbors; and, likewise, content with freedom, in every turn of fortune. They are possessed of a strong comprehensive judgement, --can form surprisingly crafty schemes, and conduct them with equal caution, silence, and address; they admit none but distinguished warriors, and beloved men, into their councils. They are slow, but very persevering in their undertakings--commonly temperate in eating, but excessively immoderate in drinking. ---The!
y often transform themselves by liquor into the likeness of mad foaming bears. The women in general, are of a mild, amiable, soft disposition: excedingly modest in their behaviour, and very seldom noisy, either in the single, or married state."
Penny

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