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Show HAD THEIR "ROASTING EARS" Good Proof That Aborigines Were Eating Them When Capt. John Smith Arrived. We do not know what the Indians called roasting ears, but there is no question that this was one of the principal articles of diet of the aborigines abor-igines when Capt. John Smith and his fellow colonists established themselves In this virgin country. A man who was born in Maine and has lived all about said that the term was first used in New England, but we doubt that, as the records would appear to show that we were making laws in Virginia before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock or thereabout, one writer saying that the first legislative legisla-tive assembly that ever convened in the country was held in Virginia "seventeen "sev-enteen months hefore the eternally lauded Pilgrims ever landed upon Plymouth Rock and ten years before the colony of Salem and Boston increased in-creased their meager numbers beyond be-yond the hundred." In Bruce's "Economic History of Virginia In the Seventeenth Century," page 173, volume 1, we are told: "The custom which the Indians followed in eating their meals was simple. A mat was spread on the ground and on this the dish was placed, the broiled fish and roasting ears being laid near at hand." Again, in the same book, page 175, there is this note: "In June, July and August they fed on fish, the roots of the tuckahoe, berries and roasting ears." The chances, are therefore that corn, which was so important an article arti-cle of their diet, was called "roasting "roast-ing ears," or the equivalent in the Indian tongue, as it is reasonable to assume that they did not eat it raw or uncooked. We are of the opinion that "roasting ears" is "a good Virginia Vir-ginia expression," inasmuch as in Virginia Vir-ginia the white man first used corn on the table or mat after the manner of the Indians, and as it was roasted before it was eaten the presumption is that it was called "roasting ears." The term appears to have been used in Virginia since the seventeenth century cen-tury and doubtless before there wera any Dutch in Pennsylvania. |