WflSin of coarfe cloth, drongly woven, of a kind of grafs, which
was tied on about the middle. Their fhape gives them a
ftriking refemblance to the glandss plumbea of the Romans *.
Captain Cook being defirous to find a watering-place,
foon returned to the boats, and proceeded along fhore to the
eaftward, where he faw the whole eoaft lined with mangroves,
growing in fhallow water, and in fwampy or
marffry ground. The natives on the beach, feeing us put-
off, difperfed immediately, and went to their feveral homes.
Two of them were feen walking with great difficulty along
the mangroves r for which reafon we rowed towards them,,
amd took them into the boat. After we had proceeded near
two miles, thefe two men pointed out an entrance between.
the mangroves* which looked like a river. As it was
deep enough for our boats, we went in-, and foon perceived,,
that, after feveral turns and windings, it led to a few habitations.
In our way we faw fome of the natives {landing
on the fhore, and a flock of wild ducks paffing over
our heads at the fame time. I. killed one of them, which
one of our friends in the boat was fo defirous of poflefling*
that we readily made him a prefent of it. He, as well as.
thofe on fhore* exprefied fome admiration on obferving. the
effedt of our fire-arms, but did. not betray the fmalleft
fymptom of fear. Before we reached their houfes, we re-
* Sec Count Caylus-’s Antiquit. III. 327. Tab. XCII, fig. 3.
pealed»
A V O Y A G E ROUND THE WORLD. 3S7
.peated the experiment, much to their fatisfadlion, and were
very well pleafed to give them an idea of our power, by
fuch innocent means. At lafl, the river being not above
twelve yards wide, we landed on its banks, which were
raifed about two feet above the water, it being near the
flood tide. Here we found a few fmall families, with
their wives and children, who all came familiarly about
us, without the lead marks of diftruft or ill-will. The women
were in general of a dark chefnut, or fometimes mahogany
brown colour ; their ftature was middle-fized, fome
beiflg rather tall, and their whole form very flour, and
fomewhat clumfy. Their drefs was the mod disfiguring
that can be imagined, and gave them a thick fquat fhape.
It was a fhort petticoat or fringe, confiding of filaments or
little cords about eight inches long, which were fadened
to a very long dring, which they had tied feveral times
round the waifi. The filaments or little ropes therefore
lay above each other in feveral layers, forming a kind of
thick thatch all round the body, which did not cover above
a third part of the thigh. Thefe filaments were fometimes
dyed black ; but frequently thofe on the outfide only
were .of that colour, whild the red had a dirty draw-colour.
They wore fliells, ear-rings, and bits of nephritic dones,
like the men ; and fome had three black lines longitudinally
from the under-lip to the chin, which had been
punedured by the fame methods praftifed at the Friendly
D d d a and