on the American. continent.- : Our P_eJJ'er.ais therefore, in one or-
the other cafe, go to the continent, or to the Eaftern regions of
this great duller of numerous idles. This however, -proves that
théy change their abode, and tranfport .themfelves to very .diftant
places, in-order to procure their food, and like wife implies that
theyàre much dilired'ed -for the means, of procuring it,; for they,
would certainly, not jemove, i f they could pro.yide -at.-all times and
feafons. a futncierfcy at--the. plapb of-their , abode., W e did not
obferve that -the Peffer-ais ever ufed the berries o f a kind o f
a r b u t u s , which, 'in fôme places, is found in .great abundance;
Hor can we:recdlledt that-they made life o fr an-y -other vegetables by
way o f food, though it is probable that they-do not entirely negledt
them. On the contrary, the inhabitants ;;of Greenland gather
lèverai kinds of;berries, to live upon,-,;and likewife eat a.kind of
ffca-weed. . .: i;.-., ;.
T h e Pejferais whom we Taw, were without'any other covering
than that o f a fmall piece-of feal-lkin, or-a part o f a guanacoe-lkin,
hung over their baoks, . ind -feçmednot the -leaft -concerned-upon
expofing: their genitals ; thèwomen had only a piece-of white birds
ifkin- about fix inches fquare, hardly fuffie-ien-t to be called,a badge
of. modefty ; nor was this cuftom univerfal, for fome o f them
were feen without it. T h e Greenlanders on the contrary, are all
Well, provided with feal-ikinsj ’rein-deer-furrs' and Ik ins o f ' watèr-
3 • . -, - ........ ■ birds ;
birds; and thefe ikins are further improved into a kind of
convenient- drefs, -well fuited to the rigours--of their winters-; nay,
they ufe the. guts o f certain fifli and animals : for under garments,
or as we would call it inftead o f ihirts and ihi-fts; -they formerly
employed hone?, pf fifli and birds .inftead. erf -needles, and-they fplit
the finews of the rein-deer and whale, in order to ufe them inftead
.of thread, which they handle with’ fo much dexterity and neatnefs,
that even our European furriers admire their Ik-ill. They are not
contented with one fet o f cloaths, but on iolemn occafions are pro-*
vided with new fuits.
Their habitations are adapted to each feafon; in winter they occupy
warm and convenient homes, built o f flone, and covered with
beams, and a'r.op.f,- though wood be very fcarce among them, as
they have' no .other than what is drifted to their fliores, and
thrown, up by fea; they have windows" for admitting day-light,
made very curioufly. of Teals guts,, and maws' o f fiih ; the whole in-
fide is hung with ikins, aiid their elevated bed-places are covered
with the fineft furrs; and the entrance is contrived in a convenient
and ingenious manner. Their method of drefling vkSuals, over a
lamp o f train-oil, in a kettle o f pot-ftone ; and in a word, all their
contrivances are proofs of their ikill and ingenuity; their greater
happinefs, and their enjoyment o f the loweft degree o f conve-
niencies;. - The fummer they pafs in neat and convenient tents, re-
. g u l a r l y
ORIGIN
OF SOCIETIES,