*793* T h e identity of porto de la Trinidada therefore cannot be doubted;
« .and this affords me an opportunity o f remarking, that as our attention
whilft employed in exploring thefe Ihores, had been conflantly directed
to the difcovery o f openings in the coaft, and fecure retreats for (hipping,
it is by no means improbable that very many other fu ch ports as
that o f Trinidada may be found to exift, and intirely to have eluded the
vigilance of our examination.
We had little opportunity of becoming acquainted with the country,
as our travels were confined to the vicinity of the water fide. About
the out-fkirts of the woods the foil, though fomewhat fandy, appeared
to be a tolerably good mould lying on a ftratum o f clay, frequently interrupted
by protruding rocks. The grounds bordering on the fea-fhore
were interfperfed with feveral rocky patches of different extent; thefe
did not produce any trees, but were covered with fern, grafs, and other
herbage. Beyond this margin the woods formed one uninterrupted
wildernefs to the fummit of the mountains, producing a variety o f (lately
pine trees; amongfl thefe was obferved, for the firft time in the courfe
of the voyage, the black fpruce, which with the maple, alder, yew, and
a variety of fhrubs and plants, common to the fouthern parts of New
Georgia, feemed principally to compofe the foreft. O f the land animals
we could form no opinion but from their (kins, worn as garments
by the inhabitants; thefe feemed to be like thofe found in the more
northern part of the continent. And as to the productions of the fea,
we knew no more o f them than what have already been enumerated.
Our flay was too fhort to enable us to obtain, any other knowledge of
the inhabitants than their external charadler. Their perfons were in
general but indifferently, though floutly made, of a lower flature than
any tribe of Indians we had before feen. . They wore their hair chiefly
long, kept very clean, neatly combed and tied; but the paint they ufe
for ornament, disfigures their perfons, and renders their fkins infinitely
lefs clean than thofe of the Indians who vifited us the former year,
to the fouthward of cape Orford; to whom in moll refpedls thefe bear
a very ftrong refemblance, as well in their perfons, as in their friendly
and courteous behaviour. Their canoes alfo were o f the fame lingular
gular conflruclion, obferved only among thefe people, and a few of thofe J793-
who vifited us off cape Orford, and at Refloration point. Like the i__tv—
other tribes on this fide o f America, they fang fongs on approach-'
ing the (hip, by no means unpleafant to the ear. Their clothing was
chiefly made o f the fkins of land animals, with a few indifferent fmall
fkins of the fea otter. All thele they readily difpofed o f for iron, which
was in their feftimation the mod valuable commodity we had to offer.
The men feemed very carelefs and indifferent in their drefs; their garment
was thrown loofely over them, and was little calculated either for
warmth or decency; for the former,, they provided whilft afloat, by
burning a large fire in their canoes; o f the latter they were completely
regardlefs. The women attended more particularly to thefe points;
feme were covered from head to foot with a garment o f thin tanned
hides; others with a fimilar though lefs robe of the like materials; under
this they wore an apron, or rather petticoat, made o f warmer fkins
not tanned of the (mailer animals,, reaching from the waift below the
knees.
Amongfl thefe people, as with the generality o f Indians I had met
with, fome mutilation, or disfiguring of their perfons, is pradlifed, either
as being ornamental, or of religious inftitution, or polfibly to
anfwer fome purpofe of which we remain ignorant. At Trinidad the
euftom was. particularly fingular, and- mull be attended, with much pain
in the firft inftanee, and great inconvenience ever after. All the teeth
of both fexes. were, by fome procefs, ground uniformly down, horizontally,
to the gums; the women efpecially, carrying the fafhion to an
extreme, had their teeth reduced even below this level; and- ornamented
their lower lip with three perpendicular columns of pundtuation, one
from each corner of the mouth, and one in the middle, occupying three
fifths of the lip and chin. Had it not been for thefe frightful cuftoms,
I was informed that amongfl thofe who vifited our party on fhore the
kft day, there were, amongfl the younger females, fome who might
have been confidered as having pretenfions to beauty. The men had
alfo fome pundluations about them, and fears on their arms and bodies,
from accident, or by defign, like the people who- had vifited us
tSv