but it is doubtful whether this be ornamental, or intended
as a mark of particular diftinction; and the women, who
are marked fo, have the puniture only on their lips, or a
fmall fpot on their chins. Both fexes often befmear their
faces and heads with a red paint, which feems to be a
martial ochre mixed with greafe ; and the women fome-
times wear necklaces of lhark’s teeth, or bunches o f long
beads, which feem to be made o f the leg-bones o f fmall
birds, or a particular ihell. A few alfo have fmall triangular
aprons adorned with the feathers of parrots, or bits
'o f pearl fhells, furnifhed with a double or treble fet o f
cords to fallen them about the waift. I have fometimes
feen caps or bonnets made of the feathers of birds, which
may be reckoned as ornaments; for it is not their cuftom
to wear any covering on their heads.
They live in the fmall coves formerly defcribed, in companies
of forty or fifty, or more; and fometimes in fingle
families, building their huts contiguous to each other;
which, in general, are miferable lodging-places. The bed
I ever faw was about thirty feet long, fifteen broad, and fix
high, built exadlly in the manner of one of our country
barns. The infide was both itrong and regularly made of
fupporters at the fides, alternately large and fmall, well
fattened by means of withes, and painted red and black.
The ridge pole was flrong; and the large bull-rufhes,
which compofed the inner part of the thatching, were laid
with great exaftnefs parallel to each other. At one end
was a fmall fquare hole, which ferved as a door to creep in
at; and near it another much fmaller, feemingly for letting
out the fmoke, as no other vent for it could be feen. This,
however, ought to be confidered as one of the beft, and the
refidencc of fome principal perfon ; for the greateft part of
3 them
them are not half the above fize, and feldom exceed four SsSB rebruary,
feet in height; being, befides, indifferently built, though 1— .—-
proof againft wind and rain.
No other furniture is to be feen in them, than a few fmall
bafkets or bags, in which they put their fifhing-hooks, and
other trifles; and they fit down in the middle round a fmall
fire, where they alfo'probably fleep, without any other covering
than what they wear in the day, or perhaps without
that; as fuch confined places. mutt be very warm, though
inhabited but by a few perfons.
They live chiefly by fifhing, making ufe either of nets of
different kinds, or of wooden fifh hooks pointed with bone ;
but fo oddly made, that a ftranger is at a lofs to know how
they can anfwer fuch a purpofe. It alfo appears, that they
remove.their habitations from one place to another when
the fifh grow fcarce, or for fome other reafon ; for we found
houfes now built in feveral parts, where there had been
none when we were here during our laft voyage, and even
thefe have been already deferted.
Their boats are well built, of planks raifed upon each
other, and fattened with ftrong withes, which alfo bind a
long narrow piece on the ouffide of the feams to prevent
their leaking. Some are fifty feet long, and fo broad as to
be able to fail without an outrigger; but the fmaller fort
commonly have one; and they often fatten two together by
rafters, which we then call a double canoe. They carry
from five to thirty men or more ; and have often a large
head ingenioufly carved, and painted with a figure at the
point, which feems intended to reprefent a man, with his
features diftorted by rage. Their paddles are about four
or five feet long, narrow, and pointed ; with which, when
they