T h e ir common drefs is a flaxen garment, or mantle, o rnamented
on the upper edge b y a narrow-ftrip o f fur, and,
at the lower edge, b y fringes or taflels. It paffes under the
le ft arm, and is tied o ver the right ihoulder, b y a firing be fore,
and one behind, near its m id d le ; b y w h ich means
both arms are left free ; and it hangs evenly, covering the
le ft fide, but leaving the right open, except from the loofe
part o f the edges fa llin g upon it, unlefs when the mantle is
fattened b y a girdle (of coarfe matting or woollen) round the
waift, w h ich is often done. Over this, w hich reaches below
the knees, is worn a fmall cloak o f the fame fubftance, lik e -
w ife fringed at the lower part. In fhape this refembles a
round difli cover, being quite clofe, except in the middle,
where there is a hole ju ft large enough to admit the head;
and then, retting upon the ihoulders, it covers the arms to
the elbows, and the body as far as the waift. T h e ir head is
covered with a cap, o f the figure o f a truncated cone, or like
a flower-pot, made o f fine matting, h a v in g the top frequently
ornamented with a round or pointed knob, or bunch o f leathern
taflels ; and there is a firin g that pafles under the chin,
to prevent its blowing off.
Befides the above drefs, which is common to both Texes,
the men frequently throw over their other garments the ikin
o f a bear, w olf, or fea-otter, with the hair outward, and tie
it, as aycloak, near the upper part, wearin g it .fometimes
before, and fometimes behind. In rainy weather, they
throw a coarfe mat about their ihoulders. T h e y have alfo
woollen garments, which, however, are little in ufe. T he
hair is commonly worn, h an ging down loofe; but forne,
when they have no cap, tie it in a bunch on the crown o f
the head. Their drefs, upon the whole, is convenient, and
would by no means be inelegant, were it kept clean. But
a s they rub their bodies conftantly over with a red paint, o f
a clayey or coarfe ochry fubftance, mixed with oil, their
garments, by this means, contract a rancid offenfive fmell,
and a grea fy naftinefs. So that they make a very wretched
dirty appearance; and what is ftill worfe, their heads and
their garments fwarm with vermin, which, fo depraved is
their tafte for cleanlinefs, we ufed to fee them pick o ff with
great compofure, and eat.
T h o u g h their bodies are always covered with red paint,
their faces are often ftained with a black, a brighter red, or
a white colour, b y w a y o f ornament. T h e laft o f thefe gives
them a ghaftly, difgu fting afpect. T h e y alfo ftrew the
brown martial niica upon the paint, w hich makes it glitter.
T he ears o f many o f them are perforated in the lobe, where
they make a pretty large hole ; and two others higher up on
the outer edge. In thefe holes they han g bits o f bone *
quills fixed upon a leathern th o n g ; fmall fh e lls ; bunches
o f woollen taflels; or pieces o f thin copper, which our
beads could never fupplant. The feptum o f the nofe, in
many, is alfo perforated, through which they draw a piece
o f foft cord ; and others wear, at the fame place, fmall thin
pieces of: iron, brafs, or copper, fhaped almoft like a horfe-
ihoe, the narrow opening o f which receives the feptum, fo as
that the two points may gently pinch i t ; and the ornament
thus hangs over the upper lip. T he rings o f our brafs buttons,
w h ich they eagerly purchafed, were appropriated to
this ufe. About their wrifts they wear bracelets or bunches
o f white bu g le beads, made o f a conic flielly fubftance;
bunches o f thongs, with tafle ls; or a broad black ihin ing
horny fubft'anc.e, o f one piece. And about their ankles they
alfo frequently’w ear many folds o f leathern thongs, or the
finews o f animals twitted to a confiderable thicknefs.
V ° L- H- R r Thus
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<Apr41.