CHAP. equally ingenious. They construct large nets with bulrushes, and re-
■ pair to such rivers as are the resort of their game, where they fix a
long pole upright on each bank, with one end of the net attached to
the pole on the opposite side of the river to themselves. Several
artificial ducks made of rushes are then set afloat upon the water
betw een the poles as a decoy; and the Indians, wlio have a line fastened
to one end of the net, and passed through a hole in the upper end of
Dec.
lS2(i.
the pole that is near them, wait the arrival of their game in concealment.
When the birds approach, they suddenly extend the net across the river
by pulling npon the line, and intercept them in their flight, wlien they
fall stunned into a large purse in the net, and are captured. They
also spread nets across their rivers in the evening, in order that the
birds may become entangled in them as they fly.
The occupation of the men consists principally in providing for
their support, and in constructing the necessary implements for the
chase and for their own defence. The women attend to their domestic
concerns, and work a variety of baskets and ornamental parts of their
dress, some of which are very ingenious, and all extremely laborious.
Their closely w'ove baskets are not only capable of containing water,
but are used for cooking their meals. A number of small scarlet
feathers of the oriolus phcenieeus are wove in with the wood, and
completely screen it from view on the outside; and to the rim are affixed
small black crests of the Californian partridges, of which birds a hundred
brace are required to decorate one basket:—they are otherwise
ornamented w ith beads, and pieces of mother-of-pearl. They also embroider
belts very beautifully with feathers of different colours, and
they work with remarkable neatness, making use of the young quills of
the porcupine, in a similar manner to the Canadian Indians; but here
they manufacture a fine cloth for the ground, whereas the Canadians
have only the bark of the birch-tree. They also manufacture caps and
dresses for their chiefs which are extremely beautiful; and they have a
great many other feather ornaments, which it would be stepping beyond
tbe limits of my work to describe.
The stature of the Indians which w-e saw in the missions was by
no means diminutive. The Alchones are of good height, and the Tulu-
raios were thought to be, generally, above the standard of English- CHAP.
men. Their complexion is much darker than that of the South-sea ,
Islanders, and their features far inferior in beauty. In their persons
Dec.
1826.
they are extremely dirty, particularly their heads, which are so thatched
with wiry black hair that it is only by separating the locks with the
hand that it can be got at for the purposes of cleanliness. Many are
seen performing such acts of kindness upon their intimate friends; and,
as the readiest means of disposing of what they find, consuming it, in
the manner practised by the Tartars, who, according to HakluyC-
“ cleanse one anothers’ hcades, and ever as the! take an animal do eate
her, saeing, thus wille I doe to our enemies
Their bodies are in general very scantily clothed, and in summer
many go entirely naked. The women, however, wear a deer skin or
some other covering about their loins; but skin dresses are not common
among any of the tribes concerning whom we could procure any
information. The women are fond of ornaments, and suspend beads
and buttons about their persons, while to their ears they attach long
wooden cylinders, variously carved, which serve the double purpose of
earrings and needle-cases.
Tattooing is practised in these tribes by both sexes, both to ornament
the person, and to distinguish one clan from the other. It is
remarkable that the women mark their chins precisely in the same way
as the Esquimaux.
The tribes are frequently at war with each other, often in consequence
of trespasses upon their territory and property; and weak
tribes are sometimes wholly annihilated or obliged to associate themselves
with those of their conquerors ; but such is their w'avmth of
passion and desire of revenge that very little humanity is in general
shown to those wIio fall into their power. Their weapons consist only
of bows and arrows: neither the tomahawk nor the spear is ever
seen in their hands. Their bows are elegantly and ingeniously constructed,
and if kept dry will discharge an arrow to a considerable distance.
They resemble those of the Esquimaux, being strengthened by
' Hakluyt’s Selection of curious and rare Voyages, Supplement.
3 F