which fervethem for knives. Theyobtain this metal from the Efqui-
maux Indians. Their arrows'are made o f very light wood, and are winged
©nfy with two feathers ; their bows; differed from any which we had feen,
and wè underfk>öd that they were furmfhed by.theEfcpiimaux, who are
their nëighboütsî théÿ cônfife of' two pieces, with a very ferong Cord
of finews along the back, which is tied in fevefal-places, to prefeirve its
fhape; when this cord becohies wet, it requires a ftrong bow-firing, and
à- powerful arm to* draw -kN The velfeTin which they prepare their
food, is made o f a thin frame o f wood, and of an oblong fhape ; the
bottom is fixed in a curve, in the fame manner as a calk. Their Ihirts
afë not cut fquare at the bottom, but taper to a point, from the-belt
dowïïWârd^ as low Us; the knee, "both before and behind, with eP bbrlter,
êfôfeeliiîhëd With a fhort fringe. Î They ufe alfo another yfiinge, fimilat
to that whibh has been already deferibed, with the addition of thë iloné
o f a gtey farinaceous bërry, ôf theffee and fhape of a large barleycorn:
it îsJOf ?a brown‘'cplour, ànd fluted, ând bfeing^bofed^fe run ott
each firing of the frinjgë; with this they deedrate their fhkts^by fewing
it ih a feHaibiréie on the breaft and back, and croffihg over; both
ffioùldéfs V the -fleêvèsafte wide and 'lhort, but the mittens ftrpply -their
deficiency, âs'thëy are lorig enough «to-reach over a parf ÿ f -the fleeve,
and are^cOmmodioufly fufpended by a cord febfai thémêekl If their
leggxns were rSade with waiftbânds, they might with gtëât propriety ;bè
denômTriâêd tréwiêrâthëy fatten them With' a ‘cbndTotmd the middle,
fo that they appear to hâ‘Vé a; fenfè of décehcy which' théir keigHboarS
cannot boaft. Their fhoes are fewed to their leggins, and decorated on
every Team/ * One o f the dién was clad iha flint made of the fkins o f the
mufk-rat. The drefs of the women is the fame as that of the men, except
m
in their (hirts, which are longer, and without the finilhingof a fringe on
their breaft. Their peculiar mode of tying the hair is as follows:— that
jiyhich grows on the temples, or the fore part of the fkull, is formed into
two queues, hanging down before the ears; that o f the fealp or crown
is fafhioned in the fame manner to the back of the neck, and is then tied
with the reft o f the hair, at feme diftance from the head. A thin cord
is employed for thefe purpofes, and very neatly worked with hair,
artificially coloured. The women, and, indeed, feme of the men, iet
their hair hang loofe on their fhoulders, whether it be long or fhort.
. We purchafed a couple of very large moofe fkins from them, which
were very well drefled; indeed we did not fuppofe that there were any
o f thofe animals in the country;:and it appears from the accounts o f
the natives themfelves, that they are very fcarCe. As for the beaver, the
exiftence of fuch a: creature does not feem to be known by them. - Our
people bought fhirts of them, and many curious articles, &c. They
prefented us with a molt delicious fifh, which was lefs than an herring,
and very beautifully fpotted with black and yellow: its dorfal
fin reached from the head to the tail; in its expanded ftate takes a
triangular form, and is variegated with the colours that enliven the
fcales: the head is very fmall, and the mouth is armed with fharp-
pointed teeth.
We prevailed on the native, whofe language was moft intelligible, to
-accompany us. He informed us that we fhould fleep ten nights more
before we arrived at the fea; that feveraLof his relations refided in the
immediate ytcdnky b f this pare of t^e riyer, and that in three nights we
H fhould