308
C H A P T E R XXV. i
X )f their Houfes.— Their domejlic Implements.— Their }Preapws
ó f War .-—Their Canoes'.
T H E i R H O U S E S?^
rw-lHEIR houfes wére railed about three
ground, placed on large Rones, which, appeared [aSif
cut from the quarry, being thick and oblong ; on thefe pe-
deftals the foundation beams were laid, from whence fpr&ng
the upright fupports of their fides, which werf crofled by
other timbers grooved together, and fattened by wooden
pins; the intermediate {paces clofely filled up with bamboos
and palm-leaves, which they platted fo clofely and artifi-'
daily as to keep their habitations warm and exclude all wet;
and their being raifed from the ground preferyed them
from any, humidity. The floors were in general made of very
thick plank, a {pace of an inch or two being left between
many of them. But in fome of the houfes they were com-
pofed of large bamboos fplit, which being perpetually trodden
over, rendered them very flippery.—The interior part of
the
the hbufe. was without .any« diviflÖnV*fhe 'w-hol'ètforming one
great room.-—In general, the fire-pla’ce flood about ttómiddle
'p£fl?|funk lower than the floor, with no rfmhe^bé^wdt, the
whole? fpdce beneath b'eingyfrll'ed up with- bardSt? ibbifti 5 but
in the larger buildings,-, wber&fiiéy heldhheir public meetings,
they hid a fire-place end .—T ^ i fr, fires were in
common but findall,bqing?m^ boil thfemy^tns,
and to keep up a little flame at night to'cle&f away thé dfews,
and fmoke the 'mofilfiitaèis.—Their wildows cafnie- the
Jeéef of Mé'fiyoVhid feiïvèd'both for dbdrs and'windows,
havirt^kef^n'ng^flones at all of them tp^qhter byv*, Topre-
v è ^ a ^ hfcönvêtóieh'ce from wind or ram,'^hfebfo! mdriy
apertures mighthccafion,' eachofthem had a bambqo 'frame
or flititte^'iiftèrwdVeh as the fildes of the houfes were, which
Aiding 6n bamboo rods, »were edftly flipt‘on one 'fidhwhen
any body wanted to go in or' out.—On the top -óf thé upright
fidës. heains were laid acrott; from whence fprang the
roof, which Was pointed' like our barbs;> thfe-whóle< infMe
beM^‘ “clear; this' ihade their houfes withiif very lofty add
airy; the ou tfid eb f th e ' roof was thatched very fhicKyand
clofe with bamboös' or palm-leaves.— This Was thegfeneral
form of their houfes; fom e .o f which were from fixty to
eight’y feet in length,but thefe werè appropriated’: to'p'nblic
ufesyfuch as meetings ó f bufinefs, or feftivity; at other
timés the't ferved. the natives ' to- affenible’dh ’ and chaf together,
where the women ufually bronght their work,. and