1787. fomething like the neck of a violin; they are conftru£led of ribs
, Augu o f (lender lath, and covered with feal (kins. Their hunting and
fifiring implements are fattened with ftraps on the outfide of the
canoe, fo as to be laid hold of the moment the hunter fees his
prey. The - fingle canoes are rowed with fmall double bladed
paddles, and are managed by thefe people with great dexterity.
Belides the ornaments already mentioned, the Indians are very
fond of mafks or vifors, and various kinds of caps, all of which
are painted with different devices, fuch as birds, beafts, fillies,
and fometimes reprefentations of the human face; they have
likewife many of thefe devices carved in wood, and fome of them
far from being ill executed.
Thefe curiofities feem to be greatly valued, and are carefully
packed in neat fquare boxes, that they may .the more conveniently
be carried about.
Whenever any large party came to trade, thefe treafures were
firft produced, and the principal perfons dreffed out in all their
finery before the finging commenced. In addition to this, the
Chief (who always conducts the vocal concert) puts on a large
coat, made of the elk fkin, tanned, round the lower part of which
is one, or fometimes two rows of dried berries, or the beaks of
birds, which make a rattling noife whenever he moves. In his
hand he has a rattle, or more commonly a contrivance to anfwer
the fame end, which is of a circular form, about nine inches in
diameter,'m and made of three fmall flicks bent round at different
diftances from each other: great numbers of birds beaks and dried
berries are tied to this curious inftrument, which is fhook by the
Chief with great glee, and in his opinion makes no fmall addition
to