( 99 ) 



who had been here in our abfence, were 

 not of that tribe with which we had 

 fome commerce before, who feemed to 

 fet no value upon iron, but from fome 

 other quarter ; and muft have had com- 

 munication with the Spaniards, from 

 whom they had learned the value and 

 ufe of that commodity. Thieving from 

 Itrangers is a commendable talent among 

 favages in general, and befpeaks an ad- 

 drefs which they much admire ; though 

 the ftridteft honefty, with regard to the 



% 



property of each other, is obferved 

 among them. There is no doubt but they 

 ranfacked all our houfes ; but the men 

 had taken care, before they went off in 

 the long-boat, to (trip them of their moft 



valuable furniture ; that is, the bales 







of cloth ufed for lining, and con- 

 verted them into trowfers and watch- 

 coats. Upon farther fearch, we found, 

 thrown aficle in the buflies, at the back 

 of one of the huts, fome pieces of feal, 

 in a very putrid conditign j which, how- 



H 2 ever. 



