Si8 AVOYAGETO 



«778; from thefc circumflances, for us to think that they were rc- 



April. ■' 



^- — » ' prefentatives of their gods, or fymbols of fome religious or 



fuperftitious object: and yet we had proofs of the Uttle real 

 .cftimation they were in ; for with a fmall quantity of iron or 

 brafs, I could have purchafed all the gods (if their images 

 were fuch) in the place. I did not fee one that was not 

 offered to me ; and I adtually got two or three of the very 

 fmallefl: fort. 



The chief employment of the men feems to be that of 

 filhing, and killing land or fea animals, for the fuftenancc 

 of iheir families ; for we faw few of them doing any 

 thing in the houfes ; whereas the women were occupied in 

 manufacturing their flaxen or woollen garments, and in 

 preparing the fardines for drying ; which they alfo carry up 

 from the beach in twig-bafkets, after the men have brought 

 them in their canoes. The uomen arc alfo fent in the 

 fmall canoes to gather mufcles, and other fliell-fifh; and 

 perhaps on fome other occafions -, for they manage thefe 

 with as much dexterity as the men ; wlio, when in the ca- 

 noes with them, fecm to pay little attention to their fcx, by 

 offering to relieve them from the labour of the paddle; nor, 

 indeed, do they treat them with any particular refpcLT: or 

 tendernefs in other fituations. Tlic young men appeared to 

 be the moft indolent or idle fet in this community ; for they 

 were either fitting abotu, in fcattercd companies, to balk 



" I confidercd that a little bribery might probably have fome effcft. Accordingly I 

 >' made an offer of a button from my coat, which, being of metal, 1 thought they 

 " would be plcafcd with. This, inftantly, produced the defired efleiSl. For the mat 

 " was removed, and I was left at liberty to proceed as before. Scarcely had I featcd 

 " myfclf, and made a beginning, when he returned and renewed his former praiftice, 

 '' continuing it till I had parted with every finglc button ; and when he faw that he 

 '' had completely ftripped mc, I met with no farther obftrudlion." 



themfclves 



