THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 373. 



a bit of fur, and ornamented with pieces of fmall quill fea- 1778- 

 thers, in imitation of their fhelly beads, with hair fixed on 

 their heads. Whether thefe might be mere toys for chil- 

 dren, or held in veneration, as reprefenting their deceafed 

 friends, and applied to fome fuperftitious purpofe, we could 

 not determine. But they have many inftruments made of 

 two or three hoops, or concentric pieces of wood, with a 

 crofs-bar fixed in the middle, to hold them by. To thefe are 

 fixed a great number of dried barnacle-fliells, with threads, 

 which ferve as a rattle, and make a loud noife, when they 

 fliake them. This contrivance feems to be a fubftitute for 

 the rattling-bird at Nootka ; and perhaps both of them are 

 employed on the fame occafions*. 



With what tools they make their wooden utenfils, frames- 

 of boats, and other things, is uncertain ; as the only one 

 feen amongft them was a kind of ilone adze, made almoft 

 after the manner of thofe of Otaheitc, and the other iflands 

 of the Soutli Sea. They have a great many iron knives j 

 fome of which are ftraight ; others a little curved ; and 

 fome very fmall ones, fixed in pretty long handles, with the 

 blades bent upward, like fome of our Ihoemakers inftru- 

 ments. But they have flill knives of anotlier fort, which 

 are fometimes near two feet long, fliapcd almoft like a dag- 

 ger, with a ridge in the middle. Thefe they wear in 

 Ihcaths of fkins, hung by a thong round the neck, under 

 their robe ; and they are, probably, only ufed as weapons; 

 the other knives being apparently applied to other purpofes. 

 Every thing they have, however, is as well and ingenioufly 

 made, as if they were furniflied with the moft complete 

 tool-cheft ; and their fewing, plaiting of fmews, and fmall 



* The rattling-ball found by Steller, wlio attended Beering in 174 1, at no great 

 tliftance from this Sound, feems to be for a fimilar ufe. See MuIIer, p. 256. 



», n work 



