i68 A C C O U N T O F T H E 



Several perfons indeed pafs for forcerers, pretending to 

 know things paft and to come, and are accordingly- 

 held in high efteem, but without receiving any emo- 

 lument. Filial duty and refpe(5t towards the aged are 

 not held in eflimation by thefe iflanders. They are 

 not however deficient in fidelity to each other ; they 

 are of lively and chearful tempers, though rather impe- 

 tuous, and naturally prone to anger. In general they 

 do not obferve any rules of decency, but follow all the 

 calls of nature publicly, and without the leaft referve. 

 They wafli themfelves with their own urine. 



Theii Food. Their principal food confiils in fifli and other 

 fea-animals, fmall fliell-fifli and fea- plants: their 

 createft delicacies are wild lilies and other roots, tooe- 

 ther with different kinds of berries. When they have 

 laid in a ftore of provifions, they eat at any time of the 

 day without diftinction ; but in cafe of neceffity they 

 are capable of falling feveral days together. They fel- 

 dom heat their dwellings ; but when they are defirous 

 of warming themfelves, they light a bundle of hay, and 

 ftand over it ; or clfe tliey fet fire to train oil, vvhich 

 they pour into a hollow ftone. 



They feed their children when very young with the 

 coarfeft flelli, and for the moft part raw. If an infant 

 cries, the mother immediately carries it to the fea-fide, 

 and be it fummer or winter holds it naked in the wa- 

 ter 



