156 AVOYAGETO 



1777- but it is doubtful whether this be ornamental, or intended 



February. 



as a mark of particular diftindion ; and the women, who 

 are marked fo, have the puncfture only on their lips, or a 

 fmall fpor on their chins. Both fexes often befmear their 

 faces and heads with a red paint, which feems to be a 

 martial ochre mixed with greafe j and the women forae- 

 times wear necklaces of fhark's teeth, or bunches of long 

 beads, which feem to be made of the leg-bones of fmall 

 birds, or a particular fhell. A few alfo have fmall trian- 

 gular aprons adorned with the feathers of parrots, or bits 

 of pearl ftiells, furnifhed with a double or treble fet of 

 cords to fallen them about the waift. I have fometimes 

 feen caps or bonnets made of the feathers of birds, which 

 may be reckoned as ornaments ; for it is not their cuftom 

 to wear any covering on their heads. 



They live in the fmall coves formerly defcribed, in com- 

 panies of forty or fifty, or more ; and fometimes in fingle 

 families, building their huts contiguous to each other; 

 which, in general, are miferable lodging-places. The beft 

 I ever faw was about thirty feet long, fifteen broad, and fix 

 high, built exadlly in the manner of one of our country 

 barns. The infide was both ilrong and regularly made of 

 fupporters at the fides, alternately large and fmall, well 

 faftened by means of withes, and painted red and black. 

 The ridge pole was firong; and the large bull-rulhes, 

 which corapofed the inner part of the thatching, were laid 

 with great exacflnefs parallel to each other. At one end 

 was a fmall fquare hole, which ferved as a door to creep in 

 at ; and near it another much fmaller, feemingly for letting 

 out tlie fmoke, as no other vent for it could be feen. This, 

 however, ought to be confidered as one of the beft, and the 

 lefidence of fome principal perfon ; for the greateft part o-f 

 3 them 



