j6o a V O Y a G E T O 



'777- their 2;rcat labour and patience in execution. Their cordage 



February. "-' -.nit r ^ 



for fifliing-Unes is equal, in Itrengch and evennefs, to that 

 made by us ; and their nets not at all inferior. But what 

 muft cofl them more labour than any other article, is the 

 making the tools we have mentioned ; for the flone is ex- 

 ceedingly hard, and the only method of fafliioning it, we 

 can guefs at, is by rubbing one ftone upon another, which 

 can have but a flow efFetft. Their fubftitute for a knife is 

 a fhell, a bit of flint, or jafper. And, as an auger, to bore 

 holes, they fix a fliark's tooth in the end of a fmall piece of 

 wood. It is true, they have a fmall favv made of fome jag- 

 ged fiflies teeth, fixed on the convex edge of a piece of wood 

 nicely carved. But this, they fay, is only ufed to cut up 

 the bodies of their enemies whom they kill in battle. 



No people can have a quicker fenfe of an injury done to 

 them, and none are more ready to refent it. Bur, at the fame 

 time, they will take an opportunity of being infolent when 

 they think there is no danger of punifliment ; which is fo 

 contrary to the fpirit of genuine bravery, that, perhaps, 

 their eagernefs to refent injuries is to be looked upon rather 

 as an efFe<51: of a furious difpofition than of great courage. 

 They alfo appear to be of a fufpicious or miflruflful temper 

 (which, however, may rather be acquired than natural), for 

 flrangers never came to our fhips immediately, but lay in 

 their boats at a fmall diftance, either to obferve our motions, 

 or confult whether or no they fliould rifk their fafety with 

 us. To this they join a great degree of diflionefly ; for 

 they fleal every thing they can lay their hands on, if there 

 be the lead hope of not being detected ; and, in trading, I 

 have little doubt but they would take advantages, if they 

 thought it could be done with fafety j as they not only refufe 



to 



