OF THE POLAR SEA. 163 
the middle size, with slender, but well propor- 
tioned, limbs. Their colour is .a light copper, 
and they have a profusion of very black hair, 
which hangs over the ears, and shades the face. 
Their dress, which I think extremely neat and 
convenient, consists of a vest and trowsers of 
leather fitted to the body; over these a buffalo 
robe is tastefully thrown. These dresses are in 
general cleaned with white-mud, a sort of marl, 
though some use red-earth, a kind of bog-iron-ore : 
but this colour neither looks so light, nor forms 
such an agreeable contrast as the white with the 
black hair of the robe. Their quiver hangs be- 
hind them, and in the hand is carried the bow, 
with an arrow always ready for attack or defence, 
and sometimes they have a gun ; they also carry 
a bag containing materials for making a fire, 
some tobacco, the calumet or pipe, and whatever 
valuables they may possess. This bag is neatly 
ornamented with porcupine quills. Thus equip- 
ped, the Stone Indian bears himself with an air 
of perfect independence. 
The only articles of European commerce they 
Tequire in exchange for the meat they furnish to 
the trading post, are tobacco, knives, ammunition, 
and spirits, and occasionally some beads, but 
more frequently buttons, which they string in 
their hairas ornaments. A successful hunter will 
