130 ACCOUNT OF THE ISLAND SAMAR. Odi. $, 



one time it is ufed to carve on the bamboo defigns of 

 no mean effed:, foi" the ornament of his houfe ; at ano- 

 ther, it is turned againft the enemy for his perfonal 

 defence. This, In fliort, feems to be the ojily edged 

 tool known, or at lead in ufe among the Indians of 

 Samar. 



Among their produ£lions of art, the Indian mat 

 merits particular notice, which is a fpecies of manufac- 

 tvu'e of fuch finenefs, that a piece of fix feet went eafdy 

 Into my pocket. It is executexl in various handfome 

 defigns, and painted with very lively and elegant co- 

 lours, which they have the art of extra£ting from dif- 

 /erent trees. 



Silk, cotton, and the fibres of the fig-bannan above 

 nientioned, furnifh the Indian with the raw materials 

 of his bed manufaftures in cloth. He makes a kind of 

 Jace, ond embroiders his filk fluffs with furprifing ele- 

 gance and addrefs. Each family is provided in a loom 

 for its own domeftic purpofes. At fea ycu find the In- 

 dian a fliip's carpenter, fail maker, and caulker ; on land, 

 a rope maker and fhip builder ; but though he exer- 

 cifes occafionali'y, almoft all the mechanic arts for his 

 own a'mufement, or convenience, he is never found to 

 profecute any one of them exclufively of the reft. I was 

 informed, but with what degree of certainty I will not 

 pretend to fay, that even the art of writing with a kind 

 of pencil on the leaves of the cocoa tree, once exifted 

 in this ifland. 



They have a cudoin, implied in the word majfarer, 

 of ci'Hckirtg the joints, and pinching the fleih in diffe- 

 rent parts of the body, which, as they conceive, tends 

 to promote the free circulation of the blood, and hu- 

 mours. That of rubbing the childrens limbs with oil 

 is likewife comr.ion, ufagCs, which as they are not pe- 

 culiar to them, but prevalent over the whole continent 

 of Afia, may be prefumed to have long been found to 

 have a falutary efreft. In place of cupping they ufe 

 fjvere pinching on the neck and flioulderSj which they 



