48 of captain Billings. July 17, 



Armour. 



A curious species of light armour, only calculated 

 to keep oflF arrows ; but of so neat and artful a con- 

 struction, as would probably draw the admiration of 

 even a London whip maker ; as it rivals himi in the 

 application of cat gut on the neatest whip. 



It is composed of a number of small rods of a 

 light tough wood, about a yard long, covered and 

 joined together with fine threads of the sinews of 

 some animal, so as to ply round the body, and form 

 a species of light cuirafse. But the manner these 

 sinews are applied is remarkably ntat and artful, 

 whilst they seem to have undergone some previous 

 procefs of bleaching, to have given them the clear 

 silky appearance, that makes this savage armour 

 look so well. 



The other articles in captain Billings's cases which 

 drew my attention, were some difhes of a wide boat 

 form, of a hard red wood, unknown to us, close, com- 

 pact, and without veins. The workmanfliip was 

 neat for men in so low a state of civil society, 

 whilst their form seemed to point out the maritime 

 ideas so natural to an insular situation : nay even 

 the spoon, which by its bent handle, lay convenien- 

 tly within the difh, represented a small hoisted intcf 

 a large boat. These emblematic diflies, with much 

 truth may be supposed to indicate, that they are in 

 general filled from the surrounding element, as the 

 island offers little other food than filh or amphibeous , 

 animals. A couple of inferences I think, may fair- 

 ly be drawn from these drefses, utensils, 'ijc. that 



