49 JWKeevor's Voyage to Hudson's Bay. 



niper, while the tide rippled on in tiny waves towards tne 

 white and pebbled beach. After ascending a platform, which 

 projected out for a considerable distance, we were welcomed 

 in a most polite manner by Mr. Aid, the governor. Until you 

 come to the governor' s house, nothing' is to be seen but a few 

 out-houses, some for storing firs, others for boat-builders. 

 The governor's house is about 100 yards in breadth, and thirty 

 feet high, consisting of two stories, not unlike an extensive 

 farm-house. Before it, there is a high close railing, for the 

 purpose, I was told, of keeping off the Indians when they get 

 intoxicated, as they are then not only troublesome but dan- 

 gerous. It is built entirely of wood, cut into square logs, and 

 laid one on top of the other. After partaking of some re- 

 freshments, a walk was proposed. As I was most anxious 

 to get a glimpse of the natives, I made towards that part of 

 the shore where I had, on our way up, observed some of their 

 wigwams. Of these I shall now give some account. 



The North-American Indians are, for the most part, tall, 

 large boned, and long visaged, with very prominent features. 

 The eye is penetrating, and of a deep black colour. The nose 

 prominent, of an aquiline shape, not at all flattened. The 

 forehead is short and straight. Chin rounded, and projecting 

 slightly. Mouth large, but lips not at all everted. Hair 

 uniformly of a shining black, strait and coarse, having no 

 disposition whatever to curl. On the entire, when viewed in 

 profile, the parts appear more deeply and distinctly marked 

 out than in the Esquimeaux. The ear is not placed so far 

 back on the head, nor is the glabella, or space between the 

 eyes, at all so great as in the last-mentioned tribe. The ge- 

 neral expression of countenance is gloomy and severe. Some, 

 however, especially the young men, have a very cheerful ani- 

 mated look. Though the countenance is, generally speaking, 

 such as 1 have here represented, there is, however, the same 

 variety as we meet with amongst Europeans, contrary to the 

 assertion of some, who have maintained that all the inhabit- 

 ants of the new world have precisely the same countenance ; 

 so that having seen one, you might be said to have seen all. 

 They have but little hair on their chin, or upper lip, owing', 

 as in the case of the Esquimeaux, to its being eradicated im- 

 mediately on its first appearance. The most unfounded re- 

 ports have been circulated on this subject, by ignorant, super- 

 ficial, or prejudiced observers. Some, indeed, have gone so 

 far as to assert that the Americans are destitute of beard alto- 

 gether, and have represented this as a characteristic peculi- 

 arity of this portion of the human race. The concurring tes- 

 timony, however, of all modern accurate travellers, proves 



