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but also from mineral earths, and had discovered 

 the art of fi;!cing them by means of the polcura, 

 a luminous stone of an astringent quality. In- 

 stead of soap, the composition of which they 

 had not discovered, although acquainted with 

 lie, they employed the bark of the quillai, which 

 is an excellent substitute. From the seeds of 

 the madi, they obtained an oil which is very 

 good to eat and to burn, though I am ignorant 

 whether they ever applied it to the latter purpose. 



Their language contains words discriminative 

 of several kinds of baskets and mats, which they 

 tnanufactured from various vegetables. The 

 plant called gnoccliia furnishes them with thread 

 for their ropes and fishing nets, of which they 

 have three or four kinds. They also make use 

 of baskets and hooks for taking fish, but of what 

 substance the latter are made 1 am not able td 

 determine. The inhabitants of the sea-coast 

 make use of pirogues of diflfercnt sizes, and 

 floats made of wood, or of seal skins sewed to- 

 gether and inflated with air. 



Although hunting was not a principal occu- 

 pation with these people, yet, for amusement, or 

 with the view of increasing their stock of pro- 

 vision, they were accustomed to take such wild 

 animals as are found in their country, particu- 

 larly birds, of which there are great quantities. 

 For this purpose they made use of the arrow, of 

 the sling, and of the laque or noose, already 



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