A Defcription of Darieni! 71 



as the under Lip; and inftead of this the 

 Women wear a Ring thro the Bridle of the 

 Nofe : they lay them afide at their Feafts. 

 They hkewife wear Chains of Teeth, Shells, 

 Beads, or the like ; the heavier they be, they 

 reckon them the more ornamental. Their 

 Houfes lie moftly fcattering, and always by a 

 River-fide, but in (bme places they are fb many 

 as to form a Town or Village. Their Walls 

 are made up of Sticks, and daub'd over with 

 Earth : The Fire is in the middle of theHoufe, 

 and the Smoke goes out at a Hole in the Roof : 

 They are not divided into Stories or Rooms, 

 but into Hovels ; every one has a Hammock 

 for a Bed in one of thofe Hovels. They have 

 no Doors, Shelves, or Seats, other than Logs 

 of Wood. Every Neighbourhood has a War- 

 houfe of I JO foot long, the fides and Ends full 

 of Holes, whence they fhoot their Arrows on 

 the approach of thcSpamards. In their Plan- 

 tations they fee fo much Plantain, Maiz, &c. 

 as ferves their occafions : They likewife make 

 Drink of Maiz, which they ferment by Grains 

 of the fame chewed in their Mouths : They 

 have alfo another fort of Drink, which they 

 make of Plantains. Mofl: of the Drudgery is 

 perform'd by the Women with great cheerful- 

 nefs, being very well conditioned, and dutiful 

 to their Husbands, who are otherwife very in- 

 dulgent to them, and their Children. The 

 Women wafh the Mother and Child in a River 

 within an hour after Delivery. The Boys are 



bred 



