276 FOREST LIFE IN ACADIE. 



superior in war to the Indians of the mainland. Their 

 language was quite distinct from that of any of the sur- 

 rounding tribes. 



In a pamphlet published in London in 1622, by one 

 Richard Whitburne, who had had much experience in the 

 great bank fisheries, and was sent out to institute a com- 

 mission to inquire into some abuses which were con- 

 nected with the latter, are to be found some very 

 interesting accounts of Newfoundland at that very early 

 date of its history. Of the Eed Indians, he says : — " It 

 is well known that the natives of those parts have great 

 stores of red ochre wherewith they use to colour their 

 bodies, bowes, arrows, and cannows in a painting manner, 

 which cannows are their boats that they used to go to sea 

 in, which are built in shape like the wherries on the 

 Eiver of Thames, with small timbers no thicker nor 

 broader than hoopes, and instead of boards they use the 

 barkes of birche trees, which they sew very artificially and 

 close together, and then overlay the seams with turpen- 

 tine, as pitch is used on the seames of ships and boats ; 

 and in like manner they use to sew the barkes of spruce 

 and firre trees round and deep in proportion like a brasse 

 kettle to boil their meet in, as it hath been well ap- 

 proved by divers men, but most especially to my certain 

 knowledge by three mariners of a ship of Tapson, in the 

 County of Devon, which ship riding there at anchor 

 neere by me at the Harbor called Hearts Ease on the 

 North side of Trinity Bay, and being robbed in the 

 night by the savages of their apparell and divers other 

 provisions did the next day seeke after them, and hap- 

 pened to come suddenly where they had set up three 

 tents and were feasting, having three such cannows by 





