1.6 kiSTOitf ot 



pair. This is, perhaps, one of the best lesson^ 

 these savages afford to civilized society ; and in 

 this instance, the children of nature shew more 

 sense than those of refinement. 



The men fish with a fish-gig, or spear, which 

 they are very qbxterous in the use of. The fish- 

 gig is about twelve feet long, which they can 

 lenghten by joints, according to the depth of 

 the water. At the end they have two, three, 

 or four barbed prongs, with a hook of a fish or 

 other bone ;•; sometimes, in fine weather, a man 

 will lay across his canoe with his face in or near 

 the water, and his fish-gig ready for darting : 

 thus they watch for prey, and seldom miss 

 their aim. The women are employed in the 

 canoes with lines and hooks ; the lines are made 

 of the bark of trees, the hooks, like those used 

 by the men, are made of bits of shells and birds 

 talons, in one of their miserable canoes, which 

 is seldom more than six inches from the surface 

 of the water, washing the edge nearly in surf, 

 which would frighten many seamen in a good 

 vessel, the youngest child, if very small, lies 

 in its mother's lap, from whence it cannot fall, 

 though she is busy fishing, as she sits in the 

 bottom of the canoe, with her knees up to her 

 breast ; thus, between her knees and body, the 

 child is secure. The men also dive and procure 

 fish from the rocks under water, where they 

 often remain a considerable time; when rising, 

 to the surface they throw on shore what they 

 have gained, to a person who attends to dress it 

 by broiling on a fire kept ready for the purpose. 



