NORTHERN OCEAN 299 



as they seldom vary so much as the men. Their skins are 

 soft, smooth, and polished ; and when they are dressed in 

 clean clothing, they are as free from an offensive smell as any 

 of the human race. 



Every tribe of Northern Indians, as well as the Copper and 

 Dog-ribbed Indians, have three or four parallel black strokes 

 marked on each cheek ; which is performed by entering an 

 awl or needle under the skin, and, on drawing it out again, 

 immediately rubbing powdered charcoal into the wound. 



Their dispositions are in general morose and covetous, and 

 they seem to be entirely unacquainted even with the name of 

 gratitude. They are for ever pleading poverty, [307] even 

 among themselves ; and when they visit the Factory, there is 

 not one of them who has not a thousand wants. 



When any real distressed objects present themselves at the 

 Company's Factory, they are always relieved with victuals, 

 clothes, medicines, and every other necessary, gratis ; and in 

 return, they instruct every one of their countrymen how to 

 behave, in order to obtain the same charity. Thus it is very 

 common to see both men and women come to the Fort half- 

 naked, when either the severe cold in Winter, or the extreme 

 troublesomeness of the flics in Summer, make it necessary for 

 every part to be covered. On those occasions they are seldom 

 at a loss for a plausible story, which they relate as the occasion 

 of their distress (whether real or pretended), and never fail to 

 interlard their history with plenty of sighs, groans, and tears, 

 sometimes affecting to be lame, and even blind, in order to 

 excite pity. Indeed, I know of no people that have more 

 command of their passions on such occasions ; and in this 

 respect the women exceed the men, as I can affirm with truth 

 I have seen some of them with one side of the face bathed in 

 tears, while the other has exhibited a significant smile. False 

 pretences for obtaining charity are so common among those 

 people, and so often detected, that the Governor is frequently 

 obliged to turn a deaf ear to many who apply for relief ; for 



