CAPTAIN TUCKEY'S NARRATIVE. 157 



The only appearance of metals is in the ferruginous clay 

 and stones near the river, which the natives grind, and 

 of these form their pots for boihng (their only cooking uten- 

 sil); these small stones rounded to the size of a pea, 

 serve them for small shot. Small particles of copper were 

 observed by Dr. Smith in some of the specimens of mine- 

 rals he collected. 



During my absence the seine was hauled, but not a single 

 fish was taken. The only implements of fishing seen with 

 the natives were the scoop-net, already spoken of, and 

 a kind of fish pot of reeds. The fish we could procure from 

 them are all very small, Avith the exception of one which I 

 bought, and whose skin Mr. Cranch preserved. It appears 

 to be of the genus Miirena. Testaceous fish are extremely 

 few; a single shell (Helix) found on the summit of one 

 of the hills near a fishing hut, and an oyster taken up by 

 the dredge, are all we have been able to procure. 



On the banks we have found snares for taking beach 

 birds, nearly resembling those used in Ireland to catch 

 snipes, being an elastic twig with a bit of line and noose, 

 which catches the bird's neck. 



The higher we proceed the fewer European articles the 

 natives possess ; the country grass-cloth generally forms 

 the sole clothing of the mass of the people, and gourds are 



