72 THE ISTHMUS OF PANAMA. 



dingo river enters this bay, at the mouth of which 

 there is an Indian settlement, and the inhabitants 

 are consequently known by that name also. They 

 are a hardy and somewhat active race of people, with 

 rather broad chests and low foreheads, giving them 

 an ugly expression. They are very careful of 

 their women, for whom they provide liberally, giv- 

 ing each wife a separate house to live in, when they 

 have more than one, which is frequently the case. 

 This has been considered the ground of their objec- 

 tion to Europeans, as they are known to be opposed 

 to the improvement of the sj>ecies by mixed blood. 

 The women are said to be modest and amiable, but 

 as they are never without a watchful eye over them, 

 it is difficult to judge of their virtues. Their com- 

 plexions are usually clearer, and they are otherwise 

 better looking than the males, especially when 

 young. The native costume consists of a cotton 

 skirt or wrapper, of their own manufacture, and usu- 

 ally colored with blue, reaching from their shoulders 

 to a little below the calf of the leg, and a piece of 

 the same thrown over their heads, reaching below the 

 breasts. They are very fond of ornaments, such as 

 ear-rings, necklaces and wristlets of coral or beads, 

 and sometimes they wear rings in their noses. The 

 hair is long and black, and usually fastened upon 

 the tops of their heads, or braided and left to hang 

 down their backs. 



Ornaments and various articles of dress are now 

 obtained to a considerable extent from coasting ves- 

 sels that visit them to exchange such goods for fustic, 



