286 AVOYAGETOTHE 



CHAP 



XIII. 



V ., ' 



These poor wretches, by living in fo filthy a manner, 

 were intirely covered with vermin ; but this they feemed 

 AJguii. to confider as no kind of inconvenience ; for at any time 

 Monday 20. ^j^^j^ ^-j-^g jj^.^ grcw troublcfome they picked and ate them 

 with the greateft relifli and compofure : fometimes indeed, 

 when they were greatly peftered, and had not an oppor- 

 tunity of ridding themfelves of their guefts in that manner, 

 they would turn their jackets, and wear the infide out- 

 wards, by way of giving them a few hours refpite. 



Poor Woodcock foon became as much incumbered 

 with vermin as his companions, but ufe had not as yet 

 reconciled him to fuch troublefome guefts, and he felt his 

 fituation extremely difagreeable. The Indians endeavoured 

 to perfuade him to difpofe of them in the manner they did ; 

 but this was fo totally repugnant to his feelings, that they 

 foon perceived his diflike to their propofal. At length he 

 perfuaded one of the women to rid him of the vermin, and 

 fhe (probably confidering them as a peculiar dainty) 

 accepted the office with pleafure, and entirely cleared him 

 from every thing of the kind. 



Tuefdayii. At daylight in the morning of the 21 ft, I fent Mr. 

 Hayward in the yaul out to the entrance of the Sound, 

 to fee what wind prevailed there and in the offing : he 

 returned about eight o'clock, and informed me that the 

 wind was at South Weft by Weft in the offing, which 

 threw a heavy fea into the paflage. As there was no pro- 

 fped; of our getting to fea with the wind in that quarter, 

 I kept the people to work in brewing, fawing plank, and 

 other neceflary employments. 

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