NOOTKA SOUND. 
ftone of our carpenters. — natives alfo ufe the ae 
ock-c 
well fer, but not remarkably white. ey have either no 
beards at all, which is moft oasicaly the cafe, or a {mall 
beards all over the chin, hifkers or muftachios ence 
we may conclude, that the remarks of r. Ro- 
bertfon, and other writers, exemplified in the defe& of 
beards among the American Indians, are unfou . Th 
down over the fhoulders ; "the neck is 
body clumfy ; and the limbs f{mall, in proportion to ne ree 
parts, as well as crooked, or ill-made, with large feet badly 
fhaped, and projeQting ankles. It is not eafy to diftinguith 
their true colour, as their bodies are incrufted with paint and 
dirt ; but where it could be perceived, the whitenefs of the 
diftinguithabe 3 of the females, none even of thofe who are 
in the prime of a have the leaft pretenfion to be called 
handfome. Their common dre is a 
fides this drefs, w s common to both fexes, the men 
frequently throw over shee other garments the = of a bear, 
wolf, or fea-otter, with the hair outward ; i weather 
of many of ioauees 
hole, and with two 
Daca of thin copper. "The feptum of the nofe is alfo aa 
mes Ba ire — which they draw a piece 0 
nd others w 
pped about it, with large feathers, parti- 
cularly thofe of agi inter{perfed with {mall white feathers. 
he face is alfo varioufly pee 1, with different colours an 
es, or befmeared wit ind of tallow, mixed with 
aa formed into various ae , and appearing like carved 
ork. Their hair is alfo feparated into {mall parcels, and tied 
: intervals of about two inches to the end with thread ; and 
hus dreffed, they exhibit a favage 
incongruous appearance, which is much heightened by 
moniftrous decorations, confifting of a variety of ae 
ooden mafks or vizors, applied to the face, the head, 
ried, Thefe grotef{que appearances refemble eee 
human faces, the heads of birds, or thofe of land and fea 
animals. It is not certain what views they have in affumin 
thefe extravagant mafquerade ornaments; poffibly they may 
adopt them on particular religious occafion or for diverfion 5 
or for intimidating their enemies, or as decoys to animals in 
the chafe. The only drefs among the people of Nootka, 
peculiarly adapted to war, isa thick leathern hs doubled, 
which feems to be the fkin of an elk, or buffalo tanned.’ 
This forms a kind of coat of mail, or complete defenfive ar- 
mour. They alfo wear a kind of leathern cloak, covered 
with rows of dried hoofs of deer, difpofed horizontally, ap- 
uills, which, 
3a 
> 
{mall bells. 
formidable in their appearance when they affume their mili- 
tary garb, have not the leaft appearance = ferocity in their 
countenances, when divefted of it ; but fee 
m unable i“ exprefs it gear el either 
with warmth of incu or fignificancy of Se 
ithou reafon, from lige bringing 
h there is too muc 
to fale human fkulls oer bones, to infer that they treat their 
enemies with a de f brutal cruelty, this circumiftanc 
They app 
fed i ais 3 but notwithftanding the phlegm of ie tem- 
per, quick to refent injury, and as prompt ive it. 
Their other paffions, = parietal their te feem 
to lie dormant. Never s they a t wholly unful- 
ceptible of the tender llion. In 
