ïc6 An Bijîorical Journal of 



for Fifliing and Hunting is fufficient to maintain Savages. THs 

 is certain, that here was never fcen any but Ejkimaux^ who are 

 not Natives of this Country. Their real Country is Labrador^ 

 or Nenjo Britain : It is there at leaft that they pafs the greateft 

 Part of the Year ; for it would be prophaning the Name of Isla- 

 nde Country, to apply it to wandering Barbarians, who having 

 no AlFedlion for any Country, travel over a vaft Extent of 

 Land. In Fad, befides the Coafts of Newfoundland, which the 

 EJkimaux range over in the Summer, in all the vaft Continent 

 which is between the River St* Laurence and Canada, and the 

 North Sea, there has never been feen any other People than the 

 EJkimaux : They have been met with alfo a good Way up the 

 River Bourhcny which runs into Hud/on'' s Bay, coming from the 

 Weil. 



The original Name of thefe People is not certain ^ however. 

 It is very probable that it comes from the Abenaqui Word Efqui- 

 mafitfic-i which lignifies an Eater of raw Flejh. — The EJkimaux are 

 in Faél the only Savages known that eat raw Flefh, though they 

 ïiave alfo the Cuftom of drefling it, or drying it in the Sun : It 

 5s alfo certain, that of all the People known in America, there are 

 none who come nearer than thefe to compleat the £ril Idea 

 which Europeans had of Savages. They are almoft the only 

 People where the Men have any Beard ; and they have it fo 

 thick up to their Eyes, that it is difficult to diftinguifli any Fea- 

 tures of the Face : They have befides fomething hideous in their 

 Look : Little Eyes, looking wild ; .large Teeth, and very foul : 

 Their Hair is commonly black, but fometimes light, much in 

 Diforder, and their whole outv/ard Appearance very rough. 

 Their Manners and their Charadler do not difagree with their 

 ill Look : They are fierce, furly, miftruHful, and uneafy, always 

 inclined to do an Injury to Strangers, vvho ought therefore to be 

 upon their Guard againll them. As to their Wit and Under- 

 ftanding, we have had fo little Commerce with this People, that 

 we can fay nothing concerning them ; but they are however 

 cunning enough to do Mifchief. They have often been feen 

 to go in the Night to cut the Cables of Ships that were at An- 

 chor, that they might- be wrecked upon the Coaft ; and they 

 make no Scruple of attacking them openly in the Day, when 

 they know they are weakly mann'd. It was never poffible to 

 render them more tradable ; and we cannot yet treat with 

 them, but at the End of a long Pole. They not only refufe to 

 approach the Europeans, but they will eat nothing that comes^ 

 from them ; and in all Things, ' they take on their Part fuch 

 Precaution, as fhev/s a great Diffidence, which gives Room to 

 miftruR- reciprocally every Thing that comes from them. They 

 are tall, and pretty well fliaped : Their Skin is as white as Snow, 



which 



