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breathes through this. The fkin which covers this 

 bone is tender, and its length is in proportion to 

 that of the fifh, of whicn it is one third part. Its 

 breadth is two fingers in thofe of the frnalleft 

 fize. The Indians affured M. Champlain they 

 fiad found fome of thofe fillies from eight to ten 

 feet broad •, but the largeft of thofe he faw were 

 not above five, and were as thick as a man's 

 thigh. 



We may well imagine this to be a real pirate 

 amongil the inhabitants of the waters ; but no body 

 could ever dream that he is full as dangerous an 

 enemy to the citizens of the air ; this is, however, 

 pne of his trades, in which he ads like an able huntf- 

 man ; the way he does it is as follows. He con- 

 ceals himfelf amongft the canes or reeds, in fuch 

 manner, that nothing is to be feen, befides his 

 weapon, which he holds raifed perpendicularly ,above 

 the furface of the water. The fowl which come to 

 take reft imagining this weapon to be only a wither- 

 ed reed, make no fcruple of perching upon it. 

 They are no fooner alighted than the fifh opens his 

 throat, and fo fuddenly makes at his prey, that it 

 rarely efcapes him. 1 he teeth which are placed on 

 the fides of the bone, which he ufes fo clexteroufly, 

 are pretty long and very mar p. The Indians pre- 

 tend they are a fovereign remedy againft the tooth- 

 ach, and that by pricking the part molt affected 

 with one of thefe teeth the pain vanifhes that in- 

 ftant. 



Thefe people have a wonderful addrefs in dart- 

 ing fifhes under water, efpecially in rapid currents. 

 They alfo fifh with the bofom net, and prepare 

 themfelves for it by a ceremony fingular enough. 

 Before they life this net they marry it to two girls 



who 



