26 



Journal of a Voyage through the 



raise so high, but work it backwards and forwards in an 

 horizontal direction ; while they leap about and throw 

 themselves into various antic postures, to the measure of 

 their music, always bringing their heels close to each other 

 at every pause. The men occasionally howl, in imitation 

 of some animal, and he who continues this violent exercise 

 for the longest period, appears to be considered as the best 

 performer. The women suffer their arms to hang as with- 

 out the power of motion. They are a meagre, ugly, ill- 

 made people, particularly about the legs, which are very 

 clumsy and covered with scabs. The latter circumstance 

 proceeds, probably, from their habitually roasting them 

 before the fire. Many of them appeared to be in a very 

 unhealthy state, which is owing, as I imagine, to their na- 

 tural filthiness. They are of a moderate stature, and as 

 far as could be discovered, through the coat of dirt and 

 grease that covers them, are of a fairer complexion than 

 the generality of Indians who are the natives of warmer 

 climates. 



Some of them have their hair of a great length ; while 

 others suffer a long tress to fall behind, and the rest is cut 

 so short as to expose their ears, but no other attention 

 whatever is paid to it. The beards of some of the old men 

 were long, and the rest had them pulled out by the roots, so 

 that not an hair could be seen on their chins. The men 

 have two double lines, either black or blue, tattooed upon 

 each cheek, from the ear to the nose. The gristle of the 

 latter is perforated so as to admit a goose-quill or a small 

 piece of wood to be passed through the orifice. Their 

 clothing is made of the dressed skins of the rein or moose- 

 deer, though more commonly of the former. These they 

 prepare in the hair for winter, and make shirts of both, 

 which reach to the middle of their thighs. Some of them 

 are decorated with an embroidery of very neat workman- 

 ship with porcupine quills and the hair of the moose, co- 

 loured red, black, yellow, and white. Their upper gar- 

 ments are sufficiently large to cover the whole body, with a 

 fringe round the bottom, and are used both sleeping and 

 awake. Their leggins come half way up the thigh, and 

 are sewed to their shoes : they are embroidered round the 

 ancle, and upon every seam. The dress of the women is 

 the same as that of the men. The former have no covering 

 on their private parts, except a tassel of leather which 

 dangles from a small cord, as it appears, to keep off the 



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