North-West Continent of America. 



people, and previous to our landing, they all harangued 

 us at the same moment, and apparently with violent anger 

 and resentment. Our hunters did not understand them, 

 but no sooner had our guide addressed them, than they 

 were appeased. I presented them with beads, awls, &c. 

 and when the women and children returned from the 

 woods, they were gratified with similar articles. There 

 were fifteen of them; and of a more pleasing appearance 

 than any which we had hitherto seen, as they were healthy, 

 full of flesh, and clean in their persons. Their language 

 was somewhat different, but I believe chiefly in the accent, 

 for they and our guide conversed intelligibly w T ith each 

 other ; and the English chief clearly comprehended one of 

 them, though he was not himself understood. 



Their arms and utensils differ but little from those which 

 have been described in a former chapter. The only iron 

 they have is in small pieces, which serve them for knives. 

 They obtain this metal from the Esquimaux Indians. 

 Their arrows are made of very light wood, and are winged 

 only with two feathers: their bows differed from any 

 which we had seen, and we understood that they were fui> 

 nished by the Esquimaux, who are their neighbours : they 

 consist of two pieces, with a very strong cord of sinews 

 along the back, which is tied in several places, to preserve 

 its shape: when this cord becomes wet, it requires a 

 ■strong bow-string, and a powerful arm to draw it. The 

 vessel in which they prepare their food, is made of a thin 

 frame of wood, and of an oblong shape ; the bottom is fixed 

 in a groove, in the same manner as a cask. Their shirts 

 are not cut square at the bottom, but taper to a point, from 

 the belt downwards as low as the knee, both before and 

 behind, with a border, embellished with a short fringe. 

 They use also another fringe, similar to that which has 

 been already described, with the addition of the stone of a 

 grey farinaceous berry, of the size and shape of a large 

 barley-corn , it is of a brown colour, and fluted, and being 

 bored, is run on each string of the fringe ; with this they 

 decorate their shirts, by sewing it in a semicircle on the 

 breast and back, and crossing over both shoulders ; the 

 sleeves are wide and short, but the mittens supply their 

 deficiency, as they are long enough to reach over a part of 

 the sleeve, and are commodiously suspended by a cord 

 from the neck. If their leggins were made with waist- 

 bands, they might, with great propriety, be denominated 



