ACCOUNT OF THE INDIANS. 289 



both sexes bathe often ; and this is the only time, 

 when the married people wash themselves. One 

 of their customs is sufficient to evince their ex- 

 treme filthiness, and that is, whenever they blow 

 their noses, they rub the mucus between both 

 hands, until they become dry. 



Among the Carriers, it is customary for the 

 girls, from the age of eight to eleven years, to 

 wear a kind of veil or fringe over their eyes, made 

 either of strung beads, or of narrow strips of deer 

 skin, garnished with porcupine quills. While of 

 this age, they are not allowed to eat any thing, 

 excepting the driest food ; and especially they 

 may not eat the head of any animal. If they 

 should, their relations, as they imagine, would 

 soon languish and die. The women, also, during 

 their pregnancy, and for some time after they are 

 delivered, are restricted to the same kind of food. 



The lads, as soon as they come to the age of 

 puberty, tie cords, wound with swan's down, 

 around each leg, a little below the knee, which 

 they wear during one year, and then, they are 

 considered as men. 



The Carriers are unusually talkative ; and 

 when fifteen or twenty of them get into a house, 

 they make an intolerable noise. Men, women and 

 children, keep their tongues constantly in motion ; 

 and in controversy, he who has the strongest and 

 37 



