( ii8 ) 



fend them from the cold and wet, and faves them from* 

 the perfecu'cion of the gnats. It is however only in 

 the countries occupied by the Englifh, and efpecially 

 in Virginia, that the cuftom of painting themfelves 

 all over is very common. In New-France moil 

 are fatisfied with making a few figures of birds, 

 ferpents, or other animals, and even foliage or the 

 like, without any order or fymmetry, and often or* 

 the face, and fometimes on the eye-lids, according 

 to the caprice of the perfon. Many of the women 

 too caufe themfelves to be painted over the jaw- 

 bone, in order to prevent the tooth-ach. 



This operation which is done by pricking the 

 parts, is not painful in kfelf % it is done in this 

 manner : they begin with tracing on the fkin af- 

 ter it is well ftretched, the figure they have a mind 

 to paint on it. They afterwards prick with the 

 bone of a fifh or with needles, all thefe traces even 

 till the biood comes, afterwards they rub it over 

 with charcoal and other colours well pulverized, 

 Thefe powders infinuate themfelves under the fkin, 

 lb that the colours are never effaced. But in fome 

 time after the fkin fwells, when there arifes a tet- 

 ter accompanied with an inflammation : this is 

 commonly followed by a fever, and if the weather 

 proves hot, or if the operation has been pufhed 

 too far, the life of the patient is endangered. 



The colour with which they paint their faces,, 

 and the greafe with which they rub the whole body, 

 produce 7 the fame advantages, and in the opinion 

 of the Indians, contribute as much to the beauty 

 and comelinefs of the perfon as the pricking. The 

 warriors paint themfelves when they take the field, 

 in order to terrify the enemy, and perhaps too, with 



