of the Ifthmus of America. 351 



thcr Ornaments in Baskets after them ; which they 

 put on when they come to the Place of Aflembly y 

 and there make themfelves as fine as they can. 

 When they are thus aflembled, they will fometimes 

 walk about the Place or Plantation where they are, 

 with thefe their Robes on : And I once faw Lacenta 

 thus walking about with 2 or 300 of thefe attending 

 him, as if he was muttering them : And I took 

 Notice that thofe in the black Gowns walk'd before 

 him, and the white after him, each having their Lan- 

 ces of the fame Colour with their Robes. 



For an Ornament to the Face, befide their gene-pj ate ^ 

 tal painting and daubing their Cheeks with red hanging 

 when they go to War, the Men wear at all Times a overttie 

 piece of Plate hanging over their Mouths, general- Moulh ' 

 ly of Silver, but the principal Men have it of Gold. 

 *Tis of an oval Figure, covering the Mouth from 

 Corner to Corner ; and this is the length of it. It 

 reaches fo low as to lye upon the Under-lip with its 

 loweft Side, and there is a piece cut out of the Up- 

 per-fide, near the Extremity of it ; which Edge 

 being cut afunder, the whole Plate is like the Figure 

 of a Half-moon^ only inclining more to an Oval ; 

 and gently pinchifrg the Bridle of the Nofe with its 

 Points, it hangs dangling from thence. It is in the 

 Middle of about the Thicknefs of a Guinea ; but 

 grows thinner gradually towards the Edge. The 

 Plates of this Size are fucli as they ufe when they 

 go to a Feaft or Council : But that which they 

 wear abroad upon a long March, Hunting, or at 

 ordinary Times, is of the fame Shape, but much 

 fmaller, and does not cover their Lips. Such an 

 one I wore among them of Gold. 



Inftead of this Plate, the Women wear a Ring The Wo* 

 hanging down in the fame Mariner ; and the Metal mensNofc 

 and Size alfo differing according to their Rank, and R;nss " 

 the Occafion. The larger Sort is of the Thicknefs 

 of a Goofe-quilh and not Oval as the Men's Plate, 



but 



