372 Mr. WAFERS *Deftrtpiton 



Southward, and defcribing with their Hand the Arc 

 of the Sun's diurnal Courfe from Eaft to Weft, 

 when they have brought their Hand to point to the 

 Weftern Horizon, they then bring it to the Side 

 of their Head; and laying down their Head on 

 that Side upon it, and fhutting their Eyes, counter- 

 feit for a Moment their being afleep. Then re- 

 peating the Motion with their Hand, and the inter- 

 vening fleeping Times, they make you underftand 

 that there will be fo many fleeping Times or Nights 

 before you arrive at the Place you feek. 

 Computa- I obierv'd among them no Diftin&ion of Weeks, 

 of Time, or particular Days, no parting the Day into Hours, 

 or any Portions, otherwife than by this Pointing: 

 And when they ufe this, or any other Sign, yet 

 they fpeak at the fame Time, and exprefs their 

 Meaning in their own Language, tho* to Europeans 

 who underftand it not. They reckon Times paft 

 by no Revolutions of the Heavenly Bodies, but the 

 Moons : For Lacenta fpeaking of the Havock the 

 Spaniards had made to the Weft ward, intimated 

 'twas a great many Moons ago. 

 Numbers Their Computation is by Unites and Tens, and 

 andCaku Scores, to an Hundred beyond which I have not 

 ktions. heard them reckon. To exprefs a Number above 

 this, they take a Lock of their Hair, little or great 

 (in Proportion to the Number they would intimate) 

 and hold it up in their Hands, forting it gradually 

 with their Fingers, and fhaking it. To exprefs a 

 thing innumerable, they take up all the Hair on one 

 Side of the Head, and ftiake it. 



When we went into the South Seas under Captain 

 Sharps we were in Number about 3 36, as I remem- 

 ber and a pretty many of the Indians of the IJih- 

 mus bore us Company in our March. They were 

 willing to take Account of our Number as we 

 march' d ; fo one of the Indians fat in the Path, and 

 having a little Heap of Maiz-grains by him, for 



every 



