SETTLEMENTS ON THE DEMERARY, &C. 189 



o'clock, which was the arrival of forty canoes in New Am- 

 sterdam, full of Indians; they consisted of upwards of four 

 hundred, and had been collected in different parts of the river 

 by their respective chiefs, to protect the town and assist the 

 inhabitants to regain possession of the fort. On their landing, 

 they were regularly ranged under their respective chieftains, 

 the canoes were disincumbered of their provisions, and hauled 

 up above high water mark. They were then conducted in 

 separate bodies to outhouses and other buildings, which were 

 lent them for quarters. It is needless to say they were well 

 received and accommodated by the inhabitants with every ne- 

 cessary, which to their wild uncultivated taste was luxury. 



The appearance of these naked warriors was indeed singular. 

 1 have before remarked, that the Indians are low in stature, 

 stout, well made, with long black hair, and strings of beads 

 round their ancles and wrists, the only covering in point of 

 dress is a piece of blue India salempores, except the captains 

 or heads of a clan, who are distinguished by a European suit 

 of cloaths, and the hereditary or acquired staff of office. Their 

 bows were slung at their backs, accompanied with a quiver 

 full of poisoned arrows, and another pointed at the end with 

 steel like javelins; in their hands they carried a club about 

 two feet long, considerably larger at one end than the other, 

 the edges are made so very sharp, and the wood being of 

 the hardest kind, that a blow, aimed by a person who know§ 



