AIVTERICAN PELICAN. 
to it's master before night, having it's pouch 
-distended with plunder ; part of which the 
proprietor made it disgorge, and part he per- 
mitted it to retain for it's own sustenance. 
The Bag of the Pelican, is termed Blague, 
or Blade, in the French AV^est India islands, 
from the English word Bladder. It is prepa- 
red, by well rubbing between the hands, lo 
soften the skin ; and, to increase it's pliability, 
it is smeared with the butter of the cocoa, and 
again passed between the hands: care being 
taken to preserve from injury that pan co- 
vered with feathers, which is -considered as 
very ornamental. The sailors, when they 
kill a Pelican put a cannon-ball, into the bag, 
and then hang it up, to give it the aliape of a 
tobacco-pouch. Sometimes thev convert these 
bags into caps. I'hey are also dressed by the 
American Indians, wlio make them into purses 
and tobacco-pouclies. They are the thickness 
of good parcbment, but extremely pliant and 
soft ; and the Spanish women in South Ame- 
rica, by sewing tliem tastefullv with gold and 
i>\\k, form beautiful work-bags. 
The flesh is mucli too rancid for liuman fond. 
