PORTER’S JOURNAL. 
129 
« is fastened to the pole at the height required by that of the wa« 
« ters,' by sennit or lashings of cocoa-nut bass: the upper lashing 
« passes through an oblong hoie, pierced in the thickness of the 
“ step; and the lower one embraces, with several turns, the thin 
u part, and confines it against the pole. The projecting part, 
“ which I should call the clog, and on which the foot is to rest 
“ cross wise bends upwards as it branches from the pole: this clog 
u is an inch and a half in thickness; and its shape is nearly that of 
“ the prow of a ship, or of a rostrum, or, if the reader please, that 
“ of a truncated nautilus. The under part of this sort or shell is 
“ slightly striated throughout its whole surface, and the striae 
(( commence from the two sides in order to join in the lower part 
“ on the middle, and there form a continued web; its upper surface 
“ is almost flat for receiving the foot, and it is in like manner orna- 
“ mented with striae of no great depth, which form regular series 
u of salient angles and of re-entering angles. The clog is sup- 
u ported by the bust of a human figure, in the attitude of a Ca- 
u riatides, wrought in a grotesque manner, which greatly resem- 
“ bles a support of the Egyptian kind; it has below it a second 
u figure of the same kind, but smaller, the head of which is plac- 
“ ed below the breasts of the larger one; the hands of the latter are 
“ placed flat on the stomach, and its body is terminated by a long 
K sheath, in order to form the lower and pointed part of the step, 
“ The arms, as well as the other parts of the body of the two 
“ figures, are angularly striated, like the upper face of the clog, 
a The natives of Santa Christiana make a very dextrous use of 
“ their stilts, and would, in a race, dispute the palm with our most 
“ experienced herdsmen in stalking with theirs over the heaths of 
“ Bordeaux. The pains taken by the former in ornamenting with 
u sculpture, those which they had invented, may prove that they 
a set on them a great value, for this work executed on a very hard 
a wood, with the sort of tools which they employ, must cost them 
u much trouble, and require a very considerable portion of timet 
<c besides they are seen amusing themselves in keeping up the 
u habit of walking with stilts; this exercise enters into their games, 
a and constitutes a part of their gymnastics,” (Page 178, voh h 
Marchand’s voyage.) 
