FEMININE ECCENTRICITIES. 
9 
&nd wear trowsers, and boots made of the skin of the sea-lion’s 
neck. On their heads they wear a wooden hat, from which 
descends an ornament of coral and hair. 
When one of these Aleutians thus arrayed is seated in his 
baidar, there is something majestic in his appearance; but when 
he rises, he cuts a deplorable figure; and when he walks, he 
looks still more wretchedly, being disabled by continual sitting 
from straightening his feet or knees. Their countenances are 
not unpleasing, though rather wild, and their features uniform 
with the exception of the bone of the forehead, which projects 
too much over the eyes. Their hair is black and stubborn, 
but they are for the most part beardless. 1 saw only one old 
man who had a few hairs scattered on his chin. 
The men leave their faces as nature has formed them, but 
the vanity of the females leads them to disfigure theirs in a 
variety of ways. They perforate them in lines, from the nostrils 
to the ears, and rub in charcoal, which produces, when the 
wound is healed, a bluish furrow. Another is formed in the 
same manner, from the upper lip to the chin. They pierce 
the cartilage of the nose, and wear long pendant ornaments of 
amber, coral, and enamel. Enamel they receive from the 
Russians, and amber from the Americans of Alaksa, both of 
which are in great estimation. They also pierce two holes in 
the hollow of the upper lip, in which they wear long thin 
bones: round the edges of their ears they sew ornaments of 
blue or white enamel. 
There are, however, many.females who, out of complaisance 
to the Russians (with whom they frequently intermarry), ab¬ 
stain from this barbarous custom. Many who are the off¬ 
spring of these marriages have perfectly fair European com¬ 
plexions, and red hair, and would in my opinion be esteemed 
uncommon beauties even in Europe. They cut the hair off 
the forepart of the head, and bind the remainder into a knot at 
the back part. They w r ear no covering on the feet or head, 
nor any other clothing than the vest before described. 
In the evening, some of these people returned from the 
chace, and informed us, that they had killed a small whale, on 
the western point of Captain’s bay. As we passed the night there, 
Mr. Merk set off on foot the next morning to st;e this fish, and 
I preferring to go by water, took a baidar with two other per¬ 
sons. The day being perfectly serene, I felt no apprehensions 
at venturing myself in this little bark upon the bay, although 
it was only 23 feet long, one and a half broad, and eight deep. 
It was entirely covered with skins, in which openings were left 
for each person to enter. I sat in the middle, one Aleutian at 
the head, and another at the stern. W e were also attended by 
S A R Y T S CHEW r , v'OL. II.] B 
