Chap. XXIV.—B. P.] THE SPANISH HAMMOCK. 
415 
But to return to tlie aborigines. The dress of the 
Wool was is very simple, that of the men being a 
large fibrous sheet beaten out from the soft bark of a 
tree, exactly like the “ tapa ” of the Polynesian 
islanders. This sheet is rather more than six feet 
long by about three broad, and is passed between 
the legs and then hitched, both behind and before, 
through a string tied round the waist. This is 
the only covering worn, and at night it serves as a 
blanket, in which the Indian wraps himself from head 
to foot. The women have a very short petticoat, made 
of the same material, reaching nearly to the knees, and 
sometimes the addition of a square piece of cotton to 
cover the breasts. 
The huts or lodges of these Indians are constructed 
without any side walls, the roof being made to de¬ 
scend almost to the ground from a high pitch. 
One thing I remarked especially, that neither here 
nor at Blewfields, nor indeed on any part of the Mos¬ 
quito coast, was the hammock in perpetual use, as it 
is among the descendants of the Spaniards throughout 
the neighbouring country. However, as I never travel 
in a hot country without one of these most useful 
articles,* I soon caused mine to be hung up ; and then 
found that, from the slightness of the uprights and 
ridge pole, it was very doubtful if my weight did not 
bring down the whole structure j certainly the weight 
of two of us would have done so, and, if I had swung 
It is surprising that the hammock is not in general use everywhere; 
it is the most wonderful restorer to tired nature, and no sort of bed in 
the world can compare with it for those just recovering from wounds 
or hurts. 
