THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 
373 
feathers, in imitation of their fhelly beads, with hair fixed 1778. 
on their heads. Whether thefe might be mere toys for , Ma ^ 
children, or held in veneration, as reprefenting their de- 
ceafed friends, and applied to fome fuperftitious purpofe, 
we could not determine. But they have many inftru- 
ments made of two or three hoops, or concentric pieces 
of wood, with a crofs-bar fixed in the middle, to hold 
them by. To thefe are fixed a great number of dried 
barnacle-fiiells, with threads, which ferve as a rattle, and 
make a loud noife, when they fhake them. This con¬ 
trivance feems to be a fubftitute for the rattling-bird at 
Nootka; and perhaps both of them are employed on the 
fame occafions *. 
With what tools they make their wooden utenfils, frames 
of boats, and other things, is uncertain; as the only one 
feen amongft them was a kind of ftone adze, made almoft 
after the manner of thofe of Otaheite, and the other iflands 
of the South Sea. They have a great many iron knives ; 
fome of which are ftraight; others a little curved; and 
fome very fmall ones, fixed in pretty long handles, with the 
blades bent upward, like fome of our fhoemakers inftru- 
ments. But they have ftill knives of another fort, which 
are fometimes near two feet long, fhaped almoft like a 
dagger, with a ridge in the middle. Thefe they wear in 
fheaths of fkins, hung by a thong round the neck, under 
their robe ; and they are, probably, only ufed as weapons ; 
the other knives being apparently applied to other pur- 
pofes. Every thing they have, however, is as well and in- 
genioufly made, as if they were furnifhed with the moft 
complete tool-cheft; and their fewing, plaiting of finews, 
* The rattling-ball found by Steller, who attended Beering in 1741, at no great dis¬ 
tance from this Sound, feems to be for a Similar ufe. See Muller, p. 256. 
and 
