Their Huts Are Made Of Trees, In The Form Of A
Round Tent, Having A Hole At The Top To Let Out The Smoke.
Within they
are sunk two or three feet under the surface of the ground, and the
earth taken from this hollow is thrown upon the outside.
Their
fishing-tackle is very curious, and is furnished with hooks made of
stone, nearly of the same shape with ours. They are variously armed,
some having bows and arrows artificially headed with stone; others long
javelins or spears, headed with bone; some have great wooden clubs, some
have slings, and most have stone knives, or daggers, which are very
sharp. They are never seen without their arms, as they are always at war
among themselves; and it would appear that the several tribes paint
differently, that they may distinguish each other; for the people about
the island of Torhaltens, and about Schapenham bay, were all painted
black, while those about Greyhound bay were painted red.
Their canoes are very singular, being formed of bark, fortified both on
the inside and outside with several pieces of small wood, and then
covered over by bark, so as to be both tight and strong. These canoes
are from ten to fourteen, and even sixteen feet long, and two feet
broad, and will contain seven or eight men, who navigate them as swiftly
as our boats. In manners, these people resemble beasts more than men,
for they tear human bodies in pieces, and eat the raw and bloody flesh.
They have not the smallest spark of religion, neither any appearance of
polity or civilization, being in all respects utterly brutal, insomuch
that if they have occasion to make water, they let fly upon whoever is
nearest them. They have no knowledge of our arms, and would even lay
their hands on the edges of the Dutchmen's swords; yet are exceedingly
cunning, faithless, and cruel; shewing every appearance of friendship at
one time, and instantly afterwards murdering those with whom they have
been familiar. The Dutch found it impossible to procure any kind of
refreshments from them, though such surely were among them, for
quantities of cow-dung were seen; and their bow-strings were made of ox
sinews: besides, a soldier who went ashore from the Greyhound yacht,
while she lay at anchor, reported to the vice-admiral, that he had seen
a large herd of cattle feeding in a meadow.[137]
[Footnote 137: This is not at all likely to have been true. The cattle,
the dung, and the sinews mentioned in the text, are more likely to have
been of some species of the seal tribe - E.]
On the 27th of February, 1624, the admiral made a signal for sailing,
the wind being then N. so that hopes were entertained of getting from
the bay of Nassau to the west; but a storm came on in the evening at W.
and blew hard all night. March 3d, they had an observation at noon, when
they were in lat, 59 deg.
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