While We Lay Here, We Saw Several Smokes And Large Fires, About Eight Or
Ten Miles In Shore To The
Northward, but did not see any of the natives;
though they frequently come into this bay, as there were several
Wigwams or
huts, where we found some bags and nets made of grass, in which I imagine
they carry their provisions and other necessaries. In one of them there was
the stone they strike fire with, and tinder made of bark, but of what tree
could not be distinguished. We found in one of their huts, one of their
spears, which was made sharp at one end, I suppose, with a shell or stone.
Those things we brought away, leaving in the room of them medals, gun-
flints, a few nails, and an old empty barrel with the iron hoops on it.
They seem to be quite ignorant of every sort of metal. The boughs, of which
their huts are made, are either broken or split, and tied together with
grass in a circular form, the largest end stuck in the ground, and the
smaller parts meeting in a point at the top, and covered with fern and
bark, so poorly done, that they will hardly keep out a shower of rain. In
the middle is the fire-place, surrounded with heaps of muscle, pearl,
scallop, and cray-fish shells, which I believe to be their chief food,
though we could not find any of them. They lie on the ground, on dried
grass, round the fire; and I believe they have no settled place of
habitation (as their houses seemed built only for a few days), but wander
about in small parties from place to place in search of food, and are
actuated by no other motive.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 197 of 885
Words from 52913 to 53210
of 239428
