a complete account of the settlement-第43章

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design　nor　conceived　the　utility　of　such　works；　but　on　subjects　in　any　degree　familiarised　to　their　ideas；　they　generally　testified　not　only　acuteness　of　discernment　but　a　large　portion　of　good　sense。　　I　have　always　thought　that　the　distinctions　they　shewed　in　their　estimate　of　us；　on　first　entering　into　our　society；　strongly　displayed　the　latter　quality：　　when　they　were　led　into　our　respective　houses；　at　once　to　be　astonished　and　awed　by　our　superiority；　their　attention　was　directly　turned　to　objects　with　which　they　were　acquainted。　They　passed　without　rapture　or　emotion　our　numerous　artifices　and　contrivances；　but　when　they　saw　a　collection　of　weapons　of　war　or　of　the　skins　of　animals　and　birds；　they　never　failed　to　exclaim；　and　to　confer　with　each　other　on　the　subject。　　The　master　of　that　house　became　the　object　of　their　regard；　as　they　concluded　he　must　be　either　a　renowned　warrior；　or　an　expert　hunter。　Our　surgeons　grew　into　their　esteem　from　a　like　cause。　　In　a　very　early　stage　of　intercourse；　several　natives　were　present　at　the　amputation　of　a　leg。　When　they　first　penetrated　the　intention　of　the　operator；　they　were　confounded；　not　believing　it　possible　that　such　an　operation　could　be　performed　without　loss　of　life；　and　they　called　aloud　to　him　to　desist；　but　when　they　saw　the　torrent　of　blood　stopped；　the　vessels　taken　up　and　the　stump　dressed；　their　horror　and　alarm　yielded　to　astonishment　and　admiration；　which　they　expressed　by　the　loudest　tokens。　　If　these　instances　bespeak　not　nature　and　good　sense；　I　have　yet　to　learn　the　meaning　of　the　terms。

If　it　be　asked　why　the　same　intelligent　spirit　which　led　them　to　contemplate　and　applaud　the　success　of　the　sportsman　and　the　skill　of　the　surgeon；　did　not　equally　excite　them　to　meditate　on　the　labours　of　the　builder　and　the　ploughman；　I　can　only　answer　that　what　we　see　in　its　remote　cause　is　always　more　feebly　felt　than　that　which　presents　to　our　immediate　grasp　both　its　origin　and　effect。

Their　leading　good　and　bad　qualities　I　shall　concisely　touch　upon。　Of　their　intrepidity　no　doubt　can　exist。　　Their　levity；　their　fickleness；　their　passionate　extravagance　of　character；　cannot　be　defended。　They　are　indeed　sudden　and　quick　in　quarrel；　but　if　their　resentment　be　easily　roused；　their　thirst　of　revenge　is　not　implacable。　　Their　honesty；　when　tempted　by　novelty；　is　not　unimpeachable；　but　in　their　own　society　there　is　good　reason　to　believe　that　few　breaches　of　it　occur。　It　were　well　if　similar　praise　could　be　given　to　their　veracity：　　but　truth　they　neither　prize　nor　practice。　　When　they　wish　to　deceive　they　scruple　not　to　utter　the　grossest　and　most　hardened　lies。*　　Their　attachment　and　gratitude　to　those　among　us　whom　they　have　professed　to　love　have　always　remained　inviolable；　unless　effaced　by　resentment；　from　sudden　provocation：　　then；　like　all　other　Indians；　the　impulse　of　the　moment　is　alone　regarded　by　them。

＇*This　may　serve　to　account　for　the　contradictions　of　many　of　their　accounts　to　us。＇

Some　of　their　manufactures　display　ingenuity；　when　the　rude　tools　with　which　they　work；　and　their　celerity　of　execution　are　considered。　　The　canoes；　fish…gigs；　swords；　shields；　spears；　throwing　sticks；　clubs；　and　hatchets；　are　made　by　the　men。　　To　the　women　are　committed　the　fishing…lines；　hooks　and　nets。　　As　very　ample　collections　of　all　these　articles　are　to　be　found　in　many　museums　in　England；　I　shall　only　briefly　describe　the　way　in　which　the　most　remarkable　of　them　are　made。　　The　fish…gigs　and　spears　are　commonly　（but　not　universally）　made　of　the　long　spiral　shoot　which　arises　from　the　top　of　the　yellow　gum…tree；　and　bears　the　flower。　　The　former　have　several　prongs；　barbed　with　the　bone　of　kangaroo。　　The　latter　are　sometimes　barbed　with　the　same　substance；　or　with　the　prickle　of　the　sting…ray；　or　with　stone　or　hardened　gum；　and　sometimes　simply　pointed。　　Dexterity　in　throwing　and　parrying　the　spear　is　considered　as　the　highest　acquirement。　　The　children　of　both　sexes　practice　from　the　time　that　they　are　able　to　throw　a　rush；　their　first　essay。　　It　forms　their　constant　recreation。　　They　afterwards　heave　at　each　other　with　pointed　twigs。　　He　who　acts　on　the　defensive　holds　a　piece　of　new　soft　bark　in　the　left　hand；　to　represent　a　shield；　in　which　he　receives　the　darts　of　the　assailant；　the　points　sticking　in　it。　　Now　commences　his　turn。　　He　extracts　the　twigs　and　darts　them　back　at　the　first　thrower；　who　catches　them　similarly。　　In　warding　off　the　spear　they　never　present　their　front；　but　always　turn　their　side；　their　head　at　the　same　time　just　clear　of　the　shield；　to　watch　the　flight　of　the　weapon；　and　the　body　covered。　　If　a　spear　drop　from　them　when　thus　engaged；　they　do　not　stoop　to　pick　it　up；　but　hook　it　between　the　toes　and　so　lift　it　until　it　meet　the　hand。　　Thus　the　eye　is　never　diverted　from　its　object；　the　foe。　　If　they　wish　to　break　a　spear　or　any　wooden　substance；　they　lay　it　not　across　the　thigh　or　the　body；　but　upon　the　head；　and　press　down　the　ends　until　it　snap。　　Their　shields　are　of　two　sorts。　　That　called　'illemon'　is　nothing　but　a　piece　of　bark　with　a　handle　fixed　in　the　inside　of　it。　The　other；　dug　out　of　solid　wood；　is　called　'aragoon'；　and　is　made　as　follows；　with　great　labour。　　On　the　bark　of　a　tree　they　mark　the　size　of　the　shield；　then　dig　the　outline　as　deep　as　possible　in　the　wood　with　hatchets；　and　lastly　flake　it　off　as　thick　as　they　can；　by　driving　in　wedges。　The　sword　is　a　large　heavy　piece　of　wood；　shaped　like　a　sabre；　and　capable　of　inflicting　a　mortal　wound。　　In　using　it　they　do　not　strike　with　the　convex　side；　but　with　the　concave　one；　and　strive　to　hook　in　their　antagonists　so　as　to　have　them　under　their　blows。　　The　fishing…lines　are　made　of　the　bark　of　a　shrub。　　The　women　roll　shreds　of　this　on　the　inside　of　the　thigh；　so　as　to　twist　it　together；　carefully　inserting　the　ends　of　every　fresh　piece　into　the　last　made。　　They　are　not　as　strong　as　lines　of　equal　size　formed　of　hemp。　　The　fish…hooks　are　chopped　with　a　stone　out　of　a　particular　shell；　and　afterwards　rubbed　until　they　become　smooth。　　They　are　very　much　curved；　and　not　barbed。　　Considering　the　quickness　with　which　they　are　finished；　the　excellence　of　the　work；　if　it　be　inspected；　is　admirable。　　In　all　these　manufactures　the　sole　of　the　foot　is　used　both　by　men　and　women　as　a　work…board。　　They　chop　a　piece　of　wood；　or　aught　else　upon　it；　even　with　an　iron　tool；　without　hurting　themselves。　It　is　indeed　nearly　as　hard　as　the　hoof　of　an　ox。

Their　method　of　procuring　fire　is　this。　　They　take　a　reed　and　shave　one　side　of　the　surface　flat。　　In　this　they　make　a　small　incision　to　reach　the　pith；　and　introducing　a　stick；　purposely　blunted　at　the　end；　into　it；　turn　it　round　between　the　hands　（as　chocolate　is　milled）　as　swiftly　as　possible；　until　flame　be　produced。　　As　this　operation　is　not　only　laborious；　but　the　effect　tedious；　they　frequently　relieve　each　other　at　the　exercise。　And　to　avoid　being　often　reduced　to　the　necessity　of　putting　it　in　practice；　they　always；　if　possible；　carry　a　lighted　stick　with　them；　whether　in　their　canoes　or　moving　from　place　to　place　on　land。

Their　treatment　of　wounds　must　not　be　omitted。　　A　doctor　is；　with　them；　a　person　of　importance　and　esteem；　but　his　province　seems　rather　to　charm　away　occult　diseases　than　to　act　the　surgeon's　part；　which；　as　a　subordinate　science；　is　exercised　indiscriminately。　　Their　excellent　habit　of　body*；　the　effect　of　drinking　water　only；　speedily　heals　wounds　without　an　exterior　application　which　with　us　would　take　weeks　or　months　to　close。　They　are；　nevertheless；　sadly　tormented　by　a　cutaneous　eruption；　but　we　never　found　it　contagious。　　After　receiving　a　contusion；　if　the　part　swell　they　fasten　a　ligature　very　tightly　above　it；　so　as　to　stop　all　circulation。　　Whether　to　this　application；　or　to　their　undebauched　habit；　it　be　attributable；　I　know　not；　but　it　is　certain　that　a　disabled　limb　among　them　is　rarely　seen；　although　violent　inflammations　from　bruises；　which　in　us　would　bring　on　a　gangrene；　daily　happen。　　If　they　get　burned；　either　from　rolling　into　the　fire　when　asleep；　or　from　the　flame　catching　the　grass　on　which　they　lie　（both　of　which　are　common　accidents）　they　cover　the　part　with　a　thin　paste　of　kneaded　clay；