however, several exceptions to this; and
some are remarkable for their large bones and muscles, but few that I
have seen are corpulent.

Their colour is of different casts, from a pretty deep black to a
yellowish or olive tinge, and their features also are various, some
resembling Europeans. But, in general, their faces are round, with their
lips full, and also their noses toward the point; though the first are
not uncommonly thick, nor the last flat. I do not, however, recollect to
have seen an instance of the true aquiline nose amongst them. Their
teeth are commonly broad, white, and well set; and their eyes large,
with a very free motion, which seems the effect of habit. Their hair is
black, straight, and strong, commonly cut short on the hind part, with
the rest tied on the crown of the head: but some have it of a curling
disposition, or of a brown colour. In the young, the countenance is
generally free or open; but in many of the men it has a serious cast,
and sometimes a sullenness or reserve, especially if they are strangers.
The women are, in general, smaller than the men; but have few peculiar
graces, either in form or features, to distinguish them.

The dress of both sexes is alike; and consists of an oblong garment
about five feet long, and four broad, made from the silky flax already
mentioned. This seems to be their most material and complex manufacture,
which is executed by knotting; and their work is often ornamented with
pieces of dog-skin, or chequered at the corners. They bring two corners
of this garment over the shoulders, and fasten it on the breast with the
other part, which covers the body; and about the belly, it is again tied
with a girdle made of mat. Sometimes they cover it with large feathers
of birds (which seem to be wrought into the piece of cloth when it is
made), or with dog-skin; and that alone we have seen worn as a covering.
Over this garment many of them wear mats, which reach from the shoulders
to near the heels. But the most common outer-covering is a quantity of
the above sedgy plant, badly dressed, which they fasten on a string to
a considerable length, and, throwing it about the shoulders, let it fall
down on all sides, as far as the middle of the thighs. When they sit
down with this upon them, either in their boats, or upon the shore, it
would be difficult to distinguish them from large grey stones, if their
black heads, projecting beyond their coverings, did not engage one to