re nearly marriageable, an incision is made in the under-lip, and a
bone passed through it, which is exchanged from time to time for a
thicker one, that the opening may be continually widened. At length a
sort of double button, of an oval form, called a kaluga, which, among
the people of rank, is often four inches long, and three broad, is
forced in so as to make the under lip stand forward thus much in a
horizontal direction, and leave the lower teeth quite bare. The outer
rim of the lip surrounding the wooden button becomes by the violent
stretching as thin as a packthread, and of a dark blue colour.

In running, the lip flaps up and down so as to knock sometimes against
the chin and sometimes against the nose. Upon the continent, the kaluga
is worn still larger; and the female who can cover her whole face with
her under-lip passes for the most perfect beauty. Men and women pierce
the gristle of the nose, and stick quills, iron rings, and all kinds of
ornaments, through it. In their ears, which are also pierced in many
places, they wear strings of bones, muscle-shells, and beads.

It would be difficult to convey an adequate idea of the hideousness of
these people when their costume is thus complete; but the lips of the
women, held out like a trough, and always filled with saliva stained
with tobacco-juice, of which they are immoderately fond, is the most
abominably revolting part of the spectacle.

The Kalushes have no fixed residence, but hover round the coast in their
large canoes, which they call the women's, carrying all their property
with them. When they fix upon any spot for their temporary
establishment, they build a hut with great celerity, having all the
materials at hand. They drive a number of stakes into the ground in a
quadrangular form, fill the interstices with thin planks, and roof in
the whole with the bark of trees. With such a dwelling they are
satisfied; in the severest winter the family sit in a circle, carrying
on their several employments round a fire in the centre. The interior
displays as much filthiness as if the inhabitants belonged to the
dirtiest class of the brute creation. The smoke; the stench of bad fish,
and blubber; the repulsive figures of the women, disgustingly occupied
in seeking for vermin on the heads or skins of the men, and actually
_eating them_ when found; the great utensil for the service of the whole
family, which is also the only vessel capable of containing water to