the extremity of their tails, a line of rough bristles extends along the ridge of the back, insomuch that we concluded they were actually serpents, yet they are used as food by this nation[8].  Instead of bread, these Indians boil the fish, which they catch abundantly in the sea, for a short time, then pounding them together into a cake, they roast this over a hot fire without flame, which they preserve for use, and which we found very pleasant food.  They have many other articles of food, which they prepare from various roots and fruits, but which it would be tedious to describe.  Finding that the natives did not return from the woods to their dwellings, we resolved not to take away any of their effects, lest they should be afraid of us, and even left many trifling European articles hung up in their huts, after which we returned to the ships.

Going on shore early next morning, we saw a vast number of people collected on the shore, who were at first very timid on our approach, yet mingled freely among us, and soon became quite familiar, shewing great desire to enter into a friendly correspondence.  They soon made us understand that they did not dwell in this place, to which they resorted merely for the purpose of fishing, and solicited us in a most friendly manner to go along with them to their villages.  Indeed they conceived a great friendship for us on acccount of the two prisoners whom we had in custody, who happened to belong to a nation with whom they were at enmity.  In consideration of their great importunity, twenty-three of us agreed to go along with them well armed, with a fixed resolution to sell our lives dear if necessity required.  Having remained with them for three days, we arrived after a journey of three leagues inland at a village consisting of nine houses, where we were received with many barbarous ceremonies not worth relating, consisting of dances, songs, lamentations, joy, and gladness, strangely mixed together, and accompanied with plentiful entertainments.  We remained in that place all night, on which occasion the natives pressed their wives upon us as companions with so much earnestness that we could hardly resist.  By the middle of the following day a prodigious number of people crowded to see us, shewing no signs of fear, and we were entreated by their elders to accompany them to their other villages, farther inland, with which we complied.  It is not easy to describe the multiplied attentions which we received from them during nine days, in which time we visited a great number of their villages, on which occasion those who remained at the ships were exceedingly anxious at our long absence.  On our return to the ships we were accompanied by an incredible number of men and women, who paid us every possible attention.  If any of us were fatigued with walking, they were eager to carry us in one of their hammocks.  As we had to pass a great many rivers, some of which were large, they contrived to carry us over with perfect