Besides these, a thousand little knacks and rarities in nature; and
some of art, as their baskets, weapons, aprons, etc. We dealt with 'em
with beads of all colors, knives, axes, pins, and needles; which
they used only as tools to drill holes with in their ears, noses,
and lips, where they hang a great many little things; as long beads,
bits of tin, brass or silver beat thin, and any shining trinket. The
beads they weave into aprons about a quarter of an ell long, and of
the same breadth; working them very prettily in flowers of several
colors; which apron they wear just before 'em, as Adam and Eve did the
fig-leaves; the men wearing a long stripe of linen, which they deal
with us for. They thread these beads also on long cotton threads,
and make girdles to tie their aprons to, which come twenty times, or
more, about the waist, and then cross, like a shoulder-belt, both
ways, and round their necks, arms, and legs. This adornment, with
their long black hair, and the face painted in little specks or
flowers here and there, makes 'em a wonderful figure to behold. Some
of the beauties, which indeed are finely shaped, as almost all are,
and who have pretty features, are charming and novel; for they have
all that is called beauty, except the color, which is a reddish
yellow; or after a new oiling, which they often use to themselves,
they are of the color of a new brick, but smooth, soft, and sleek.
They are extreme modest and bashful, very shy, and nice of being
touched.
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