pallors; whofc objetl has been to allure them from their life of indolence,
and raife in them a fpirit of emulous induftry; which, by fecuring to
them plenty of food and the common conveniences of life, would necef-
farily augment their comforts, and encourage them to feek and embrace
the bleirings of civilized fociety. Deaf to the important lefTons, and infen-
fible of the promifed advantages, they dill remained in the mofl; abjeft (late
of uncivilization; and if we except the inhabitants of Terra del Fuego,
and thofe of 'an Dicmans land, tlicy are certainly a race of the moll mi-
ferable beings I ever faw, poflclfing the faculty of human reafon. Their
pcrfons, generally fpeaking, were under the middle fize, and very ill made;
their faces uglv, prefenting a dull, heavy, and (lujiid countenance, de-
void of fenfd)ilit' or the leafl exprelfion. One of their grcated averfions is
cleanlinefs, both in their i)erfons and habitations; which, after the fafliion
of their forefathers, were Hill without the moll trivial improvement.
Their houfes were of a conical form, about fix or [even feet in diame-
ter at their bafe (which is the ground), and are conllrufted by a number
of flakes, chielly of the willow tribe, which are driven erei-l into the
earth in a circular manner, the upper ends of which being fmall and
pliable are brought nearly to join at the top, in the center of the circle;
and thefe being fecurely fallcned, give the upper part or roof fomewhat
of a {lattifli apjjearance. Thinner twigs of the like fpecies are horizon-
tally interwoven between the uprights, forming a piece of bafkct work
about ten or twelve feet high; at the top a fmall aperture is left, which
allows the fnioke of tlic fire made in flic center of the hut to efeapc,
and admits moll of the light they receive: the entrance is by a fmall hole
clofe to the ground, throiigli which with didiculty one perfon at a time
can g.iiu admittance. The whole is covered over with a thick thatch of
dried grafs iind ridlies.
Thefe miferable habitations, each of which was allotted for the residence of a whole family, weie erected with I'onie degree of uniformity, about three or four k^et afunder, in llrait rows, leaving lanes or [lalkiges at right angles between them; but thefe were fo abominably infeded with every kind of (ilth and naiUnels, as to be rendered not lefs oHi-nfive than degrading to the human fpecies. 2 Clofe 1792. November.
