aments in
their ears.

Their food consists of fish, sea-animals, birds, roots, and berries,
and even of sea-weed. They dry large quantities of fish in summer,
which they lay up in small huts for winter use; and probably they
preserve roots and berries for the same time of scarcity. They eat
almost every thing raw. Boiling and broiling were the only methods of
cookery that I saw them make use of; and the first was probably learnt
from the Russians. Some have got little brass-kettles; and those who
have not, make one of a flat stone, with sides of clay, not unlike a
standing pye.

I was once present, when the chief of Oonalashka made his dinner of
the raw head of a large halibut, just caught. Before any was given
to the chief, two of his servants eat the gills, without any other
dressing, besides squeezing out the slime. This done, one of them cut
off the head of the fish, took it to the sea and washed it, then came
with it, and sat down by the chief, first pulling up some grass, upon
a part of which the head was laid, and the rest was strewed before the
chief. He then cut large pieces of the cheeks, and laid these
within the reach of the great man, who swallowed them with as much
satisfaction as we should do raw oysters. When he had done, the
remains of the head were cut in pieces, and given to the attendants,
who tore off the meat with their teeth, and gnawed the bones like so
many dogs.

As these people use no paint, they are not so dirty in their persons
as the savages who thus besmear themselves; but they are full as lousy
and filthy in their houses. Their method of building is as follows:
They dig in the ground an oblong square pit, the length of which
seldom exceeds fifty feet, and the breadth twenty; but in general the
dimensions are smaller. Over this excavation they form the roof of
wood which the sea throws ashore. This roof is covered first with
grass, and then with earth, so that the outward appearance is like a
dunghill. In the middle of the roof, toward each end, is left a square
opening, by which the light is admitted; one of these openings being
for this purpose only, and the other being also used to go in and out
by, with the help of a ladder, or rather a post, with steps cut in
it.[17] In some houses there is another entrance below; but this is
not common. Round the sides and ends of the huts, the families, (for
several are lodged together) have their separate apartments, where
they sleep, and sit