e of their laws, customs, &c. I received an
invitation to go to what they call "a drink-about of pine-liquor." I
quickly dressed myself in Indian fashion, having my face ornamented with
red paint, forming curls and other figures, and my hat ornamented with
beautiful plumage plucked from the birds of the forest. I proceeded
about two miles in company with most of the inhabitants of our place to
the village of Bigman's Bank, where we were joined by the principal
inhabitants of the neighboring villages within five or six miles of that
place, who had previously brought their pine-apples, pealed them, grated
them up fine and squeezed out the juice into a sixty gallon cask, which
was full, and had been in a state of fermentation for some days past,
but had now become pure, and contained spirit sufficient to intoxicate
all those who drank much of it. Before the drinking commenced the men
gave up their knives and other weapons to the squaws. The men remained
there two or three days, but I returned home the first evening, fully
satisfied. I continued my trade with the Indians, bartering my goods for
tortoise-shell, cow-hides, deer-skins, tiger-skins, gum copal, India
rubber, &c.

Having much leisure time, I devoted a great part of it to learning
their language, customs, laws, manner of taking turtle, fish, birds and
different animals; mode of agriculture; births, marriages and burials,
of which I shall endeavor to give the reader some information.

CHAPTER IX.

Mode of Taking Turtle.

There are three kinds of turtle inhabiting these seas: the first and
most valuable are the hawk-bill, they are caught for the beauty of their
shell, which contains thirteen pieces, covering the thick callipach of
the turtle, which is from two to four feet long. The outer shell is
taken from the carcase by setting it up before a warm fire, when it
peels off. The second is called loggerhead turtle, having a shell much
resembling the hawk-bill, but not worth anything for manufacturing. The
third is the green turtle, whose flesh is very delicious, and so well
known that I consider any description unnecessary. The Indians take them
by what they call striking, having a pole about the size of a fishing
rod, with a small spear, two or three inches long, well barbed at the
point, to which one end of a small cord, about sixty feet long, is made
fast and wound round a piece of cork-wood, resembling a weavers spool.
He then stands up in his canoe,