Page:Narrative of a Voyage around the World - 1843.djvu/180

126 the Onēē-shǎn-á-tēē tribe, and were evidently prepared to receive us in better humour.

They appeared as if they had just returned from plundering the dresses of a theatre, being partially clothed in shirts, jackets, trousers, &c; in many instances wearing but half of one of the articles; the effect of which, in the case of trousers, was ridiculous in the extreme. Those who could not sport these grotesque dresses, were fancifully decorated with those pigments which wood fires produce, and which, when nearly dry, was scored off, thus displaying skeletons, tatoostattoos [sic], &c; some indeed exhibited the new patterns of fancy shirts very admirably imitated. The generality, however, were very disgusting.

The first party were without implements of any kind, and probably came on a visit of ceremony, as the spokesman, who was one of our interpreters before alluded to, came to inform me that he had put some fish on board of the boats. Lower down the river, I visited them at their Rancheria, and there had an opportunity of observing them more minutely. Some of the women were clad in cloaks made from the skins of a slate-coloured duck we had not yet seen, (either now or in 1827,) which presented a very neat appearance. All sexes and ages were collected, and all busily employed,—the women pounding and making acorn-bread, boiling huge horse-chesnuts, &c, the men forming arrows.