Traces Of The Natives Appeared At Every Step,
Sometimes In Their Hunting-Huts, Which Consist Of Nothing More Than
A
Large piece of bark, bent in the middle, and open at both ends, exactly
resembling two cards, set up to
Form an acute angle; sometimes in marks
on trees which they had climbed; or in squirrel-traps*; or, which surprised us
more, from being new, in decoys for the purpose of ensnaring birds.
These are formed of underwood and reeds, long and narrow, shaped like
a mound raised over a grave; with a small aperture at one end for admission
of the prey; and a grate made of sticks at the other: the bird enters
at the aperture, seeing before him the light of the grate, between the bars
of which, he vainly endeavours to thrust himself, until taken. Most of these
decoys were full of feathers, chiefly those of quails, which shewed
their utility. We also met with two old damaged canoes hauled up on the beach,
which differed in no wise from those found on the sea coast.
[*A squirrel-trap is a cavity of considerable depth, formed by art,
in the body of a tree. When the Indians in their hunting parties set fire
to the surrounding country (which is a very common custom) the squirrels,
opossums, and other animals, who live in trees, flee for refuge into these
holes, whence they are easily dislodged and taken. The natives always
pitch on a part of a tree for this purpose, which has been perforated
by a worm, which indicates that the wood is in an unsound state, and will
readily yield to their efforts.
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