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An.1681
The Indians of the Corn-Islands
mean Stature, yet strong Limbs ; they are of a dark copper colour, black Hair, full round Faces, small black Eyes, their Eye-brows hanging over their Eyes ; low Foreheads, short thick Noses, not high, but flattish ; full Lips, and short Chins. They have a fashion to cut holes in the Lips of the Boys when they are young, close to their Chin ; which they keep open with little Pegs till they are 14 or 15 years old : then they wear Beards in them, made of Tur- tle or Tortoise-shell, in the form you see in the Margin. The little notch at the upper end they put in through the Lip, where it remains between the Teeth and the Lip ; the under part hangs down over their Chin. This they commonly wear all day, and when they sleep, they take it out. They have likewise holes bored in their Ears, both Men and Women, when young ; and by continual stretching them with great Pegs, they grow to be as big as a Mill'd Five Shilling piece; Herein they wear pieces of Wood cut very round and smooth ; so that their Ear seems to be all Wood, with a little Skin about it. Another Ornament the Women use is about their Legs, which they are very curious in ; for from the Infancy of the Girls their Mothers make fast a piece of Cotton Cloath about the small of their Leg, from the Ankle to the Calf, very hard ; which makes them have a very full Calf : this the Women wear to their dying day. Both Men and Women go naked, only a Clout a- bout their Wastes ; yet they have but little Feet, though they go barefoot. Finding no Provision here, we sailed toward Bluefield River, where we careened our Tartane ; and there Captain Archembo and Captain Tucker left us, and went towards Bocca- toro.
This