Page 465
An.1688
Their living on small Fish left aground.
small green Boughs, full of Leaves, thrust under their Girdle, to cover their nakedness.
They have no Houses, but lye in the open Air, without any covering; the Earth being their Bed, and the Heaven their Canopy. Whether they co- habit one Man to one Woman, or promiscuously, I know not: but they do live in Companies, 20 or 30 Men, Women, and Children together. Their only food is a small sort of Fish, which they get by making Wares of stone, across little Coves, or branches of the Sea: every Tide bringing in the small Fish, and there leaving them for a prey to these people, who constantly attend there, to search for them at low water. This small Fry I take to be the top of their Fishery: they have no Instru- ments to catch great Fish, should they come; and such seldom stay to be left behind at low water: nor could we catch any Fish with our Hooks and Lines all the while we lay there. In other places at low water they seek for Cockles, Muscles, and Periwinkles: Of these Shell-fish there are fewer still; so that their chiefest dependance is upon what the Sea leaves in their Wares; which, be it much or little, they gather up, and march to the places of their abode. There the old People, that are not able to stir abroad, by reason of their Age, and the tender Infants, wait their rerun; and what Providence has bestowed on them, they presently broil on the Coals, and eat it in common. Some- times they get as many Fish as makes them a plenti- ful Banquet; and at other times they scarce get every one a taste: but be it little or much that they get, every one has his part, as well the young and tender, as the old and feeble, who are not able to go abroad, as the strong and lusty. When they have eaten they lye down till the next low water, and then all that are able march out, be it night or day, rain or shine, 'tis all one: they must attend the Wares,