Cap. XL V.       The Caribby-4 (lands.
ZM
Cotton-beds, make ufe of another kind of Bed, which is called
Cabane; and this is made of feveral fmall (ticks laid acrofs, on
which they put a good quantity of Banana-leaves 5 this Cabane
is hung up and fuftain'd by the four corners with great cords of
Mahot: They have alfo little Stools or Chairs made all of a
piece, of a red or yellow Wood, and as fmooth as Marble :
There are alfo fome among them who have little Tables,which
have four wooden Pillars, and thofe cover'd with the leaves of
that kind of Palm which is called the Latanier.
Their Veflels, as well of the Ritchin as others, are all of
Earth, as thofe of the Maldivefes ; or of certain Fruits like our
Gourds, but which have a thicker and harder rind, cut after
divers figures, and made Imooth and painted as. well as they are
able to do it : of thefe they make fuch Veflels as ferve inftead
of Platters, Porringers, Bafins, Trenchers, Drinking-cups, and
Difhes: All thefe Veflels made of Fruits, they call Cois or
Corns; and it is the fame name which the Braftlians give theirs
made of the fame materials : Their earthen Veffels they make
ufe of as we do of our Kettles and Cauldrons; among others
they have one kind which they call Canary ; of thefe Canary s
there are fome very large, others little ; the little ones ferve on-
ly for the making of fewces or haut-goufts, which they call
Toumalk ; but the great ones are employ'd about the making
of that kind of Drink which they call Ouïcou : The Caribbians
ofMartinico do often bring fome of thefe little Canary s to the
Quarter of the French, who give them in exchange certain Co-
connes, that is, fome toys or other, wherewith they are pleas'd :
Thofe little Veflels are the more efteem'd, becaufe they are not
fo eafily broken as our earthen Pots ; Thefe Veflels which we
have defcribed, as wretched as they are, are preferv'd by them
with as much curiofity and care as can be imagined.
The Caribbians have alfo, at a pretty diftance from their
houfes, a place for the eating of their natural neceflities, to
which when they have need they refort, carrying along with
them a (harp ftick, wherewith they make a hole in fhe ground,
into which having put their Ordure, they afterwards cover it
with earth ; fo that there is never any thing of that kind feen
among them : We take the more particular notice of this Cu-
ftom of theirs, becaufe it is confonant to what was done by the
Army of ifrael as long as they were in the Field .• To the fame Veut, c.13*
may alfo be referred the Cuftom of the Turks, who in that cafe Bu<bequius
make a pit with a piece of Iron to cover their Excrements, **« his Em.
which keeps their Camp very clean when they are in the Field. baJJ'", l.Js»
An ancient Author affirms, that in the Eaft-Indies a certain Gtefias.
Bird named Juft a does fomwhat of this kind, burying its own
Ordure (o as that it may not be feen ; but this fmells too much
of the Fable to be credited.    The Tartars, as fome affirm, will CarpinV
not fo much as make water within the inclofures of their tfabi- flavds **»
tarions, as accounting it a fin.                              „               But   m*rY<