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[Page 7]
sake of modesty, for frequently the upper part of the Body is entirely exposed & it is not possible to behold finer forms. Whilst speaking of their dress, one must not omit mentioning, with what taste & quickness they form a Bonnet of green leaves &c. which they wear to keep the Sun from their Eyes: I was a witness to the making of one of these by one of the young girls who was about to accompany us to the Boats, & it was wonderful to see with what alacrity & neatness it was executed: I am convincd our fashionable dress makers in London, would be delighted with the simplicity & yet elegant taste of these untaught females.
This young girl did accompany us to the Boat, carrying on her Shoulders as a present a large basket of Yams, through Such Roads & among such precipices as I mentioned before, we could scarcely climb with the help of our hands.
We lamented that our time did not permit us to visit the more lofty parts of the Island & the fine Plantations there, as well as the other habitations ; it had however a very picturesque appearance: When we first beheld these, we were struck with admiration & readily conjecturd, it was not the work of Indians, & we were not deceived. But what delighted me most & excited my greatest admiration was the manner with which John Adams had impressd on their minds, the necessity & propriety of returning thanks to the Almighty, for the many blessings they enjoy ; they invariably say Grace before & after Meat, & frequently repeat their prayers; they know the Lords prayer & I believe the Creed. They frequently call upon our blessed Saviour saying "I will arise & go to my Father, & will say unto him Father, I have sinned again Heaven & before thee, & am no more worthy to be called thy Son".
This I imagine was early taught them by Christian after the shameful part he had acted both against God & his Country, but it was truly pleasing too see that these poor people are so well disposed, as to listen attentively to moral instruction & to believe in the divine attributes of God.
By all the accounts we could collect from old John Adams, they have been upon the Island about 25 years, but it was impossible to ascertain with certainty the date of their arrival; he had kept it is true, a journal, but it chiefly containd the manner & work they were employd about, as well as what was due from one to the other of Provisions, for it appears