After  searching  about  for  some  time,  we  discovered  an
inlet,  which  we  were  entering,  when  we  saw  four  large
canoes  put  off  from  the  shore,  filled  with  men  who  seemed
to  be  well  armed.  We  waited  for  them  to  come  up,  and,
as  they  moved  with  great  rapidity,  they  were  soon  within


NARRATIVE   OF  A.  GORDON  PYM.  469

hail.  Captain  Guy  now  held  up  a  white  handkerchief  on
the  blade  of  an  oar,  when  the  strangers  made  a  full  stop,
and  commenced  a  loud  jabbering  all  at  once,  intermingled
with  occasional  shouts,  in  which  we  could  distinguish  the
words  Anamoo-moo  !  and  Lama-Lama  !  They  continued
this  for  at  least  half  an  hour,  during  which  we  had  a  good
opportunity  of  observing  their  appearance.
In  the  four  canoes,  which  might  have  been  fifty  feet
long  and  five  broad,  there  were  a  hundred  and  ten  savages
in  all.  They  were  about  the  ordinary  stature  of  Euro-
peans, but  of  a  more  muscular  and  brawny  frame.  Their
complexion  a  jet  black,  with  thick  and  long  woolly  hair.
They  were  clothed  in  skins  of  an  unknown  black  animal,
shaggy  and  silky,  and  made  to  fit  the  body  with  some
degree  of  skill,  the  hair  being  inside,  except  where  turned
out  about  the  neck,  wrists,  and  ankles.  Their  arms  con-
sisted principally  of  clubs,  of  a  dark,  and  apparently  very
heavy  wood.  Some  spears,  however,  were  observed
among  them,  headed  with  flint,  and  a  few  slings.  The
bottoms  of  the  canoes  were  full  of  black  stones  about  the
size  of  a  large  egg.
