The Expedition of Humphry Clinker

THE EXPEDITION OF HUMPHRY CLINKER 195
any fashion which might help to render them corrupt and effemi-
nate.
These observations served only to inflame her desire of knowing
the particulars about which she had enquired; and, with all his
evasion, he could not help discovering the following circum-
stances—that his princess had neither shoes, stockings, shift, nor
any kind of linen—that her bridal dress consisted of a petticoat of
red bays, and a fringed blanket, fastened about her shoulders with
a copper skewer; but of ornaments she had great plenty.—Her
hair was curiously plaited, and interwoven with bobbins of human
bone—one eye-lid was painted green, and the other yellow; the
cheeks were blue, the lips white, the teeth red, and there was a
black list drawn down the middle of the forehead as far as the tip
of the nose—a couple of gaudy parrot’s feathers were stuck
through the division of the nostrils—there was a blue stone set in
the chin—her ear-rings consisted of two pieces of hickery, of the
size and shape of drum-sticks—her arms and legs were adorned
with bracelets of wampum—her breast glittered with numerous
strings of glass beads—she wore a curious pouch, or pocket, of
woven grass, elegantly painted with various colours—about her
neck was hung the fresh scalp of a Mohawk warrior, whom her
deceased lover had lately slain in battle—and, finally, she was
anointed from head to foot with bear’s grease, which sent forth
a most agreeable odour.
One would imagine that these paraphernalia would not have
been much admired by a modern fine lady; but Mrs. Tabitha was
resolved to approve of all the captain’s connexions.—She wished,
indeed, the squaw had been better provided with linen; but she
owned there was much taste and fancy in her ornaments; she made
no doubt, therefore, that madam Squinkinacoosta was a young lady
of good sense and rare accomplishments, and a good christian at
bottom. Then she asked whether his consort had been high-church
or low-church, presbyterian or anabaptist, or had been favoured
with any glimmering of the new light of the gospel? When he con-
fessed that she and her whole nation were utter strangers to the
christian faith, she gazed at him with signs of astonishment, and
Humphry Clinker, who chanced to be in the room, uttered a
hollow groan.
After some pause, ‘In the name of God, captain Lismahago,
(cried she) what religion do they profess?’ ‘As to religion, madam,