There are, probably, more well formed and featured people among the
Hydas than any other aboriginal race, though there are none which can
be considered handsome; indeed I have never seen an Indian beauty, nor
an adult Indian woman of graceful movement. Black hair and eyes, white
teeth and occasionally a rich olive complexion are their chief
attractions. The Indian ages rapidly and are shorter lived than the
whites. They suffer most from pulmonary and venereal diseases, the
faces of many being scarred by the latter in its worst forms. Small
pox has also destroyed them by the hundreds.

* * * * *

Dress--Ornaments. Etc.

The Hydas have so far adopted the dress of the whites, that with the
exception of blankets--still much worn by both sexes at their homes,
and dancing suits--their original costumes are now seldom seen. The
blanket has been substituted for the sea-otter cloak, trousers and
dresses for the breech cloth, and leather undergarments by woven ones.
The men wear hats, but the women very rarely; a handkerchief or shawl
being their most common head covering. Some of the elderly women,
however, wear large hats of the Chinese pattern, braided by them from
the roots of the spruce tree. The women are very fond of bright,
striking colors; though many exhibit considerable taste by the
selection of dark shades, suited to their complexion. The men are
quite as much inclined to over-dress as the women, when they have the
means. On one of the hottest days of summer, I saw an Indian parading
through the village of Skidegate, dressed in a full suit of black,
including a _heavy beaver Ulster_. Both men and women generally go