27 o OS BECK'S VOYAGE. 



with caps of bamboo leaves ; they go bare- 

 foot, and mod of them are half naked. It is 

 a very common thing to fee fmall boats full of 

 naked children, and of half-naked parents, 

 who have no other habitations than thefe on 

 the furface of the water, and live by thou- 

 fands by filhing, picking up old rags, dead 

 hogs, or whatever elfe is thrown from the 

 Ihips. 



Labourers are obliged to pare their nails ?, 

 but people of quality let them grow as long 

 as they will; keep them very clean and tranf- 

 parent, and at night put little cafes of bamboo 

 on them. 



The drefs of the ladies is little known to 

 me, fince ladies of fafhion always keep in 

 their houfes. I faw, however, a head-drefs 

 at the goldfmith's, which was twilled of a 

 coarfe filver-wire, and looked like a little ba- 

 fket ; in it were fattened pieces of red cloth, 

 to heighten the luftre. Their round filk fans 

 are well known. They can fcarce walk, on 

 account of their little feet. As this inability 



y Very long nails are a token of elegance, and fhew 

 that the wearers are arrived at a thorough pitch of genteel 

 htlpleflhefs. 



for 



