THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 45S 



employed, who could flroke and handle them with impu- »7 8 °' 



ii in January. 



mty, at times when the men durfl not approach them. 

 Haying got rid of the buffaloes, we were conducted to the 

 town, which was at a mile's diflance ; the road to ic lying 

 through a deep white fand. It is fituated near the fea-fide, 

 at the bottom of a retired bay, which mufl afford a fafe 

 road-flead during the prevalence of the South Well mon- 

 foons. 



This town confifls of between twenty and thirty houfes* 

 built clofe together ; befidea fix or feven others that are fcat- 

 tered about the beach. The roof, the two ends, and the 

 fide fronting the country, are neatly conflructed of reeds j 

 the oppofite fide, facing the fea, is intirely open ; but, by 

 means of a fort of bamboo fcreens, they can exclude or let 

 in as much of the fun and air as they pleafe. We obferved, 

 likewife, other large fcreens or partitions, for the purpofe 

 of dividing, as occafion required, the fingle room of which 

 the houfe, properly fpeaking, confifls, into feparate apart- 

 ments. 



We were conducted to the largefl houfe in the town, be- 

 longing to their Chief, or, as they called him, their Captain. 

 This houfe had a room at each end, feparated by a parti- 

 tion of reeds from the middle fpace, which was open on 

 both fides, and provided with partition fcreens like the 

 others. It had, befides, a penthoufe, projecting four or five 

 feet beyond the roof, and running the whole length on each 

 fide. At each end of the middle room were hung fome 

 Chinefe paintings, reprefenting men and women in ludi- 

 crous attitudes. In this apartment we were civilly defired 

 to feat ourfelves on mats, and betel was prefented to us. 



