no The Gardens of the Sim. [ch. v. 



as elsewhere among the ahoriginals proper, we found the 

 women enjoying perfect freedom with the men. 



While staying at these villages, all the women and 

 girls flocked to see us, and watched us eat and drink 

 with evident interest. The young girls were especially 

 confident, and formed laughing groups around us, chat- 

 ting to each other in low, modulated tones, and evidently 

 comparing notes on their observations. They frequently 

 brought us little presents of fruit, and eggs, or fowls, 

 and were delighted with the needles and thread, looking- 

 glasses, and white cloth which we gave them in return. 

 Some of the younger girls were much handsomer than 

 the Malays, and stood lovingly together as they quizzed 

 us, often resting their plump little arms or their cheeks 

 on each other's necks or shoulders as they watched our 

 every movement. 



Looking-glasses were considered fashionable at the 

 time of our visit, and we could have disposed of many 

 more with advantage had we had them with us. Combs 

 were not so desirable, since these are made by their 

 husbands or sweethearts ; and they are often very prettily 

 decorated with carved work. 



Some of the men seem "thoroughly domesticated," 

 and I saw them affectionately nursing their naked little 

 babies at night, or in the daytime, while mamma had 

 gone to the field for food, or the forest for fuel. I par- 

 ticularly noticed the younger married men standing 

 behind their nice little wives at night when we were at 

 dinner. They folded their brown arms around their 

 necks, and whispered loving gossip into their ears, 

 evidently well contented with themselves and with each 

 other ; and, perhaps, their love is as real and as ardent 

 and as true here as it is in high places where dress clothes 

 are worn. The farther one travels, the more plainly 



