MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 



455 



eminence, the traveller is led by a 

 foot-path to what seems only a 

 little wood J on entering which, 

 under an archway formed by the 

 intermingling branches of the op- 

 posite trees, he passes along a 

 serpentine labyrinth, intersected 

 at short distances by others. Not 

 far from each other, on either side 

 of these walks, small wicker doors 

 are observed, on opening any of 

 which, he is surprised by the 

 appearance of a court-yard and 

 house, with the children, and all 

 the usual cottage train, generally 

 gamboling about ; so that, whilst 

 a man fancies himself in some 

 lonely and sequestered retreat, he 

 is, in fact, in the middle of a 

 populous, but invisible village. 



Nature has been bountiful in 

 all her gifts to Lewchevv : for 

 such is the felicity of its soil and 

 climate, that productions of the 

 vegetable kingdom, very distinct 

 in their nature, and generally 

 found in regions fur distant from 

 each other, grow here side by side. 

 It is not merely, as might be ex- 

 pected, the country of the orange 

 and the lime ; but the banyan of 

 India and the Norwegian fir, the 

 tea-plant, and sugar-cane, all 

 flourish together. In addition to 

 many good qualities, not often 

 found combined, this island can 

 also boast its rivers and secure 

 harbours ; and last, though not 

 least, a worthy, a friendly, and a 

 happy race of people. 



These islanders are represented 

 as being remarkable for their 

 honesty and adherence to truth, 

 and to this character they appear 

 to be fully entitled. The chiefs 

 informed us that there was little 

 probabiUty of their stealing any 

 thing 3 but, as iron implements 



were a great temptation, they beg- 

 ged that none might be left careless- 

 ly about. — Although, however, the 

 rope machinery and other articles 

 remained, for many nights, un- 

 guarded on the beach, and their 

 opportunities on board were num- 

 berless, yet not one theft occurred 

 during the whole of our sojourn 

 among them. 



That proud and haughty feeling 

 of national superiority, so strong- 

 ly existing among the common 

 class of British seamen, which 

 induces them to hold all foreigners 

 cheap, and to treat them with 

 contempt, often calling them out- 

 landish lubbers in their own coun- 

 try, was, at this island, completely 

 subdued and tamed by the gentle 

 manners and kind behaviour of the 

 most pacific people upon earth. 

 Although completely intermixed, 

 and often working together, both 

 on shore and on board, not a sin- 

 gle quarrel or complaint took place 

 on either side during the whole of 

 our stay ; on the contrary, eacii 

 succeeding day added to friendship 

 and cordiality. 



Notwithstanding it was an in- 

 fringement of their established 

 rules for strangers to land upon 

 their coasts, yet they granted 

 every possible indulgence, and 

 conceded the point as far as they 

 could ; for their dispositions seem- 

 ed evidently at war with the unso- 

 cial law. When any of the officers 

 wandered into the country beyond 

 tlie bounds prescribed, they were 

 never rudely repulsed, as in China 

 or Morocco, but mildly entreated to 

 return, as a favour to those in at- 

 tendance, lest they should incur 

 blame J and, as this appeal was 

 powerful, it was never disregarded. 



They erected little temporary 



bamboo 



