between the Southern Part qf' Bengal and Ava. 23 



shallow box filled with earth, which served for a hearth. 

 Bamboos, split and laid open into a kind of plank, were used 

 for making the walls and floor, and are very suitable in a hot 

 climate. The house was clean. 



Soon after my arrival we were joined by eight or ten stout 

 young men, who were desirous of partaking in the conversa- 

 tion. They smoked long pipes like those in use among the 

 Chinese. The mistress of the house attended to give the 

 guests tobacco and fire ; and, although modest in her car- 

 riage, had no aversion to be seen, being a young, comely, 

 smart woman ; nor did her husband seem at all to wish any 

 concealment, although the old people and children did not 

 appear. 



Both sexes of the Moroosas are thick and squat, and our 

 young landlady was too plump to have any pretensions to 

 elegance of form ; but she had, on the whole, reason to be sa- 

 tisfied with her appearance, having bright eyes, fine teeth, a 

 smooth clean skin, and comely features, like those, however, of 

 the Chinese, as is the case with all the tribe. The men wear 

 their hair tied up in a knot, which projects over the forehead 

 after the fashion of Ava. Some of them wear turbans like 

 the Rakhain ; others tie round their heads fillets of green 

 beads. In their ears they have large circular rings of brass 

 or zinc, and their necks and arms are often surrounded by 

 rings of these metals, or by strings of beads. In hot weather 

 they use no clothing but a narrow blue sash, which they pass 

 round the haunches, and between the legs, and it is often se- 

 cured by a girdle, consisting of several strings of beads. In 

 cold weather, or in high dress, they throw round their 

 shoulders a piece of cotton cloth, chequered red, blue, and 

 white, something like the Highland tartan, and much used 

 by the people of Ava. 



The women tie their hair behind in a knot. Our young 

 landlady had cylindrical hollow ear-rings, about four inches 

 long, and one in diameter, which she wore after the fashion 

 of Ava. Round her neck she had a string of coral beads, 

 and on one of her arms a thick bracelet, of a white metal 

 Her only clothing was a piece of blue cloth, about a foot 

 wide, and just so long as to meet at the ends round her 



