FROM GUAHON TO ST. HELENA. ^63 



nilla, vvheio we saw a number of richly-dressed 

 ladies and gentlemen on the favourite promenade, 

 both in carriages and on foot. 



On the 26th. I was just prepared to pay my 

 respects to the Governor, when he came to us 

 himself, and invited us to dinner. In the morning 

 we visited the beautiful suburb, which is mostly 

 inhabited by rich Chinese, who have their shops 

 there, and know very well how to cheat the Chris- 

 tians. 



After dinner, to which all the first people of the 

 town were invited, we rode home. It is not till 

 evening that the higher class of the inhabitants 

 begin to stir ; till that time they are occupied in 

 sleeping, eating, and smoking tobacco, which is no 

 where more general than on the island of Luconia; 

 for children, when they are yet unable to walk, 

 already smoke their segars. The women caray 

 their love for it to a still greater extent than the 

 men ; they are not content with the usual small 

 segars, but have others made for them, which are 

 a foot long, and proportionably thick. An idea 

 may be formed of a mouth, whose lips can take in 

 such a roll of tobacco. These large segars are 

 called here the women's segars, and it affords the 

 most ludicrous sight, when these elegant ladies 

 take their evening walk, with these burning brands 

 in their mouths. The chewing of the betel is one 

 of the luxuries of the fair sex, and is particularly 

 hurtful, as it is wrapped in a leaf strewed with un- 



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