NAVY. CLIMATE. 93 



these people, they have been designated "the 

 Scotsmen of the East," and between the tropics, 

 at least, they verify the voyager's axiom, that 

 " a Chinaman, an English musket, and a Spanish 

 dollar, are to be found in ever} 7 land." 



The entire navy of Soutranha was comprised 

 in two or three small proas, drawn up on the 

 beach, and one similar vessel on the stocks. 

 The canoes, in common use, differ much in 

 form. Some are sharp at either end, without 

 outriggers, and in shape and construction inter- 

 mediate to a boat and canoe ; others have an 

 outrigger, and resemble the Polynesian canoe. 

 A third variety which we noticed, with an out- 

 rigger on either side, had a complicated and 

 very awkward appearance. 



Notwithstanding the insalubrious character of 

 this soil, its population, although an attenuated, 

 appeared a very healthy race, not a single 

 instance of serious disease being evident amongst 

 them.* Our crew also enjoyed perfect health, 

 as regards any influence of the land. The un- 

 healthy season of the " wet monsoon" would no 

 doubt produce a very different scene, but during 

 our stay, the S. E. winds of the winter months 

 prevailed, the land was comparatively dry, the 



* Small-pox is endemic on this island, and many of the 

 natives are much disfigured by its eruption. 



