420 ORNAMENTS OF THE FEMALES. 



cloth cap worn by one of the party, about which 

 there was much discussion, the result of which 

 was, that the rajah and his followers came to the 

 important decision, that it would make a very 

 good pocket or case for containing betel-nut, and 

 the accompanying articles required to be used 

 with it. Being heartily tired, we were happy 

 to escape from the royal presence ; and the boat 

 being ready, we returned on board. 



All the women had the lobes of the ears enor- 

 mously distended, from wearing, when very 

 young, round pieces of wood, polished and orna- 

 mented, or rolls of leaves in them : the richer 

 classes wear large ornaipents of gold and silver : 

 the old women have the lobes hanging down to 

 a great length, but without ornament ; that they 

 formerly had placed them in the lobes was evi- 

 dent by the distended orifices, which, having 

 lost their elasticity, prevented their retention as 

 before. The poorer classes are content with 

 neatly polished and ornamented round pieces of 

 wood, or a roll of the plantain or some other 

 kind of leaf, as a substitute for those of gold and 

 silver worn by the higher and richer classes. 

 The lower class of females were usually attired 

 in cotton cloth sarongs, and the cahaya, passing 

 over the head, of a black colour, or other dark 

 patterns. As we passed their dwellings, ihey 



