FIRST VOYAGE 91 



Besides millet and maize, this island produces tobacco, 

 cotton, betle, tamarinds, limes, oranges, mangoes, Guinea- 

 corn> rice, callevances, water-melons, and other tropical 

 fruits. A trifling quantity of cinnamon was seen, and 

 some European herbs. 



Several buffaloes were seen on this island, which were 

 almost as large as an ox, yet they did not weigh more than 

 half as much, having lost the greater part of their flesh 

 through the late dry weather ; the meat, however, was 

 juicy, and of a delicate flavour. The horns of these 

 animals bend backwards, they have no dewlaps, nor scarce 

 any hair on their skins, and their ears are remarkably 

 large. The other tame animals on the island are dogs, 

 cats, pigeons, fowls, hogs, goat, sheep, asses, and 

 horses. 



Few of the horses are above twelve hands high, yet they 

 are full of mettle, and pace naturally in an expeditious 

 manner. The sheep are not unlike a goat, and are there- 

 tlierefore called cabritos. The sea-coast furnishes the 

 inhabitants with turtle, but not in any great abundance. 



The natives of the island of Savu are rather below the 

 middle stature ; their hair is black and straight, and persons 

 of all ranks, as well those that are exposed to the weather as 

 those that are not, have one general complexion, which is 

 dark brown. The men are well formed and sprightly, and 

 their features differ much from each other ; the women, on 

 the contrary, have all one set of features, and are very 

 short and broad built. 



The dress of the men consists of two pieces of cotton 

 cloth, one of which is bound round the middle, and the 

 lower edge of it being drawn pretty tight between the legs, 

 the apper edge is left loose, so as lo form a kind of a pocket, 

 in which they carry their knives and other things ; the other 

 piece being passed under the former, on the back of the 

 wearer, the ends of it are carried over the shoulders, and 

 tucked into the pocket before. The women draw the upper 

 edge of the piece round the waist tight, while the lower 

 edge, dropping to the knees, makes a kind of a petticoat ; 

 the other piece of cloth is fastened across the breast, and 

 under the arms. This cloth, which is manufactured by the 

 natives, is dyed blue while in the yarn ; and, as it is of 

 various shades, it looks very beautiful. They have a 

 variety of ornaments. 



The houses on the island of Savu are of different lengths, 

 from twenty feet to four hundred, according to the rank 

 of the inhabitant, and are fixed on posts about four or five 

 feet from the ground. The houses are generally divided into 

 three rooms of equal size, the centre room being set apart for 



