lOO VOYAGE IN SEARCH 



raifcd about two meters towards the middle, 

 reached down to the ground, with a very gentle 

 flope. On one of its fides was formed an open- 

 insT, which fometimcs was the whole lcn";th of 

 theihoufe, but which w as fo low, that a perfoni 

 could not enter it but by fiooping, and fupport- 

 ing himfelf on his hands : on the oppofite fide 

 was another opening ftill lower and narrower, 

 which fcemed intended to promote the circu- 

 lation of air. In other places were to be {cen a 

 greater number of apertures, but fmaller, and 

 fituated even in the direiflion of the breadth of 

 the habitations. We here admired the beauti- 

 ful texture of the mats that were fpread on the 

 ground. The roof was covered with leaves of 

 the palm-tree, called ccrypha wnhracuJifcra ; 

 fometimes,,alfo, with cyprefs and grafs. Under 

 fuch a roof it was impoiilble to ftand upright, 

 except towards the middle; but thefe people 

 commonly remain fquatied in the houfe; ac- 

 cordingly they can approach pretty near its lides. 

 In the environs of thefe peaceful abodes, we 

 frequently found men of the moft obliging tem- 

 per, although of a robull confiitution, who 

 took a pleafure in informing firangers cf the 

 favourable reception they might meet with from 

 the fair fex in ihcfe fortunate iflands. The 

 w ifli to oblige, no doubt, was one prin- 

 cipal inducement for their olicrsj but it ap- 

 3. pears 



