OF LA PEROUSE. 24$ 



their ifland. This word, which in the Malay- 

 tongue is the expreflion of negation, and which, 

 when the firft fy liable is pronounced long, fig- 

 nifics to open, is no doubt a term in their lan- 

 guage, which feems to have fome analogy with 

 the Malay ; it however differs from it fo much, 

 that one of our people who fpoke Malay with 

 facility, could not underftand them. 



The value they fcemed to attach to the nails, 

 and various articles of hardware which were 

 given them, informed us that they were ac- 

 quainted with the ufe of iron. 



Thefe lavages are of middling ftature ; the co- 

 lour of their rkin is a light black; they wore no 

 clothes, and their mufcles, ftrongly marked, an- 

 nounced the greateft ftrength: their countenance 

 is very far from agreeable, but it is full of ex- 

 preflion. They have a very big head, a broad 

 forehead, which, like their whole face, is very flat, 

 particularly below the nofe, the chin thick and 

 prominent, rather high cheek bones, a broad 

 flat nofe, a very wide mouth, and tolerably thin 

 lips. 



Betel-root, with the blood-colour juice of 

 which they tinge their large mouth, fiill adds to 

 the uglinefs of their face. 



Their ears, which were bored, were ornament- 

 ed with very heavy rings made of (hells, the 

 weight of which had contributed to their great 



r 3 fize, 



