334 TOYAGE Ifc SEARCtf 



bark. The infide of them is filled with a fun' 

 gous fubiiance, which the inhabitants ufe byway 

 of cork. All this dwelling had been built of 

 the fago palm, even to the roof, the ridge of 

 which, railed about three meters, was covered 

 with the leaflets of this valuable tree; they had 

 been bent and fixed upon a long flick, and in 

 this manner formed rectangles, often all the 

 length of the houfe, by two decimeters in breadth : 

 being placed tilc-faihion over each other, they 

 were impervious to the heavieft rains. 



The two fides of this roof were inclined about 

 forty-five degrees, and part of it formed, towards 

 the entrance of the houfe, a finall fhed or porch, 

 intended as a cool retreat. Here alfo was pre- 

 pared their food ; for the want of a chimney 

 would have rendered the houfe uninhabitable, 

 had a fire been lighted in the infide. 



I was furprifed to fee thefe people, who are (a 

 fond of eafe, lie on a fort of lattice of flicks, 

 placed at the diflance of a dcmi-dccimetcr from 

 each other. This bed was very hard, notwith- 

 flanding the mats that covered it, but they there 

 enjoyed the freflmefs of the air, which circu- 

 lated freely through the interftiees. It was raited 

 about a demi-meter above the ground: under it 

 were depofitcd a part of the houfehold utenfils, 

 which confiftcd of three earthen pots, of the manu- 

 facture of the country, intended for dreffing iheir 

 5 food, 



