OF LA PEROUSE. 335 



food, a few bottles of a prifmatic fhape, which 

 they had purchafed from Europeans, and fome 

 fpoons formed out of the large fhells that are 

 common at Amboyna. Among thefe fhells I 

 diftinguifhed various fpecies of nautili, often the 

 mother-of-pearl nautilus, and alfo a fpecies known 

 by the name of pinna rudis, 



I obferved alfo under this bed, a pickaxe, and 

 a large knife in the fhape of a butcher's cleaver, 

 and which, in the Malay language, is called 

 fijjau : thefe two inftrumeuts had been procured 

 from Europeans. 



From the mildnefs of the climate, the inhabit- 

 ants require little clothing; and indeed their 

 wardrobe confifts of a garment, barely neceflary 

 to conceal what decency does not permit to be 

 expofed. 



A pair of drawers, which generally come no 

 lower than the middle of the thigh, or a piece of 

 blue cloth fattened round the loins, is the only 

 clothing of the men employed in agriculture. 



The drefs of the women is of courfe more ex- 

 penfive : they wear a fort of chemife of the fame 

 kind of cloth, which reaches to the middle of their 

 leg, and is fattened by a girdle round their 

 waul. 



Our prefents had excited their gratitude. The 

 young girl, having difappeared for a moment, 

 came back to offer us fome fragrant flowers: 



a thread 



