636 PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. [aNNO1780. 



brush is again lapped round with white thread, and bent a little backwards. The 

 women preserve all their hair, and, drawing it together on the top of the head 

 roll it round a loop, and fastening it down with pins, to which ornaments are 

 affixed, draw out the sides till they appear like little wings ; behind this a comb 

 is stuck in. Physicians and priests are the only exception to the general fashion; 

 they shave their heads entirely, and are by that means distinguished from the 

 rest of tlie people. 



The fashion of their clothes has also remained the same from the highest an- 

 tiquity. They consist of one or more loose gowns, tied about the middle with a 

 sash ; the women wear them much longer than the men, and dragging on the 

 ground. In summer they are very thin ; but in winter quilted with silk or cotton 

 wadding. People of rank have them made of silk ; the lower class of cotton 

 stuffs. Women generally wear a greater number of them than men, and have 

 them more ornamented, often with gold or silver flowers woven into the stuff. 

 These gowns are generally left open at the breast ; their sleeves are very wide, but 

 partly sewed up in front, so as to make a kind of pocket, into which they can 

 easily put their hands, and in this they generally carry papers, or such like light 

 things. 



Men of consequence are distinguished from those of inferior rank by a short 

 jacket of thin black stuff, which is worn over their gowns, and trowsers open 

 on the sides, but sewed together near the bottom, which take in their skirts. 

 Some use drawers, but all have their legs naked. They wear sandals of straw, 

 fastened to their feet by a bow passing over the instep, and a string which passes 

 between the great toe and that next to it, fixing to the bow. In winter they 

 have socks of linen, and in rainy or dirty weather wooden shoes. They never 

 cover their heads but on a journey, when they use a conical cap made of straw ; 

 at other times they defend themselves from the sun or the rain by fans or 

 umbrellas. In their sash they fasten the sabre, fan, and tobacco-pipe ; the sabre 

 always on the left side, and, contrary to our European custom, with the sharp 

 edge uppermost. Those who are in public employments wear two, the one con- 

 siderably longer than the other. 



Their houses are built with upright posts, crossed and wattled with bamboo, 

 plastered both without and within, and white-washed. They generally have 2 

 stories ; but the uppermost is low, and seldom inhabited. The roofs are covered 

 with pantiles, large and heavy, but neatly made. The floors are elevated 2 feet 

 from the ground, and covered with planks. On these are laid mats which are 

 double, and filled with straw 3 or 4 inches tiiick. The whole house consists of 

 one large room ; but may be divided at pleasure into several smaller, by parti- 

 tions made with frames of wood, filled up with painted j)apcr, that fix into 



