NATIVE TASTES. 291 



the other was a much handsomer woman, and was 

 really beautifully tatooed, which I do not dislike 

 on a black ground, as in the absence of clothing 

 it gives a finish to the skin. Through their ears 

 and the cartilage of their noses, these ladies had 

 pieces of ivory inserted about nine inches long ; 

 or, as the sailors called them, they had their 

 '* sprit- sail-yards and studding-sail-booms rigged 

 out." I cannot say much for their feminine 

 tastes, as they preferred rum to tea, and salt 

 pork to the wing of a chicken ! Their hair was 

 dressed in a helmet-fashion, and looked very be- 

 coming, — even elegant : as to their bracelets, 

 necklaces, and leglets, it would require an ama- 

 teur of fashion to describe them. 



On leaving Bimbia we ran along the coast as 

 far as the entrance to the Rio del Rey, passing 

 inside the beautiful little islands called the Am- 

 boisas, which form a secure and sheltered har- 

 bour for vessels blown oif the mouth of the Came- 

 roons river by tornados, and arrived at Clarence 

 Cove in the afternoon. 



u 2 



