110 EAMBLES OF A NATUEALIST. [Gh. VII. 



several places the leaves were laid out in the sun to dry. 

 It is smoked by them in pipes about a foot long, which the 

 woman sticks in her hair when she is not using it, and not 

 unfrequently we observed them smoking a bundle of scarcely 

 dried leaves, rolled up and forming a rude and imcouth 

 cigar. 



It will not be supposed, however, that they were without 

 occupation. In many huts the men were asleep, but towards 

 evening they might be seen with their nets wending their 

 way to the beach. Others I observed engaged over some 

 seethiag vessels, in which I found they were extracting oil 

 from the bones of turtle. The women had, several of them, 

 naked babies hanging to their bare breasts ; others came in 

 from the country with pruning-knives, and laden with large 

 bundles of grass and lily straw, which they laid down to dry 

 in the sun, and which it appeared was ultimately intended 

 for the repair of the thatch : these women had cloths wound 

 round their legs, as a protection while in the field, and 

 broad bamboo hats hangiag by their side for wear in the hot 

 sun. Others were spuming thread or weaving cloth, while 

 some were engaged in beating rice out of the husks, which 

 they did by placing it in a hollow stone vessel, under which 

 was placed a mat, and then two of them beating it alternately 

 with the end of a heavy bamboo. 



While some were thus engaged, the idlers allowed them- 

 selves to be amused by some of our party, who showed them 

 little tricks, which caused hearty laughter, and which they 

 tried their best to imitate. Seeing a revolver, they were 

 very anxious to have it fired off, and stuck up a leaf upon a 

 door to be shot at, which was done twice, upon which there 

 immediately appeared two or three men armed vsith match- 

 locks, who had evidently turned out at the sound of the 



