1841.] Report on the Island of Chedooba. 421 



returned by the wife, while he persisted on his part, on keeping and edu- 

 cating his children, two sons. 



On Flat Island, the Soogree and his dame, had been man and wife up- 

 wards of half a century. They were both verging towards 80 years of 

 age, and their direct progeny on the Island, with themselves, amounted 

 to 50 souls. 



In the case of mutual consent, both parties are at liberty to form a 

 new connexion, and there are no such matters as family names, whereby 

 such intermixture of families maybe perceived. Not the slightest rela- 

 tion exists between the names of children and parents. All appellations 

 have a meaning, the males generally of some enviable moral or personal 

 quality, or happy anticipation of the future. The females of some tree 

 or flavour, or feminine Mug grace. 



Marriage generally takes place early in life ; as soon as marriageable, 

 the females assume a particular dress, a species of jacket, which is 

 changed on that happy event to a larger covering over the upper paits 

 of the body. The lower garment, both before and after entering on that 

 state, admitting perhaps of improvement on the score of ampleness ; on 

 widowhood, the maiden dress is again assumed. An ample cloth around 

 the middle, and a fellow one, thrown over the shoulders when cold, con- 

 stitute the covering of the younger males, who as bachelors live in a 

 distinct part of the village. The elders w r ear a white jacket shorter or 

 longer; an article of this sort, made of dark coloured glazed cotton, 

 slightly padded with the same material is frequently used by the elder 

 males in the cold or fine season, and is brought from Ava, which also 

 supplies a gaudy silk cloth of curiously interwoven colors, but coarse 

 workmanship, which is used as a waist cloth on high occasions by all 

 who can afford it. The common cloth is a cotton plaid of blue shades, 

 and of home manufacture. A finer cloth or turban of white is used by 

 the men, and interwoven with the hair, w 7 hich, in both sexes, is of a 

 beautiful glossy black, and great length and luxuriance, *it occasions 

 with both the only labour of the toilette, and they are very proud of this 

 natural ornament. With the females, it is simply formed into a roll or 

 knot at the back of the head, being parted for that purpose in front, and 

 brought along the side of the head in a manner not uncommon in England j 

 much good taste is sometimes displayed by the simple addition, as orna- 

 ment, of some favourite flowers. Children of both sexes are frequently 

 ornamented with silver rings on the wrists and ancles, and a string of 

 silver coins around the neck; these are usually heir looms in a family, 

 and in turn, grace all the young olive branches as they shoot forth. 



