342 
S O O L O O. 
look more like well-grown monkeys than mounted men. The cows 
and buffaloes are guided by a piece of thong, through the cartilage of 
the nose. By law, no swine are allowed to be kept on the island, and 
if they are bought, they are immediately killed. The Chinese are 
obliged to raise and kill their pigs very secretly, when they desire that 
species of food; for, notwithstanding the law and the prejudices of the 
inhabitants, the former continue to keep swine. 
The inhabitants of Sooloo are a tall, thin, and effeminate-looking 
race: I do not recollect to have seen one corpulent person among 
them. Their faces are peculiar for length, particularly in the lower 
jaw and chin, with high cheek-bones, sunken, lack-lustre eyes, and 
narrow foreheads. Their heads are thinly covered with hair, which 
appears to be kept closely cropped. I was told that they pluck out 
their beards, and dye their teeth black with antimony, and some file 
them. 
Their eyebrows appear to be shaven, forming a very regular and 
high arch, which they esteem a great beauty. 
The dress of the common people is very like that of the Chinese, 
with loose and full sleeves, without buttons. The materials of which 
it is made are grass-cloths, silks, satins, or white cotton, from China. 
I should judge from the appearance of their persons, that they ought 
to be termed, so far as ablutions go, a cleanly people. There is no 
outward respect or obeisance shown by the slave to his master, nor is 
the presence of the Datu, or even of the Sultan himself, held in any 
awe. All appear upon an equality, and there does not seem to be any 
controlling power; yet it may be at once perceived that they are 
suspicious and jealous of strangers. 
The Sooloos, although they are ready to do any thing for the sake 
of plunder, even to the taking of life, yet are not disposed to hoard 
their ill-gotten wealth, and, with all their faults, cannot be termed 
avaricious. 
They have but few qualities to redeem their treachery, cruelty, and 
revengeful dispositions; and one of the principal causes of their being 
so predominant, or even of their existence, is their inordinate lust for 
power. When they possess this, it is accompanied by a haughty, con¬ 
sequential, and ostentatious bravery. No greater affront can be offered 
to a Sooloo, than to underrate his dignity and official consequence. 
Such an insult is seldom forgiven, and never forgotten. From one 
who has made numerous voyages to these islands, I have obtained 
many of the above facts, and my own observation assures me that this 
view of their character is a correct one. I would, however, add 
another trait, which is common among them, and that is cowardice, 
