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, 



