166 
AETS AND MANUFACTURES OF THE POULAS. 
precaution tlie birds, especially the parroquets, whose number 
is infinite, would destroy their crops. 
Architecture is absolutely in its infancy among these 
people, their houses are constructed of earth mixed with the 
dung of cattle ; the roof is composed of long poles ; when the 
walls are quite dry, the roof is merely laid upon them without 
being fastened down ; its conical form prevents it from being 
overthrown ; it is then covered with straw. These huts have 
but one door, and are much warmer than those of the JolofFs ; 
when the door is shut nothing can be seen ; an inconvenience 
which does not exist in the huts of the latter, because the 
light penetrates through the reeds which form the walls. 
The manner in which the Poulas manufacture their 
earthen-ware, is very simple: after having shaped their vessels, 
they place them one upon another in the middle of a field, 
covering the whole with straw, to which they set fire, and this 
suffices to give them a sufficient degree of baking. 
The black Poulas are more numerous than the red, the 
antient inhabitants of the country ; they are of ordinary stature 
and well proportioned. Some wear their hair long, others cut 
it quite close ; they wear very wide breeches and a long tunic, 
with larsre sleeves ; their head is covered with a small cotton 
cap, and they are almost all armed with muskets. 
The women are pretty, and well-shaped, have oval faces 
and delicate features ; their hair is long, and they braid it 
round their heads ; their feet are small, but their legs some- 
