IIG A VOYAGE TO SENEGAL. 
manner^ so that no one is disturbed on account of his religious 
opinions. 
In my time, the population of the colony amounted to six or 
seven thousand souls, among whom were about three hundred 
white inhabitants, Mulattos, or free Negroes. It appears that 
since they^iave increased considerably, the census of 1801, hav- 
ing estimated them at ten thousand. This augmentation is owing 
to the successive arrival of slaves purchased at Galam, and who 
have remained on the island; so that the increase has now be- 
come too great in relation to the extent of the place and the 
means of procuring subsistence. Another island has therefore 
been acquired, to which the superflux of the population will be 
sent, with the view of forming a new^ colony. That of Isle St. 
Louis contains a civilized, humane, gentle, and economical 
people, who are consequently happy. The men are tall, well 
made, ardent, courageous, sober, and indefatigable ; they pos- 
sess a robust constitution, are uncommonly faithful ; and have 
a noble gait and physiognomy. Indeed it is impossible to find 
more attentive or sincere domestics; as they carry to ex- 
tremities then- affection for those who have done them any 
service. 
The women are sensible, modest, tender^ faithful, and par- 
ticularly handsome ; their charms being increased by an air of 
innocence and a mildness of language. They have, however, an 
invincible inclination for love aad voluptuousness ; while they 
express the sentiments of those passions with an accent and 
tone of voice, which our organs cannot imitate either in point of 
feeling or softness. They have a skin as black as ebony ; a well- 
formed nose, generally aquiline ; eyes large and lively; thin, ver- 
milion lips ; and the finest teeth in the world. In short, their 
shape is enchanting ; and they may be said to combine all the per- 
fections of beauty. 
The marriages of the Black or Mulatto catholics take place at 
the church, as in France ; those of the Mahometans are cele- 
brated according to the law of the prophet. The union of a 
•white man with a black or mulatto girl is a compact quite 
peculiar. 
It is not indissoluble, but lasts as long as the parties have no 
reason to complain of each other; or till they are obliged to se- 
parate for ever ; but if the absence of the man be only for a 
certain time, the woman remains single, waits with patience for 
the return of her husband, and she does not make choice of 
another, except in case of death, or the assurance that he will 
not return. This second union affixes no stigma on the honour 
or reputation of the woman. 
