236 Circumstances which distinsuish 
with their neighbours the Malabars. In order to prepare the 
ear for these unwieldy rings, which often hang down to the 
shoulders, pieces of wood are employed to keep open and widen 
tlie orilice which is made for the purpose in their infancy. As 
.the climate hardly requires any covering, the shoulders and body 
are often left completely bare. On their heads they wear caps 
of various shapes, and others of them coloured handkerchiefs, 
according as fancy dictates, or the rules of their cast prescribe. 
The dress of the higher ranks of women is similar to that 
worn by the black Portuguese ladies, which I have already 
described. The young Cinglese women of rank dress by no 
means inelegantly, and neither their appearance nor manner are 
disagreeable. They are frequently met at the parties of the 
Dutch, who are much more partial to their company than the 
English. From the naturally distant and haughty temper of 
our countrymen, and their unacquaintance with the native lan- 
guage, they never dream of associating with the Cinglese, or 
receiving them into their parties. 
The Cinglese are ingenious and expert artificers, and display 
particular dexterity in gold, silver, and carpenter’s work. In 
this last branch they have already made great proficiency since 
the arrival of the English. Their implements are very few, 
and simple in the construction ; the mode of using them is rea- 
dily acquired, and the toes are occasionally employed as well 
as the hands. They have none of that ponderous machinery 
which is employed to facilitate the vast manufactures of the 
Europeans ; their implements are easily transported, and as 
easily set to work. When a smith is called for, he carries 
along with him his bellows, anvil, hammer, files, and all his 
other apparatus, and sets himself to work on the spot in a few 
