of fire, and are then brought to the desired degree of inflection. The ends being thus connected together in a line, the edges are joined and fixed by tree-nails (wooden pins), and stitched with flexible threads of bamboo. The seams are afterwards paid with paste, made by mixing water with quick lime from sea shells. Other boats are made with wickerwork, the interstices of which are paid, or filled up with the same composition as used for the former; and this luting, as it may be ftyled, renders them water-tight. They are remarked for withstanding the violence of the waves, for being ftiff upon the water, and for sailing with expedition. But in these boats, contrary to the European custom, the principal persons are accommodated in the stern.

CHAP. XXXIV.

Superior mode of refining sugar among the Cochin Chinese-Mode of manufacturing gold and silver - Transferring wives and daughters-Arts-Arms, &c.-General use of tobacco-Dress of the females-ClimateIsland of Calloa-A boat's crew stopped by the natives-Released-And the squadron of Lord Macartney sails to the Ladrones, Chusan, &c.

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In the art of refining sugar, the inhabitants of Cochin China seem to excel the Europeans. Of their process in so doing, we learn, that after draining the gross syrup from it, and which becoming granulated and solid, it was sometimes placed in strata or layers of about one inch thickness, and ten inches in diameter, under layers of equal dimensions of the herbaceous part of the plantain tree; the aqueous juices which exude from this, filters through the sugar, carrying along with it all the feculences which had been boiled up with it, and leaving the sugar pure and crystallized. Thus, light and porous as a honey-comb, when dissolved, it left no impurities at the bottom. The mode practised elsewhere consists in pouring the sugar, when granulated, into inverted conical

vessels, and placing a layer of wet earth upon the upper surface of the sugar. The Cochin Chinese have also the means of making good iron, and the manufacturing of it afterwards into match locks, spears, and other articles.

Besides gold that was found in the rivers, they had also several mines of the richest ore; and from the pure state in which it was obtained the gold was extracted by the simple action of fire. This they formed into ingots of about four ounces, and made their payments with it to foreign merchants. It was also used, as an ornament to their dress and furniture, and sometimes as an embellishment to swords and scabbards.

Their silver they manufacture into bars about twelve ounces in weight, and it is thus become the chief medium of exchange of goods from abroad.

A strange kind of traffic is also carried on here, as the lower class of people, transfer their wives and daughters on moderate terms, and without the least scruple, and treat all affairs of gallantry with perfect indifference. The higher orders exercise authority over their wives, by confinement, &c. However, subordination is strictly maintained, and various instances of abject humiliation mentioned in proof of it. The military hold the first rank, and seem to exercise the most perfect despotism over the people at large. But though painting and sculpture are unknown to these people, they are not altogether strangers to harmony. Their musical instruments are rude, but their general

principles and intentions are the same as in Europe, in performing, they keep excellent time, and measure the bars by a regular movement of both hand and foot.*

The arms of the soldiery are sabres, and long pikes decorated with tufts of hair dyed red, a colour forbidden in dress or equipage, to any except in the service, or by order of the Sovereign. Lord Macartney's guard who attended him on shore at Turon, fired a salute in honour of the day, and performed a number of military evolutions, to the astonishment of the native troops, and to the admiration of a beholding multitude.

But in actual war, the commanders of the Chinese place no small reliance on the havoc 'made by their trained elephants, which being occasionally exercised, are obedient to command. A number of condemned criminals, dressed as soldiers, are placed before them; these animals are instructed to assail them most furiously, grasping them with their trunks, throwing some into the air, and trampling others under foot. The elephant, however, is gentle by nature, unweildy, and perfectly harmless, unless trained to acts of violence, or roused by corporal injury. Their keeper is generally a boy, who mounts upon his neck, and governs him with ease. The flesh of the elephant is here esteemed such a delicacy that when slaughtered for the table of the king or his viceroy, pieces are cut off and sent as presents to persons of rank, as a distinguished mark of favour. Buffalo meat

has the preference over the rest, and it is not customary to milk any kind of animal; of course milk constitutes no part of their food: notwithstanding they have often experienced all the horrors of a famine, occasioned by the destruction of the contending armies.

Smoking tobacco is a custom very prevalent in both sexes of the Cochin Chinese, but the women smoke less than the men. Having no wine in the country, they indulge themselves in the free use of spirituous liquors, and are passionately fond of chewing the areca-nut and betle-leaf, kneaded into a paste with lime and water. And such is the luxury of a pipe that a servant always attends his master abroad with the apparatus for smoking. In towns the wo

men often act as agents and brokers for foreign merchants, and cohabit with them during their agency, and in both situations are said to act with fidelity. Nor is concubinage in that quar ter accounted dishonourable.

The exterior dress of these people is hardly sufficient to discriminate the sexes. Both wear a loose robe with long sleeves, which covers the hands, but persons of rank, particularly the ladies, wear three of these gowns, of different colours, one over the other; the undermost touching the ground, the next somewhat shorter, and the uppermost shortest of all. Small collars are attached to the neck of the robe, which is sufficiently full to fold over the breast. Having no linen next the skin, vests and trowsers of 3 M

VOLI.