to their chief, who was an old man. My generosity
was greater towards him than it had been to his subjects. He appeared
so delighted with my presents, that he immediately put us at our ease,
by making us understand that we had nothing to fear, and that he took
us under his special protection.

This pleasing reception encouraged us.

I then set about examining with attention the men, women, and children
who surrounded us, and who seemed as much astonished as ourselves. My
amazement was very great when I beheld tall men, slightly bronzed,
with straight hair, regular features, aquiline noses, and really
handsome, elegant women. Was I really among savages? I should rather
have thought I was among the inhabitants of the south of France,
had it not been for the costume and language. The only clothing the
men wore was a sash, and a sort of a turban, made out of the bark of
the fig tree. They were armed, as they always are, with a long spear,
a small hatchet, and a shield. The women also wore a sash, and a small
narrow apron that came down to their knees. Their heads were ornamented
with pearls, coral beads, and pieces of gold, twisted among their hair;
the upper parts of their hands were painted blue; their wrists adorned
with interwoven bracelets, spangled with glass beads--these bracelets
reached the elbow, and formed a kind of half-plaited sleeve. On this
subject I learnt a remarkable fact. These interwoven bracelets squeeze
the arm very much; they are put on when the women are quite young,
and they prevent the development of the flesh to the advantage of the
wrist and hand, which swell and become dreadfully big; this is a mark
of beauty with the Tinguians, as a small foot is with the Chinese,
and a small waist with the European ladies. I was quite astonished
to find myself in the midst of this population, where there was no
reason whatsoever to be alarmed. One thing only annoyed me; it was
the odour that these people spread around them, which could be smelt
even at a distance. However, the men and women are cleanly, for they
are in the habit of bathing twice daily. I attributed the disagreeable
smell to their sash and turban, which they never leave off, but allow
to fall into rags. I remarked that the reception given me by the
chief gained us the good-will of all the inhabitants, and I accepted,
without hesitation, the hospitality proffered us. This was the only
means of studying well the manners and customs of my new hos