ese amiable islanders!

The plains between the mountains are cultivated as paddy fields: the
soil appears very good, and there is little doubt but that every kind of
fruit would grow if introduced into these islands; and what a fitting
present it would be to them, if they were to be sent. They grow
radishes, onions, and sweet potatoes, but not more than are sufficient
for their own use. They supplied us with bullocks, pigs, goats, and
fowls, but they seldom kill them for their own use; their principal diet
being composed of shell fish and vegetables made into a sort of stew,
which is eaten with rice, worked by the hand into balls. Every man of
consequence carries with him a kind of portable larder, which is a box
with a shelf in the middle, and a sliding door. In this are put cups of
Japan, containing the eatables. This Chow Chow box is carried by a
servant, who also takes with him a wicker basket, containing rice and
potatoes for his own consumption.

These islands have no intercourse with any part of the world except Loo
Choo, to which they pay tribute as dependencies, and from whence they
annually receive the necessaries they may require, by a junk. They had
no idea that the continents of Europe or America existed. They had only
heard of China, Loo Choo, and Japan, and they could hardly credit our
assertions when we stated that we had lately gained a great victory over
China. When we gave them a description of steam vessels, and first-rate
men-of-war carrying 120 guns, they evidently disbelieved us. We were the
first white men they had ever seen; and ludicrous was the repeated
examination of our arms, which they bared and contrasted with their own.
After great persuasion a few of the chief mandarins and their suites
visited the ship, which was put in holiday attire upon the occasion. It
would be impossible to attempt to describe their rapture at the
neatness, order, and regularity which reigned on board. The guns were
shotted and fired for their amusement: they threw up their hands in
astonishment, and gazed on us and on each other with looks of blank
amazement. During the whole of our peregrinations over these islands we
never saw a female, for on our approach to any village a courier was
sent ahead to warn the inhabitants of our arrival, when the women either
shut themselves up or retired to an adjacent village until we had passed
through. The men assisted us in our labours and attended to our comforts
by all the