declared
were of the natural size, and not cramped as in China. The village
consists of forty houses rudely constructed of reeds plaistered with
mud, the roofs are of all shapes, and badly thatched with reeds and
straw, tied down by straw ropes. These huts are not disposed in streets,
but are scattered about without order, and without any neatness, or
cleanliness, and the spaces between them are occupied by piles of dirt
and pools of muddy water. The valley in which this comfortless village
is situated is, however, pretty enough, though not wooded; the hills
forming it are of an irregular shape, and covered at top with grass and
sweet-scented flowers; the lower parts are cultivated with millet,
buckwheat, a kind of French bean, and tobacco, which last grows in great
quantity; and here and there is a young oak-tree.

We saw bullocks and poultry, but the natives would not exchange them
for our money, or for any thing we had to offer. They refused dollars
when offered as a present, and, indeed, appeared to set no value upon
any thing we shewed them, except wine glasses; but even these they were
unwilling to receive. One of the head men appeared particularly pleased
with a glass, which, after a good deal of persuasion, he accepted, but,
in about five minutes after, he, and another man to whom a tumbler had
been given, came back and insisted upon returning the presents; and
then, without waiting for further persuasion, returned to the village,
leaving with us only one man, who, as soon as all the rest were out of
sight, accepted one of the glasses with much eagerness.

These people have a proud sort of carriage, with an air of composure and
indifference about them, and an absence of curiosity which struck us as
being very remarkable. Sometimes when we succeeded, by dint of signs and
drawings, in expressing the nature of a question, they treated it with
derision and insolence. On one occasion, being anxious to buy a clumsy
sort of rake made of reeds, which appeared to me curious, I succeeded in
explaining my wish to the owner, one of the lowest class of villagers;
he laughed at first good humouredly, but immediately afterwards seized
the rake which was in my hand, and gave it a rude push towards me with a
disdainful fling of the arm, accompanying this gesticulation by words,
which seemed to imply a desire to give any thing upon condition of our
going away. One man expressed the general wish for our departure, by
holding up a