"From what I have seen of the people, they are well disposed and cheerful, excessively fond of dancing, keeping it up to the sound of a drum or a balafeu, for many hours, without any appearance of weariness. Their dances are sometimes pleasing and regular, but at others wild, and apparently confused. The instrument they call a balafeu is very pleasing, sounding something like an organ, when not too near. It is composed of about twenty pipes of very hard wood, finely polished: these pipes gradually diminish, both in size and length, and are tied together with thongs made of very fine thin leather. These thongs are twisted round small round wands, which are placed between each of the pipes, in order to leave a short space. Underneath the pipes are fastened twelve or fourteen calabashes, of different sizes, which have the same effect of sound as organ-pipes. This they play upon with two sticks, covered with a thin skin, taken from the trunk of the ciboa, or with fine leather, in order to soften the sound. (Note F.) Both sexes delight to dance to this instrument, and their pleasure seems to rise almost to ecstasy, if a white man will unite in the dance; which, you will readily suppose, I am never unwilling to do. The only indication of suspicion they show, is when asked to take any beverage with a white man, always requiring the liquor to be first tasted by the inviter. "Many of the natives have invited me to their habitations and dancing parties, and brought their wives and daughters to salute me. They, with great artlessness, generally sit down by me, and are never weary in admiring the different articles of my dress; making their comments one to another, with the most lively admiration and astonishment. Some, who had never seen a white man, ran away from me, apparently terrified at my monstrous appearance. "In their persons they are of a good height, well shaped, and extremely black; and, as an instance of the female subjection, I am told, that, when a man has been absent from home, even but for a short time, his wife salutes him upon her knees at his return, and, in the same attitude, offers him water and refreshments. Both sexes are exceedingly cleanly in their persons, washing themselves in pure water twice in the day, and using aromatic unguents. Their dress consists of the country cotton cloths I have named; the superior classes add a short garment, made of taffety, or other silk, and scarfs of the same material passed over the shoulder. They generally go with the head and feet uncovered, but occasionally wear sandals, and caps or bonnets. The superior females wear calico paans, or a sort of petticoat, which are very fine, and beautifully variegated with different colours: these are confined round the waist, and the upper part of the body is covered with a cloth, serving also as a veil.