certain herbs, and to whiten their hair, sprinkling upon it a certain water for this purpose. The women have their hair very long; but the men generally shave it close, except a single lock on the crown of the head, after the manner of the Japanese. Their language much resembles that of the people called Tagaloes in the Philippine islands. It is agreeable to the ear, with a soft and easy pronunciation. One of its chief graces consists in the facility of transposing words, and even all the syllables of one word; and thus furnishing a variety of double meanings, with which these people are greatly delighted. Though plunged in the deepest ignorance, and destitute of every thing valued by the rest of mankind, no nation ever showed more presumption or greater conceit of themselves, than these islanders, looking on their own nation as the only wise, sensible, and polished one in the world, and beholding every other people with the greatest contempt. Though they are ignorant of the arts and sciences, yet, like every other nation, they have their fables which serve them for history, and some poems which they greatly admire. A poet is with them a character of the first eminence, and greatly respected.

It is not known at what time, or from what place, the Ladrones islands were first peopled. As Japan lies within six or seven days sail of them, some have been induced to believe, that the first inhabitants of the Ladrones came from Japan. But from their greater resemblance to the inhabitants of the Philippine islands than to the Japanese, it is more probable that they came from the former than the latter. Formerly most of the islands were inhabited; and about ninety years ago, the three principal islands, Guam, Tinian, and Rota, are said to have contained 50,000 people; but since that time, Tinian has been entirely depopulated, and only 200 or 300 Indians left at Rota to cultivate rice for the island of Guam, which alone is inhabited by Europeans, and where the Spaniards have a governor and a garrison: here also the annual Manila ship touches for refreshments in her passage from Acapulco to the Philippines. The island of Tinian afforded an asylum to Commodore Anson in 1742; and the masterly manner in which the author of that voyage paints the natural beauties of the country, has given a degree of estimation not only to this island, but to all the rest, which they had not before. Commodore Byron, in 1765, continued nine weeks at Tinian, and anchored in the very spot where the Centurion lay; but gives a much less favourable account of this climate and country than the former navigator. The water, he says, is brackish, and full of worms; many of his men were seized with fevers, occasioned by the intense heat; the thermometer, which was kept on board the ship, generally stood at 80°, which is but 10 or 11 degrees less than the heat of the blood at the heart; and had the instrument been afloat, he imagines it would have stood much higher than it did. It was with the greatest difficulty that they could penetrate through the woods; and when they had fortunately killed a bull, and with prodigious labour dragged it through the forests to the beach, it flunk, and was full of fly-blows by the time it reached the shore. The poultry was ill tasted; and within an hour after it was killed, the flesh became as green as grass, and swarmed with maggots. The wild hogs were very fierce; and so large, that a carcass frequently weighed 200 pounds. Cotton and indigo were found on the island. Captain Wallis continued here a month in 1767, but makes no such complaints.

Lady. This title is derived from two Saxon words, which signify half-day, which words have in time been contracted into the present appellation. It properly belongs only to the daughters of earls, and all of higher rank; but custom has made it a word of complaisance for the wives of knights and of all eminent women.

As to the original application of this expression, it may be observed, that heretofore it was the fashion for those families, whom God had blessed with affluence, to live constantly at their manor houses in the country, and that once a week, or oftener, the lady of the manor distributed to her poor neighbours, with her own hands, a certain quantity of bread; but the practice, which gave rise to this title is now as little known as the meaning of it; however, it may be from that hospitable custom, that to this day the ladies in this kingdom alone serve the meat at their own table.

Lady's Bedstraw. See Galium,

Lady's Mantle. See Alchemilla,

Lady's Smock. See Cardamine,

Lady's Slipper. See Cypripedium,

Lady's Trace. See Ophrys,