otherwise called Nassau islands, Vol. XVII. Part I. the Sumatra stock, and look for some affinity in their language and manners; but, to our no small surprise, we find a race of men, whose language is totally different, and whose customs and habits of life indicate a very distinct origin, and bear a striking resemblance to those of the inhabitants of the late discovered islands in the great Pacific ocean."

There is safe riding for ships of any size in the straits, which have no other defect as a harbour than the depth of the water (25 fathoms close in shore). The face of the country, and its vegetable and animal productions, are described in the following words:

"The mountains are covered with trees to their summits, among which are found species of excellent timber; the tree, called by the Malays, bintangoor, and which, in the hither India, is called pohon, abounds here. Of this tree are made masts, and some are found of sufficient dimensions for the lower mast of a first-rate ship of war. During my stay here I did not discover a single plant which we have not on Sumatra. The sago tree grows in plenty, and constitutes the chief article of food to the inhabitants, who do not cultivate rice; the cocoa-nut tree and the bamboo, two most useful plants, are found here in great plenty. They have a variety of fruits, common in these climates, such as mangoes, pine-apples, plantains, bual, chupah, &c. The woods, in their present state, are impervious to man; the species of wild animals which inhabit them are but few; the large red deer, some hogs, and several kinds of monkeys are to be found here, but neither buffaloes, nor goats; nor are there forests infested, like those of Sumatra, with tigers or any other beast of prey. Of domestic poultry, there is only the common fowl, which probably has been originally brought from Sumatra; but pork and fish constitute the favourite animal food of the natives. Fish are found here in considerable plenty, and very good."

The stature of the inhabitants of these islands seldom exceeds five feet and a half; their colour is like that of the Malays; they practise tattooing, and file their teeth to a point; and though of a mild disposition, they have some of the filthy customs of savages, particularly that of picking vermin from their heads and eating them.

Their mode of tattooing, as well as the treatment of their dead, is represented to be very similar to the practices of the Otaheitans.

"The religion of this people, (says Mr Crisp,) if it can be said that they have any, may truly be called the religion of nature. A belief of the existence of some powers more than human cannot fail to be excited among the most uncultivated of mankind, from the observations of various striking natural phenomena, such as the diurnal revolution of the sun and moon; thunder and lightning; earthquakes, &c., &c.; nor will there ever be wanting among them some, of superior talents and cunning, who will acquire an influence over weak minds, by afflicting themselves an interest with, or a power of controlling those super-human agents; and such notions constitute the religion of the inhabitants of the Poggy islands. Sometimes a fowl, and sometimes a hog, is sacrificed to avert sickness, to appease the wrath of the offended power, or to render it propitious to some projected enterprise; and Mr Best was informed that omens of good or ill fortune were drawn from certain appearances in the entrails of the victim. But they have no form of religious worship, nor do they appear to have the most distant idea of a future state of rewards and punishments. They do not practise circumcision."