Untitled - Sabrizain.org

ANAM. 343
wares. In the back part of this hall is placed an altar,
with other emblems of religion. The private apart-
ments are disposed in recesses behind ; these are in
the form of square chambers, open on one side only.
Their beds are formed of a bench, raised about a foot,
and covered with mats.
" The costume of the Cochin Chinese is more
convenient than elegant. In both sexes it is much
alike, consisting of two or more loose gowns with long
sleeves, reaching to the knee, and buttoned close
round the neck. Beneath this, they wear a pair of
wide pantaloons, and, on occasions of ceremony, persons
of distinction throw a large black mantle of
flowered silk over the whole. The head is covered
with a turban of crape ; that of the men is in general
black. Over the turbans, females wear a large hat,
similar to a basket. Dress is, with all ranks, an object
of great attention ; even the poorest among them are
clothed from head to foot, and the populace thus make
a more decent and respectable appearance than other
eastern nations."
Again, at Saigon, the crowd conducted themselves
with order, decency, and respect, as pleasing as it was
a numerous guard of soldiers, however, armed
novel ;
with lances, were then present. All of the people
were dressed, the greater part in a very comfortable
manner. Their small stature, combined with the
rotundity of their face and the liveliness of their features,
was very striking. An early visit to the marketplaces
served to confirm the observations which the
author had made on the manners of the people. The
Cochin Chinese cannot, he says, be considered as in
"
yet, among the females, there
any way handsome ;
are many that are even handsome as well as remark-