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ANAM. 361
ing, with his own hands, the machinery and mate-
rials necessary for the existence of himself and fam-ly.
Of these, the boat is the principal and an indispensable
part ; and here we observe a much cheaper and easier
mode of constructing them than is generally adopted
throughout these seas. The practice of hollowing out
single trees must be painful, tedious, and difficult.
The Cochin Chinese have substituted in its stead a
sort of basket-work, of very close texture, of which
they form both the bottom and the greater part of the
sides of the boat. This close basket-work, or matting,
is made of split rattans, and being stretched upon the
frame, is well covered with pitch. The upper work
is, however, formed of one or two planks, and the boat
is further strengthened by a deck of the same mate-
rials. In the centre, there is a small space covered
with matting, the sole accommodation of the occu-
piers; bamboos serve for masts; the bark of trees is
made into tackling ; a few mats, sewed together, are
the only sails ; all of which, as well as fishing-nets and
lines, are made by every man for his own use. Thus
equipped, they launch into the deep, carrying with them
all that they possess, and wander from bay to bay in
quest of a subsistence, which their squalid and wretched
forms would lead us to believe to be precarious and
inadequate. Though, for the most part, under the
shelter of a bold and rocky coast, they are to be found
at times far out at sea. The night and their idle
time are invariably spent under the shade of trees, or
on some sandy beach. Here they indolently saunter
away their time, till necessity again calls for exertion.
Their share of toil may be considered moderate, the
stmcture of their boats being such as to admit of
their sailing with all winds, and in every direction."
The village of Turon lies nearly three miles from