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[Page 3]
Tuesday 17th November.
This morning we came inside the harbour. We have been taking in water & various provisions &c.. The people natives who come out to the ship are extremely interesting to one accustomed to the stolidity of the Anglo Saxons.
These are an exciting and extremely solicitous people. Perhaps it might be fairer to modify the latter to the statement that they cannot take no for an answer in business. They dress in all the colours of the rainbow pink and patterns of that design formerly peculiar to the Highlands of Scotland being peculiar favourites. Headgear may consist of almost anything at all sometimes it is nothing at all. Some twist a handkerchief round the forehead and the back of the head leaving the top entirely exposed. Most use the turban but caps and straw hats may
H.Gibsonalso be seen. A flannel singlet with sleeves to the elbow is generally worn on the upper part of the body. Twisted round the waist and reaching almost to the ground is a piece of cloth so arranged that the ends overlap at the side. It is in this area that the greatest variety of colour is to be observed. Under this cloth is worn a pair of trousers mostly white, and generally rolled up to the knee. What in the name of common sense the cloth is used for I can't imagine. I suppose it is just another of those vaguaries for which custom is responsible. The feet are bare. I had a view of a catamaran at short distance this morning. These ingenious structures are built to ride high in the water. They are extremely narrow and apparently pretty solid. There is only room for one on each side.