The people of Loo-Choo are well formed, and the men have full black beards, and their hair being well oiled is gathered to the back of the head, and fastened with a gold, silver, or brass pin, according to the rank of the wearer.  Their dress is a loose robe with wide sleeves, gathered round the waist with a girdle, in which they carry their tobacco pouch and pipe.  The upper classes wear a white stocking, and when they go out they put on a straw sandal secured to the foot by a band passing between the great toe and the next to it, as worn by the Romans.  The peasants go bareheaded and barefooted, and wear only a coarse cotton shirt.  Their cottages also are generally thatched with rice straw, and surrounded by a palisade of bamboos.  The furniture is of the simplest description.  It consists of a thick mat spread on the plank floor, on which the people sit cross-legged; a table, a few stools, and a teapot, with some cups, and a few mugs and saucers.  Their food is chiefly rice and sweet potatoes, animal food being only used by the upper classes.  The upper ranks use a variety of soups, sweetmeats, and cooked and raw vegetables.  They are a hard-working people, though they have their festivals and days of relaxation, when, in open spaces between the trees, they indulge in their favourite foot-ball and other athletic sports.