406 VOYAGE TO THE 



chap. t i on> However, the women had the same kind of 

 ^v-^ beads in their ears, and sewn upon their dresses, and 

 1826. had evidently been to the same market. We re- 

 marked, however, in two of the young ladies a cus- 

 tom which, when first discovered, created consider- 

 able laughter. When they moved, several bells 

 were set ringing, and on examining their persons, we 

 discovered that they had each three or four of these 

 instruments under their clothes, suspended to their 

 waists, hips, and one even lower down, which was 

 about the size of a dustman's bell, but without a 

 clapper. Whether they had disposed of them in 

 this manner as charms, or through fear, it was im- 

 possible to say ; but by their polished surface, and 

 the manner in which they were suspended, they ap- 

 peared to have long occupied these places. They 

 were certainly not hung there for convenience, as 

 the large one in particular must have materially in- 

 commoded the ladies in their walking. One of our 

 party suggested that this large bell might, perhaps, 

 be appropriated to the performance of a ceremony 

 mentioned by Muller, in his " Voyages from Asia 

 to America," &c, p. 28., where he states that the 

 bond of friendship or enmity depends upon a guest 

 rinsing his mouth with the contents of the cup, 

 which formed an indispensable part of a very singu- 

 lar custom among the Tschutschi, the people of 

 Cashemir, and some other countries.* 



Among other things, this party had small bags of 

 resin, which appeared to be the natural exudation of 

 the pine. From their constantly chewing it, it did 

 not seem difficult to be had ; and as no trees of this 

 nature, that we were acquainted with, grew upon the 



* M. Paulus Venetus, Witsen, and Triguut. 



