49 



" fowl is given, to a second a goose, to a third a lamb, or a 

 "gammon of bacon; and all are compelled to execute their 

 "allotted tasks. If, however, after serving seven years 

 " they make but little proficiency in gluttony, they are 

 " banished to the Famine islands." 



" If any body keep meat till it is putrid, he is subjected 

 " to the whipping post; excepting that it is allowed to keep 

 " Venison until it becomes covered with mould ; and they 

 " have a most nauseous practice of permitting their cheese 

 " to become entirely changed into maggots, which filthy 

 " animals, after being sprinkled with sugar, are eagerly de- 

 " voured alive by the great Epicures — a horrible practice, 

 " in which they are imitated by the Dutch." 



A transcript of their Code of Laws is now given, of which 

 the following may serve as a specimen. 



L. 4. " Any person guilty of fasting for four hours shall 

 " be compelled to eat a double dinner." 



L. 6 " Any one convicted of high treason shall be 

 " starved to death ; those guilty of more venial crimes shall 

 " have their teeth drawn." 



L. 7. " Any cook sending up meat not fit to eat, shall 

 " be put in the pillory, with the half- dressed or burnt meat 

 " suspended alongside of him, and shall remain until some 

 " famishing wretch among the spectators shall devour it." 



" These people have no money, nor do they place much 

 " value on the precious metals, but carry on their traffic 

 " altogether by barter of esculents. Thus, two sparrows 

 " are equal to one starling ; two starlings one thrush ; two 

 " thrushes one hen ; two hens one goose ; two geese one 

 "lamb; two lambs one calf; two calve3 one goat; two 

 " goats one cow. A similar mode prevails for fixing the 

 " value of herbs and fish," &c. 



As for their Religion, it is said by the writer to consist 

 in the worship of that enormous bird called the Ruck 

 (already mentioned), to which the people, being collected 



