776 ANNUAL REGISTER, 1805. 



which runs with great freedom in 

 this manuer. The liquor itself is 

 agreeable and intoxicating. 



The dress of the men is simple, 

 theclimatenotrcquiringmuchcloth- 

 ii!J. It consists of short breeches, 

 halfway down the thighs, and drawn 

 tijrl.t, to keep out insects ; and those 

 who can allord it, wear a country 

 cloth as a wrapper: some even go 

 to the expence of a white cloak, 

 which they put on occasionally when 

 drrsed. 



The women wear a wrapper, with 

 a .'•hort gown made of red silk gauze, 

 if to be had ; if not, they are orna- 

 mented wi(h bangles, made of large 

 brass wire, round their ancles and 

 wrists. The young women of fashion 

 or consequence, wear their left 

 thumb nail to a great length, and 

 wear over it a case, except when 

 they are full dressed. 



boine of the rajahs and priests 

 wear v ooden shoes, to keep their 

 feet from the wet. 'J'hcse are made 

 with a wooden pin, with a head 

 stuck in the upper sole of the shoe, 

 and which is kept on the foot by 

 keeping the pin of it betwixt the 

 gieat and the next toe, and by some 

 management of the toes themstrfves. 

 Their mode of living and cookery, 

 is simple : it consists of rice, cocoa. 

 nuts, sago, and Indian-corn : the 

 latter they olten boil into ommani. 

 Tiiey eat but two meals a day ; one 

 about twelve o'clock at noon, the 

 other just after sun-set. They com- 

 monly dress their food in Dutch 

 copper kettles, orin their own coun- 

 try pots, made of clay, but which 

 do not long stand the lire. 



It is customary to cover their 

 dishes, when at meals, with a lid 

 made of the uissa leaf, which much 

 Tcsembles that of the sago tree ; 

 the!>« leaves are dyed in ornamental 



colours, and are often inlaid. They 

 look very neat, and last a long time. 

 It is a custom to eat with their right 

 hand, and wash w ith their left. 



Their modes of life are simple, 

 and their disorders are few. They 

 do not understand much of physic. 

 They pretend to cure a great deal 

 by enchantment. The betel-nut is 

 their principal medicine. 



If any part of the body be in pain, 

 the patient sends for a rajah, who, 

 on his arrival, feels the place, and 

 taking a large quid of the betel-nut, 

 and pronouncing some words to him- 

 self, blows it on the place alTected ; 

 which is esteemed a perfect cure. 

 But if the complaint be a fever, 

 they often bring in a drum, which 

 is beaten by two men, one at each 

 end. If that do not succeed, they 

 sometimes beat a brass kettle, which 

 they continue beating until the reco- 

 very or death of the patient. If the 

 latter, the kettle and drum are im- 

 mediately thrown out of the house : 

 the drummer and physician are turn- 

 ed out also. 



I was once present at this drum- 

 ming prescription, and witnessed the 

 death of a poor girl. An old rajah 

 once applied to me to be cured, but 

 1 shook my head, and told him that 

 it was not in my power, as he was 

 too old to be cured. 



A young priest was one day work- 

 ing in his proa, in the heat of the 

 sun, which brought on a violent 

 head-ache. He applied to mc to b« 

 cured. Well knowing that his com- 

 plaint was nothing more than the 

 cfi'ect of the heat of the sun, I pro- 

 posed to bleed him ; a cnstom with 

 which the natives were not acquaint- 

 ed. He was at first much afraid, 

 but at last consented, on my assur- 

 ing him that if he died, or received 

 any injury, my life should answer 



foe 



