Scientific Intelligence. — Geography. 391 



been killed in the affray Avere eaten by the natives, but none of 

 the prisoners were killed for that purpose : no distinction is 

 made between such as are slain and such as die a natural death. 

 The survivors witnessed the fate of two of their comrades, one 

 a mate, the other i midshipman. The flesh was cut off from dif- 

 ferent parts of the body and limbs with small knives, then pre- 

 pared by heating over the fire, in earthen pots, and eaten with- 

 out salt or pepper *. The bodies of friends and relations are 

 eaten, as well as those of enemies ; and both are treated in the 

 same manner. There is no deficiency of provision in the coun- 

 try. Sago, in particular, of which they make a kind of bread, 

 called Toyo, is abundant. The inhabitants are very numerous. 

 According to the ideas of the Lascars, 10,000 men would not 

 be sufficient to subdue them ; yet they have no king. The 

 men from whom the preceding information was obtained were 

 released, after a detention of about six months, upon the inter- 

 ference of the Raja of a neighbouring island. 



GEOGRAPHY. 



30. M. Gerard's Journey in the Himala Range. — A meeting 

 of the Physical Committee of the Asiatic Society of Calcutta was 

 held on the 27th of January 1830, Sir E. Ryan in the chair. A 

 letter was read from Mr J. G. Gerard to Captain Archer, dated 

 Monastery of Ranum, 15th November 1829, describing his ex- 

 cursion to the mountains in the vicinity of Ladag. The trip was 

 one of disappointment and distress, along a most dreary route, but 

 interesting from the grandeur of its desolation. He lost several 

 of his people from the severity of the climate ; and considerincr 

 that he was himself aflPected by indisposition, he was fortunate 

 in having escaped. The first disaster in his camp was in cross- 

 ing the Puralassa, at the height of 16,500 feet. The poor man 

 perished at noon-day with his load on his back, and the sun 

 shining fiercely on the surrounding snow. The next accident 

 happened in the passage of the range that bounds the Spectee 

 Valley on the east, it being no common trial for the stoutest of 

 the party. They had slept, at 16,700 feet elevation, in the bed 

 of a stream, and began the ascent under a temperature as low a» 



• The Battas in the interior of Sumatra use both at such feasts ; the red, 

 or Chili, pepper being understood. 



