CAPTAIN TUCKEY'S NARRATIVE. 163 



the credit of the gangam, who throws the whole blame on 

 the kissey. 



The frequency of the crime of putting poison in victuals, 

 has established the custom of the master invariably making 

 the person, who presents him with meat or drink, taste it 

 first ; and in ofl'ering either to a visitor, the host performs 

 this ceremony himself; this the natives, who speak English, 

 call " taking off the fetiche." 



Both sexes paint themselves with red ochre ; and, before 

 a bride is conveyed to her husband, she is smeared with this 

 substance from head to foot. The men also make marks on 

 their foreheads and arms with both red and white clays ; but 

 the only answer Ave could get to our enquiries respecting 

 these practices was, that they Avere done by order of 

 the gangam kissey. 



Besides a prevalent cutaneous disorder or itch, seve- 

 ral cases of elephantiasis were oljserved, and two patients 

 with gonorrhoea applied to our doctor ; this, however, they 

 told us was a present from the Portuguese. 



The only game ^ve have seen them play at Avas a kind of 

 drafts named looela, the implements of Avhich are a flat stone 

 IS inches square Avith 16" cavities grooved in it, and a small 

 stone in each cavity, as in the annexed figure. 



