HILLS NEAR RA JAM AHALL. 10? 



neither without drinking freely, for they are ashamed 

 until they are intoxicated. Like all people in so rude 

 and uncultivated a state, they are passionately fend of 

 all spirituous liquors, and, I am inclined to believe, pre- 

 fer that which from its strength will inebriate them the 

 soonest. Hence it appears they are not ashamed of be- 

 ing drunk, and in fact their religion promotes it, for 

 a festival would not be much esteemed, that was unat- 

 tended with a hearty carouse. 



I conceive, instances of remarkable longevity are 

 very rare : I have heard of one man who was said to 

 be more than five score ; but* as I have never met 

 w r ith any of them that appeared so old, or that could 

 tell his age, for they keep no account of it, I am in- 

 clined to doubt the fact. In a late excursion with 

 Mr. Grant into the hills, we saw an old woman, 

 who was said to be of a great age : she was a relation 

 to a chief, whose house we were at; and having 

 taken a cheerful glass, with his wives and daughter, 

 of liquors which Mr. Grant. had carried up to give 

 them, she set them the example of singing and danc- 

 ing to us; in which she was followed by the chief 

 and two of his youngest wives, who w r ere at the 

 time far from sober. When we had dined, the meat 

 that remained was given to them; of which, the fa- 

 mily being assembled, they thankfully partook, and 

 made indubitably a more luxurious meal than they 

 ever had before. We took a route in which no Eu- 

 ropean had been; and Mr. GRANT,toreconcile them 

 to so novel a sight, as well as to conciliate their 

 attachment, carried up a variety of presents of 



clothes. 



