﻿XgO ON THE MOUNTAINEERS 



and whoever can bring; home the head of an enemy 

 which he has cut off, is sure to be distinguished and 

 exalted in his nation. , When two hostile tribes ap- 

 pear to have equal force in battle, and neither has hopes 

 of putting the other to flight, they make a signal of 

 pacific intentions, and, sending agents reciprocally, 

 soon conclude a treaty ; after which they kill several 

 head of gay ah and feast on their flefh, calling on 

 the sun and moon to bear witness of the pacifica- 

 tion : but if one side, unable to resist the enemy, be 

 thrown into disorder, the vanquished tribe is considered 

 as tributary to the victors, who every year receive 

 from them a certain number of gaytih, wooden dishes, 

 weapons, and other acknowledgments of vassalage. 

 Before they go to battle they put a quantity of roasted 

 a/us (esculent roots like potatoes) and paste of rice- 

 flour into the hollow of bamboos, and add to them 

 a provision of dry rice, with some leathern bags full of 

 liquor : then they assemble and march with such ce- 

 lerity, that in one day they perform a journey ordi- 

 narily made by letter-carriers in three or four days, 

 since they have not the trouble and delay of dressing 

 victuals. When they reach the place to be attacked, 

 they surround it in the night, and, at early dawn, enter 

 it, putting to death both young and old, women 

 and children, except such as they chuse to bring 

 away captive. They put the heads which they cut off 

 into leathern bao;s : and if the blood of their enemies 

 be on their hands they take care not to wash it orr. 

 When, after this slaughter, they take their own food, 

 they thrust a part of what they eat into the mouths of 

 the heads which they have brought away, saying to 

 each of them, f Eat, quench thy thirst, and satisfy thy 

 * appetite. As thou hast been slain by my hand, so 

 c may thy kinsmen be slain by my kinsmen !■ During 

 their journey, they have usually two such meals; and 

 every watch, or two watches, they send intelligence 



