740 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER: 
the ceconomy of our family, nothing remained; ca: tomake. 
the propre obfervations. | 
Tue houfes are all of clay and ftraw. There was no- 
place for fixing my clock; I. was therefore obliged to em- 
ploy a very excellent watch: made for me by Elicott. The 
dawn now began, and a few minutes afterwards every 
body was at their doors ; all of them crowded to fee us, and: 
we breakfaited in public with very great chearfulnefs. The- 
white cow was killed, and every one invited to his fhare 
ofher. The Shum, prieft of the river, fhould likewife have 
been of the party, but he declined either fitting or eating . 
with. us, though his fons were.not fo {crupulous.. 
Ir is upon the principal fountain and altar, already~ 
mentioned, that once a-year, on the firft appearance:of the 
dog-ftar, (or, as others fay, eleven days after) this prieft af-- 
fembles the heads of: the: clans ;.and having facrificed a: 
black heifer that. never bore a calf, they plunge the. head 
of it into this fountain,.they. then wrap it up in its own: 
hide, fo as no more to be feen, after having fprinkled the: 
hide within and without with water from the fountain... 
The carcafe-is then f{pht in half, and cleaned with extraor-- 
dinary care; and, thus prepared, it is laid upon the hillock. 
over the firft fountain, and wafhed all over with its: water, . 
while the elders, or confiderable people, carry water in their 
hands joined (it muft not be in any difh) from the. two o-- 
ther fountains; they: then affemble.upon the {mall hill:a. 
little weft of St Michael, (it ufed to be the place where the 
church now ftands) there. they. divide the carcafe into pieces 
correfponding to the number of the tribes,.and each tribe 
has its privilege, or pretenfions, to particular parts, which 
; are 
