the Garrow Hills. 31 



diat he knows, whether they fpeak true or falfe. They then again touch 

 the ftone with all the appearance of the utmoft fear, and bow their heads 

 to it, calling again upon- M ah ade'v a. They alfo during their relation, 

 look fleadfaftly to the hills and keep their right hand on the ftone. When 

 the firft perfon fwore- before me, the awe and reverence, with which the 

 man fwore, forcibly ftruck me : my Mohemr could hardly write, fo much 

 was he affeded by the folemnity. In fome of the hills they put a tiger's 

 bone between their teeth, before they relate the fubject tobcdepofed : others 

 take earth in their hand; and, on fome occafions, they fwear with their 

 weapons in their hands. I underftand their general belief to be, that their 

 God refides in the hills; and, though this belief may feem inconfiftent with 

 an awful idea of the divinity, thefe people appeared to ftand in the utmoft 

 awe of their deity, from their fear of his punifhing them for any mifcon- 

 dud: in their frequent excursions to the hills. 



Their punifhments confift moflly in fines. The Booneabs decide on all 

 complaints, except adultery, murder and robbery, which are tried by a 

 general affembly of the neighbouring chiefs, and are punifhed- with inftant 

 death. As the money collected by fines was appropriated to feafting and 

 drunkennefs, I wiflied to fee, if Icould induce them to give over this mode 

 of punifhing ; but they- told me plainly., they would not allow me to- inter- 

 fere ; yet, as I had been very kind to them, when a man was to be punifh- 

 ed with death, they would let me know.. 



When any thing particular is to be fettled, they all afTemblc in their 

 war-drefs, which confifts of a blue cloth, (covering part of the back and ' 

 tied acrofs at the breaft, where the four corners are made to meet) a 

 flueld, and a fword : they fit in a circle, the fword fixed in the ground 



