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journal of a Voyage through the- 



corner ones are plain, and support a beam of the whole 

 length, having three intermediate props on each side, but 

 of a larger size, and eight or nine feet in height. The 

 two centre posts, at each end, are two feet and an half in 

 diameter, and carved into human figures, supporting two 

 ridge poles on their heads, at twelve feet from the ground. 

 The figures at the upper part of this square represent two 

 persons, with their hands upon their knees, as if they sup- 

 ported the weight with pain and difficulty : the others op- 

 posite to them stand at their ease, with their hands resting 

 on their hips. In the asra of the building there were the re- 

 mains of several fires. The posts, poles, and figures, were 

 painted red and black ; but the sculpture of these people is 

 superior to their painting. 



Friday 19. Soon after I had retired to rest last night, 

 the chief paid me a visit to insist on my going to his bed- 

 companion, and taking my place himself; but, notwith- 

 standing his repeated entreaties, I resisted this offering 

 of his hospitality. 



At an early hour this morning I was again visited by the 

 chief, in company with his son. The former complained 

 of a pain in his breast ; to relieve his sufferings I gave him 

 a few drops of Turlington's Balsam on a piece of sugar ; 

 and I was rather surprised to see him take it without the 

 least hesitation. When he had taken my medicine, he re- 

 quested me to follow him, and conducted me to a shed, 

 where several people were assembled round a sick man, 

 who was another of his sons. They immediately uncover- 

 ed him, and showed me a violent ulcer in the small of his 

 back, in the foulest state that can be imagined. One of 

 his knees was also afflicted in the same manner. This un- 

 happy man was reduced to a skeleton, and, from his ap- 

 pearance, was drawing near to an end of his pains. They 

 requested that I would touch him, and his father was very 

 urgent with me to administer medicine : but he was in 

 such a dangerous state, that I thought it prudent to yield 

 no further to the importunities than to give the sick per- 

 son a few drops of Turlington's balsam in some water. I 

 therefore left him, but was soon called back by the loud 

 lamentations of the women, and was rather apprehensive 

 that some inconvenience might result from my compli- 

 ance with the chief's request. On my return I found the 

 native physicians busy in practising their skill and art on 

 the patient. They blew on him, and then whistled; at 



