36 AN ACCODPrr OF THE WILD TRIBES 



of a rude flute used by the Jakuiis. J have 

 never seen these intstruinents, but 1 know 

 tiiat tliej use two kinds ol drmn like those 

 of the Malays. The Jakuns kiiaw the Eu- 

 ropeans by report oiily, tlie greater num- 

 ber of them liaviag never seen any Euro- 

 peaiL Oil account of the great nnntlicr of 

 Chinese emigrants who inhabit tlie Penin^ 

 sula, few oftliem are unaware of tlie eus- 

 tence of China ; tliey are told too of Bengal , 

 of Sunialra and of Siam; these are tiie 

 boundaries ol' their knovvledgc In geogra- 

 phy, Theii* science in astronomy is yet 

 more limited; tbey see the sun rise and 

 set every day, the naoon sometimes ap- 

 pear, sometimes not; they use their hghl 

 when present, they sleep when it is dark; 

 but they have never noticed or inquired 

 about the course of the stars; tlicy scarcely 

 know how many da\s are in the duration 

 of a moon, and iiow many moons in the 

 year. Tliev are nut at all awaie ot their age. 



