CONVERSATION. — POLITENESS. — INDUSTRY. 
557 
I believe to be a genuine expression of their sentiments ; but I may 
not assert that the latter always proceeds from a disinterested motive. 
They are fond of conversation ; and in this manner spend much 
of their time. They rarely meet each other without stopping to 
chat ; and in travelling about the country, they will go a long walk 
out of their way, to see another for the purpose of inquiring, and 
communicating, news. In listening to a person who is relating what 
he has seen or done, they attend to him without offering any inter- 
ruption, unless it be to assent to his narration, by occasionally in- 
troducing the word Ee (ay), meaning ' yes,' or by sometimes repeat- 
ing the last word or two of a sentence. This is a natural mode of 
politely showing that they are listening to the speaker. Many facts 
may be noticed among wild unlettered nations, which prove that 
true politeness and complaisance are natural perfections, and not arti- 
ficial acquirements ; and that rudeness and coarse behaviour are not 
necessarily the accompaniments of an uneducated mind, but rather 
the manifestations of a depraved one. The semblance of politeness 
is nothing more than a tribute which some men pay to the real image, 
as an acknowledgement to virtue. 
The Bachapins are active, and, when occasion may require, never 
shrink from the fatigue of a long journey. They are far from being- 
slothful, although they have in fact, allotted several of the more 
laborious duties to the women : but they have retained for themselves 
all those which are the most active. A man's merit is estimated 
principally by his industry, and the words inunona usindachd (an in- 
dustrious man) are an expression of high approbation and praise : 
while he who is seldom seen to hunt, to prepare skins for clothing, 
or to sew koboes, is accounted a worthless and disgraceful member 
of society. From their earliest youth, every individual in the nation, 
without distinction, is trained to all those occupations which are re- 
garded as befitting a man ; and therefore, the business of tending their 
cattle, forms the usual duty of the boys, with the assistance, and under 
the superintendance, of a few men at each cattle-station. Filial obedi- 
ence is strenuously enforced ; and fathers were said to take especial 
care that they would never spoil their sons by sparing the stick. 
