AFRICA. 15 
?ind I candidly confefs I manoeuvred in fuch 
a manner as that the youngeft and prettieft 
might have the largeft (liare. 
To the men I gave knives, tinder-boxes, 
and rolls of tobacco. My intention in vifit- 
ing this horde perfonally was, that all the 
families v^hich compofed it might partake 
in my bounty; and the package I brought 
along with me was pretty confiderabie. 
Haabas having begged me, in the name 
of feveral infirm old men who were not 
able to go abroad, to follow him, and pay 
them a vilit, I readily confented to this re- 
queft, and we entered their huts : they were 
all attended by children of eight or ten years 
of age, entrufted with the care of giving them 
their food, and of rendering them all thofe 
fervices which are neceflary to the debility 
of years. I was very much ftruck with this 
refpe(9:able inftltution among thefe favage 
people, and I fully teftified my approbation 
of it to my conduflor. Though thefe old 
men, for the moft part, were confined only 
by their great age, and not by thofe infirmi- 
ties which are the ufual attendants of people 
in civilized nations, I remarked with no lit- 
tle furpriie that their hair was not white, 
and 
