83 TRAVELS IN 
be difficult to guefs their age. Old people 
indeed appear wrinkled, and the extremities 
of their hair are a little greyifh, but it never 
turns white entirely ; and I prefume that 
they are very old at feventy. 
Thefe favages meafure the year by the 
epochs of drought and rainy weather. This 
divifion is common to all the inhabitants of 
the tropical regions, and it is fabdividcd into 
mpons ; bat they never count the days if 
they exceed ten, that is to fay the number of 
their fingers. Beyond that, they mark the 
day or the time by fome remarkable epoch ; 
for example, an extraordinary ftorm, an ele- 
phant killed, an infedious diftemper among 
the cattle, an emigration, &c. The different 
parts of the day they diflinguini by the courfe 
of thefun; and they will tell you, pointing with 
their finger, he was there when I departed, 
and here when I arrived. This rpethod is far 
fxorn beiag exadl ; but, notwithftanding its 
vvr^r< of 'precifion, it is almoft fufficient for 
thde people, who having no appointments 
oi gdilantry, no law-fuits to attend, no perfi- 
dies lo coiiiQiit, no fcandal to propagatCj no 
oc^^afipn me^anly to cringe before ignorant 
o^trpns^ and no uew play to damn, calmly 
behglci 
