320 TRAVELS I M 
ing him through the head. 1 took off th^ 
bandage from his arm, and faw, by the fwelling 
and inflammation it had produced, that his 
fufFerings muft have been extreme. My fa- 
vages went in quefl: of fome herbs, which they 
brulfed and applied by way of poukice : while 
I, as the beft means I could devife, directed 
fplints to be prepared to fteady his arm ; but 
they employed a much more ingenious contri- 
vance^ the fimplicity of which furprifed me* 
They chofe a young tree nearly of the fize 
of the fradured limb, and, making a longitu- 
dinal incifion in the bark, feparated a piece of 
a certain length from its whole circumference ; 
then opening this kind of iheath, they placed 
the arm in it, and confined it with a thong* 
I admired the novelty and readinefs of the 
^ invention ; for I v/as ignorant that it h^d been 
known in Europe for feveral years, and that 
our furgeons had lately employed the bark of 
the oak for the fame purpofe, and with fimilar 
fuccefs. Thus iim^ple and beneficent nature is 
always the laft to whom We have recourfe ; 
though it requires ages of learning and immenfe 
fludy to learn to forget her for a moment. 
At the approach of night I ordered largs 
fires 
