SUMATRA. 
liable to accident) ; aod this quality they fometimcs extend to things 
inanimate; asiliips and boats. Such an opinion, which we ihould fu|)- 
pofe 
vm drelTed and divided amoiij^ them j with feverHl other d!ih«9j after their ufc ; but this wai 
the moft efteemed, and eaten with great reverence and refpeft. The ceremony concluded wSth 
copious libatbntf and fongs* if tht facrificewas made for a fick perfon, the prieft ordered a 
new hiauik or arbour to be tuilt at his expcnce, capa.ble of celebrating it, and removed hiiti thi- 
ther. They brought the iacrificc near him, which was fometimes a (lave, bui moft commonly 
fonie land animal ot fca tiwtk, anJ having placed him oa a miu with feversl diihes of nieat round 
him, the prieftcfs dancing ahout him with little bells, wounded the animal, and anointed the 
Bsan with its blood ; after which they drew it afide, and the prieflers muttering certain words, 
opened it, and cxaimned the entrails »-ith ^cac care : then diilorting her features, aod making 
tiocommon motions with her feet and hands, and foaming at the mouthy flie prelended for fome 
time to be in an extafy ; when flit came to herfclf, ihe Foietold the fate of the fick man. If flje 
jiruphefied his recovery, diey fell to eating, drinftkitig, and finging the hiftory of his anccftors, 
end the praifc of hh Jnifc ; but when his drtth forrtoM, the prieflefs Toothed the bad n&m 
vvjtb a recital of the virtues and vaior of the fick perfon, whom, Ibe faid, die Aaitos had chofcn 
to be one of thcmfelves* and immediaceli^ recommended herfelf and all the family, that he might 
remember them in Ms new (late ; and from thence forward Sht obliged bis friends to treat 
and regard him a» an Aitiio, The whole tnded with eating die moft delidoiw parts of 
the facriecc. Tiiofc v/ho ww? f^tWwty ufv^y g*-* gmtuity of CQttOBC, Of Other 
things, according to their abilities j which were for the prieil or priefttrv who miniflcred the fa- 
crifice ; fo that they were generally well dreffed, and wore je\vels and other omajnents : but not- 
withftanding this, at other times they were little reputed or eftecmed amongft the Indians, who 
looked oa them as drones who IWtd by the iabor of others. 
Their notions of the creation of the world, and formation of makind, had fomething ridica- 
loufly esttjavagant* They believed that the world at firft confifted only of iky and water, and 
between thefe two, a CUde i which weary with flying about, and finding? no place to rcii, fet the 
water at variance with the &y, which, in order to keep it iu bounds, and tliat it Ihould not get 
vppermofi, loaded the water with a number of iflands, in which the Glede might fettle and leave 
them at peace. Mankind, they laid, Iprung out of a large cane uiih two joints, that floating 
about in the water, was at length thrown by the waves againft the feet of the Glede, as it ftood ou 
the (bore, which opened it with its bill, and the man came out of one joint, and the woman out 
the other* Thefe were foon after married by confent of their God, Bathala M^capalf which 
caufed the Brft trembling of the earth ; and from hc&ce are dcfcended the different nations of the 
world. 
The foregoing defcription does not belong to the barbarous and favage race of people, living 
!n the mountain^, who arc of the color and iize of the Hottentots of the Cape of Good Hope : like 
ihem they have fhort twifted hair, and daub their bodies all over with gi eafe and a&cs : their only 
clothtag is made of the rind of trees with which they cover their middle, befides fome bracelets 
U u u curioufly 
