164  iWr.  miller’s  Account  of 
The  people  between  the  diftridts  of  the  Englilh  com- 
pany, and  thofe  of  the  Dutch  at  Palimban  on  the  other 
fide  the  illand,  write  on  long  narrow  flips  of  the  bark  of 
a tree,  with  a piece  of  bamboo;  they  begin  at  the  bottom, 
and  write  from  the  left-hand  to  the  right,  w hich  I think 
is  contrary  to  the  cuftom  of  all  other  Eaftern  nations. 
This  country  is  very  hilly,  and  the  accefs  to  it  exceed- 
ingly difficult,  there  being  no  poflibility  of  a horfe  going 
over  the  hills.  I \vas  obliged  to  walk  the  whole  way,  and 
in  many  places  bare-foot,  on  account  of  the  fteepnefs  of 
the  precipices.  The  inhabitants  are  a free  people,  and 
live  in  fmall  villages  called  Doofans,  independant  of  each 
other,  and  governed  each  by  its  own  chief  [Doopattee]. 
All  of  them  have  laws,  l'ome  written  ones,  by  which 
they  punifh  offenders,  and  terminate  difputes.  They 
have  almoft:  all  of  them,  particularly  the  women,  large 
levellings  in  the  throat,  fome  nearly  as  big  as  a man’s 
head,  but  in  general  as  big  as  an  oftrich’s  egg,  like  the 
goitres  of  the  Alps.  It  is  by  them  faid  to  be  owing  to 
their  drinking  a cold  white  water;  I fancy  it  muff  be 
feme  mineral  water  they  mean.  Near  their  country  is  a 
volcano : it  is  very  mountainous,  and  abounds  with  ful- 
phur,  and  I dare  fay  with  metals  too,  though  no  mines 
are  worked  here.  If  this  diftemper  be  produced  here  by 
this  caufe,  perhaps  in  the  Alpine  countries  it  may  take 
its 
