42 
MEMOIR OF 
“ The people, though professedly Mahomedans, 
seem more attached to their ancient worship and su- 
perstitions than I expected. I clearly traced an an- 
cient mythology, and obtained the names of at least 
twenty gods, several of whom are Hindus. In each 
of the villages we found a Lang’gar, similar to that 
noticed at Merambung, but generally better con- 
structed. 
“ The utmost good-humour and affection seemed 
to exist among the people of the village ; they were 
as one family, the men walking about holding each 
other by the hand, and playing tricks with each other 
like children. They were as fine a race as I ever 
beheld ; in general about six feet high, and propor- 
tionably stout, clear and clean skins, and an open in- 
genuous countenance. They seemed to have abun- 
dance of every thing ; rice, the staple food of the 
country, being five times as cheap as at Bencoolen, 
and every other article of produce in proportion. 
The women and children were decorated with a pro- 
fusion of silver ornaments, and particularly with 
strings of dollars and other coins, hanging two or 
three deep round the neck. It was not uncommon 
to see a child with a hundred dollars round her neck. 
Every one seemed anxious for medicine, and they 
cheerfully agreed to be vaccinated. The small-pox 
had latterly committed great ravages, and the popu- 
lation of whole nllagcs had fled into the woods to 
avoid the contagion. 
“ We now thought of returning to the coast, and 
