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gold, which is carefully preserved from the European 
observation. They invariably keep a portion of the 
gold possessed by their forefathers, entertaining for it 
a great veneration. In the province of Manghabei, 
the whole of their riches, in this precious article, is 
deposited in the tombs of their ancestors ; and what¬ 
ever gold coin they obtain of Europeans, in exchange 
for their various produce, is instantly melted down, 
and either converted into ornaments or added to their 
store. 
The occult sciences are not unknown to them; 
they observe the motions of the heavens, the courses 
of the stars, and divide the Zodiac into twelve signs. 
The year is also divided into twelve months, and it 
begins with the new moon in March; but they have 
no other division but that which is naturally suggested 
by the routine of their domestic concerns. Thus the 
year commences with the planting season; and the 
hot season, the reaping season, and so on, succeed in 
their several orders. 
They speak but one language throughout the island, 
with only a difference similar to that which exists be¬ 
tween a native of London, and one of the north of 
England. We have before observed, that it is- 
chiefly Arabic, but agreeable to Greek in the con¬ 
struction. The learning of the island is principally 
confined to the Ombiasses, and the Arabic character 
is the only one in use with them. These were 
introduced by the Zafe Ramini, and are twenty-four 
in number, written from the right to the left, but 
