of practice is either by adminiftering the juices of certain trees and herbs inwardly, or by applying outwardly a poultice of leaves, chopped fmall, upon the breaft, or part affected, renewing it as foon as it becomes dry. For internal pains they rub oil on a large leaf, of a ftimulant quality, and, heating it before the fire, clap it on the body of the patient, as a blifter, which produces very powerful effects. Phlebotomy they never ufe, yet the people of the neighbouring ifle of Neas are famous for their fkill in cupping, which they practife in a manner peculiar to themselves. The fmall-pox fometimes vifits the island, and makes terrible ravages. It is regarded as a plague, and drives from the country thoufands, whom the infection fpares. Their method of stopping its progrefs, (for they do not attempt a cure,) is by converting into an hofpital, or receptacle for the reft, that village where lie the greateft number of fick, whither they fend all who are attacked by the diforder, from the country round. The most effectual methods are pursued to prevent any perfon's escape from the village, which is burnt to the ground as foon as the infection has spent itself, or devoured all the victims thus offered to it. Inoculation feems to be an idea not thought of; and as it could not be aniverfal, it might be a dangerous experiment for Europeans to introduce it partially, in a country where the diforder makes its appearance at diftant intervals only, unless thofe periods could be feized, and the attempt made, when and where there might be a well-founded apprehenfion of its being communicated in the natural way. The venereal difeafe, though common in the Malay Bazars, is in the inland country almost unknown. A man returning to his village with the infection, is thunned by the inhabitants as an unclean and interdicted perfon. The Malays cure it with a decoction of China 'root, called by them Gadoong, which causes a Talivation.

METHOD of treating INSANE PERSONS.

WHEN a man is, by fickness or otherwife, deprived of his reafon, or when he is fubject to convulfion fits, they imagine him poffeffed by an evil fpirit; and their ceremony of exorcifm is, by putting the unfortunate wretch into a hut, which they fire about his ears, fuffering him to make his efcape through the flames in the best manner he can. The fright, which would go nigh to destroy the intellects of a reasonable man, may perhaps have, under contrary circumftances, an oppofite effect.

turning when he is paft the centre, lets him fall upon fharp stakes prepared below. Inftances have occurred of a tyger's being caught by one of the former modes, which had many marks in his body of the partial fuccefs of this laft expedient. The efcapes, at times, made from the natives, are truly furprizing; but thefe accounts in general carry too romantic an air to admit of being repeated as facts. The fize and ftrength of the fpecies which prevail on this ifland is prodigious. They are faid to break, with a froke of their fore paw, the leg of a horse or a buffalo and the largeft prey they kill, is without difficulty dragged by them into the woods. This they ufually perform on the fecond night, being fuppofed, on the firft, to gratify themselves with fucking the blood only. Time is by this delay afforded to prepare for their deftruction; and to the methods already enumerated, befides fhooting them, I fhould add that of placing a vefiel of water, ftrongly impregnated with arfenic, near the carcafe, which is faflened to a tree, to prevent its being carried off. The tyger having fatiated himself with the flesh, is prompted to affuage his thirft with the tempting liquor at hand, and perishes in the indulgence. Their chief fubfilence is most probably the unfortunate monkeys, with which the woods abound. They are defcribed as alluring them to their feet by a fafcinating power, fimilar to what has been fuppofed of the fnake; and I am not incredulous enough to treat the idea with contempt, having myfelf obferved, that when an alligator or crocodile, in a river, comes under an over-hanging bough of a tree, the monkies, in a state of alarm and diftraction, croud to the extremity, and, chattering and trembling, approach nearer and nearer to the amphibious monfter that waits to devour them as they drop, which their fright and number renders almost unavoidable. Thefe alligators likewife occafion the lofs of many inhabitants, frequently deftroying the people as they bathe in the river, according to their regular cuftom, and which the perpetual evidence of the rifk attending it, cannot deter them from. A fuperftitious idea of their fanctity alfo, preferves them from moleftation, although, with a hock of fufficient ftrength, they may be taken without much difficulty. A musket ball appears to have no effect upon their impenetrable hides.

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ART of MEDICINE.,

THIS art confifts almost entirely in the application of fimples, in the virtues of which they are furprizingly skilled. Every old man and woman is a phyfician, their rewards depending upon their fuccefs; but they generally procure a fmall fum in advance, under the pretence of purchafing charms. The mode

of practice is either by adminiftering the juices of certain trees and herbs inwardly, or by applying outwardly a poultice of leaves, chopped fmall, upon the breaft, or part affected, renewing it as foon as it becomes dry. For internal pains they rub oil on a large leaf, of a ftimulant quality, and, heating it before the fire, clap it on the body of the patient, as a blifter, which produces very powerful effects. Phlebotomy they never ufe, yet the people of the neighbouring ifle of Neas are famous for their fkill in cupping, which they practife in a manner peculiar to themselves. The fmall-pox fometimes vifits the island, and makes terrible ravages. It is regarded as a plague, and drives from the country thoufands, whom the infection fpares. Their method of stopping its progrefs, (for they do not attempt a cure,) is by converting into an hofpital, or receptacle for the reft, that village where lie the greateft number of fick, whither they fend all who are attacked by the diforder, from the country round. The most effectual methods are purfued to prevent any perfon's escape from the village, which is burnt to the ground as foon as the infection has spent itfelf, or devoured all the victims thus offered to it. Inoculation feems to be an idea not thought of; and as it could not be aniverfal, it might be a dangerous experiment for Europeans to introduce it partially, in a country where the diforder makes its appearance at diftant intervals only, unless thofe periods could be feized, and the attempt made, when and where there might be a well-founded apprehenfion of its being communicated in the natural way. The venereal difeafe, though common in the Malay Bazars, is in the inland country almost unknown. A man returning to his village with the infection, is fhunned by the inhabitants as an unclean and interdicted perfon. The Malays cure it with a decoction of China root, called by them Gadoong, which caufes a Talivation.

METHOD of treating INSANE PERSONS.

WHEN a man is, by fickness or otherwife, deprived of his reafon, or when he is fubject to convulfion fits, they imagine him poffeffed by an evil spirit; and their ceremony of exorcifm is, by putting the unfortunate wretch into a hut, which they fire about his ears, fuffering him to make his efcape through the flames in the belt manner he can. The fright, which would go nigh to destroy the intellects of a reasonable man, may perhaps have, under contrary circumstances, an oppofite effect.

RULES of COCKING.

THEY are fond of cock-fighting. Their cock-pit, if the expreffion may be used, is a fpot on the level ground, or a flage erected and covered in. It is enclosed with a railing, which keeps off the fpectators; none but the handlers and heelers being admitted within fide. A man who has an high opinion of, and regard for his cock, will not fight him under a certain number of dollars, which he places in order on the floor: his poorer adverfary, is perhaps unable to depofit one-half; the ftanders-by make up the fum, and receive their dividends in proportion, if fuccefsful. A father, on his death-bed, has been known to defire his fon to take the firft opportunity of matching a cock for a fum equal to his whole property, under a blind conviction of its being invulnerable. Cocks of the fame colour are never matched; but a grey against a pile, a yellow against a red, and the like, Great pains are taken in rearing and feeding. The cocks are frequently handled and accustomed to fpar in public, in order to prevent any fhynefs, Contrary to our laws, the owner is allowed to take up and handle his cock during the battle; to clear his eye of a feather, or his mouth of blood. When a cock is killed, or runs, the other must have fufficient spirit and vigour left to peck at him three times, on his being held up to him for that purpofe, or it becomes a drawn battle; and fometimes an experienced cocker will place the head of his vanquifhed bird in fuck an uncouth fituation, as to terrify the other, and render him unable to give this proof of victory. The cocks are never trimmed, but matched in full feather. The artificial fpur used in Sumatra refembles, in fhape, the blade of a fcimiter, and proves a more deftructive weapon than the European fpur : it has no focket, but is tied to the leg, and in the pofition of it the nicety of the match is regulated. As in horfe-racing, weight is pro portioned to inches, fo, in cocking, a bird of fuperior weight and fize is brought to an equality with his adverfary, by fixing the fteel fpur fo many fcales of the leg above the natural fpur, and thus obliging him to fight with a degree of difadvantage. It rarely happens that both cocks furvive the combat.

MARRIAGES and COURTSHIP.

THE rites of marriage among the Sumatrans confift fimply in joining the hands of the parties, and pronouncing them man and wife, without much ceremony, excepting the entertainment which is given upon the occafion. But little apparent courtship precedes their marriages: their manners do not admit of it; the young people of each fex being carefully kept afunder, and the

girls being feldom trafted from under the wing of their mo thers. With us, courtship includes the idea of humble entreaty on the man's fide, and favour and condefcenfion on the part of the woman, who bestows perfon and property for love. The Sumatran, on the contrary, when he fixes his choice, and pays all that he is worth for the object of it, may naturally confider the obligation on his fide: but ftill they are not without gallantry; they preferve a degree of delicacy and refpect towards the fex, which might juflify their retorting on many of the polished nations of antiquity, the epithet of barbarians. The opportunities which the young people have of feeing and converfing with each other, are at the public feftivals. On thefe occafions, the perfons who are unmarried meet together, and dance and fing in company. It may be fuppofed that the young ladies cannot be long without their particular admirers. The men, when determined in their regards, generally employ an old woman as their agent, by whom they make known their fentiments, and fend prefents to the female of their choice. The parents then interfere; and the preliminaries being fettled, a feaft takes place. At thefe feftivals, a goat, a buffalo, or feveral, according to the rank of the parties, are killed, to entertain, not only the rela tions and invited guefts, but all the inhabitants of the neighbouring country who chufe to repair to them. The greater the concourfe, the more is the credit of the holt, who is generally, on thefe occafions, the father of the girl.

NUMBER of WIVES.

THE customs of the Sumatrans permit their having as many wives as they can compass the purchafe of, or afford to maintain; but it is extremely rare that an inftance occurs of their having more than one, and that only among a few of the chiefs. This continence they, in fome meafure, owe to their poverty. The dictates of frugality are more powerful with them than the irregular calls of appetite, and make them decline an indulgence from which their law does not restrain them.

TREATMENT of CHILDREN.

MOTHERS carry their children, not on the arm, as our nurses do, but straddling on the hip, and ufually fupported by a cloth, which ties in a knot on the oppofite fhoulder. This practice, I have been told, is common in fome parts of Wales. It is much fafer than the other method, lefs tirefome to the nurse, and the child has the advantage of fitting in a lefs constrained pofture; but the defenfive armour of ftays, and offenfive wea

pons