They seldom, however, come
to offer their assistance unless they are half-starved.
I visited the huts of all these savages; and as my guides had
trumpeted forth my praises as being a woman of great knowledge, I
was here asked my advice for the benefit of every one who was ill.
In one of the huts, I found an old woman groaning in her hammock.
On my drawing nearer, they uncovered the poor creature, and I
perceived that all her breast was eaten up by cancer. She seemed to
have no idea of a bandage, or any means of soothing the pain. I
advised her to wash the wound frequently with a decoction of
mallows, {50} and, in addition to this, to cover it over with the
leaves of the same plant. I only trust that my advice procured her
some trifling relief.
This horrible disease unfortunately does not appear to be at all
rare among the Puris, for I saw many of their women, some of whom
had large hard swellings, and others even small tumours on the
breast.
After having sufficiently examined everything in the huts, I went
with some of the savages to shoot parrots and monkeys. We had not
far to go in order to meet with both; and I had now an opportunity
of admiring the skill with which these people use their bows. They
brought down the birds even when they were on the wing, and very
seldom missed their mark.
