hed in sheep-skin, to remind them of the
attributes of their calling--innocence, faithfulness, and sedateness.
The repetition of their speeches was on account of the very slow
apprehension and cautious decision of the people, by which peculiarities
they were distinguished from all the inhabitants of the subterranean
world. But what most excited my curiosity was the history of the supreme
judge. This was a virgin, a native of the town, and appointed by the
King to the office of Kaki, or judge, for her superior virtue and
talent. It must be observed that this nation pay no regard to sex in
appointments to office, but, after a strict examination, elect those to
take charge of affairs who are proved to be the most worthy.

Seminaries are established throughout the country, to teach the
aspirants to public honors the duties appertaining to the direction of
government. The business of the administrators of these colleges is to
search closely into the brains and hearts of the young students, and
when satisfied with their virtue and ability, to give to the king a list
of those fully prepared to fill the public offices. The administrators
are called Karatti.

The young virgin of whom I have spoken, had received, four years before
from the Karatti, a certificate for remarkable attainments and virtues,
and had been invested with the "blanket." This blanket was wrapped about
her head during my trial; this precaution, however, is taken only in
trials such as mine, in which the occasionally broad nature of the
testimony might have a painful effect upon the virgin judge, should her
face be exposed to the public gaze.

The name of this virgin was Palmka. She had officiated for three years
with the greatest honor, and was considered the most learned tree in the
city.

She solved with so much discretion the knottiest questions, that her
decisions had come to be regarded as oracles.

As Themis' self, with scales of equal weight,
She judged with candor both the small and great:
The sands of truth she, like the goddess, frees
From falsehood's glitter and from error's lees.

The following account was given to me of the blood-letting to which I
had been subjected. When any one is proved to be guilty of a crime, he
is bled, for the purpose of detecting from the color of the fluid, or
blood, how far his guilt was voluntary or otherwise; whether he had
sinned through malice or distemper. Should the fluid be found
discolor