MELPOMENE. JOS

covering for their quivers. The human skin is of
I others certainly the whitest, and of a very firm
xture ; many Scythians will take the whole skin

a man, and having stretched it upon wood, use it

a covering to their horses.

LXV. Such are the customs of this people: this
satment, however, of their enemies' heads, is not
iiversal, it is only perpetrated on those whom they
ost detest. They cut off the skull below the eye-
-ows, and having cleansed it thoroughly, if they
e poor, they merely cover it with a piece of leather;
they are rich, in addition to this, they decorate
ie inside with gold; it is afterwards used as a drink-
g cup. They do the same with respect to their
aarest connexions, if any dissensions have arisen,
id they overcome them in combat before the king.
' any stranger whom they deem of consequence,
appen to visit them, they make a display of these
cads, and relate every circumstance of the previous
annexion, the provocations received, and their sub-
equent victory: this they consider as a testimony of
tieir valour.

LXVT. Once a year the prince or ruler of every
istrict mixes a goblet of wine, of which those Scy-
hians drink who have destroyed a public enemy,
iut of this, they who have not done such a thing are
iot permitted to taste; these are obliged to sit apart
y themselves, which is considered as a mark of the
;reatest ignominy. They who have killed a number
if enemies, are permitted on this occasion to drink
rom two cups joined together.

LXVII. They have amongst them a great number
vho practise the art of divination; for this purpose
hey use a number of willow twigs, in this manner:—
hey bring large bundles of these together, and having
mited them, dispose them one by one on the ground,
iach bundle at a distance from the rest. This done,
-hey pretend to foretell the future, during which they
take up the bundles separately, and tie them again
together. This mode of divination is hereditary
among them. The enaries, or "effeminate men,"
affirm that the art of divination was taught them by