39 o THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



Old people are greatly esteemed among the Quianganes, chiefly 

 because they can serve as priests and have a special knowledge of 

 religious doctrines and usages. In war, they readily follow the 

 lead of the bravest. Women are highly respected, and, with chil- 

 dren, are spared when blood feuds are prosecuted ; for the venge- 

 ance of the Quianganes is executed only on grown men. 



In marriage, the bride is bought from her uncle, or, if she has 

 no uncle, from her brothers or cousins. On the death of his wife, 

 or in case of divorce, the husband must return to her relatives the 

 gifts he has received with her, and a buffalo in addition, espe- 

 cially if he intends to marry again. As he has also to make the 

 usual presents to the relatives of his new bride, and is further ex- 

 pected to provide the wedding feast, a second marriage is a costly 

 affair. Divorces are frequent. With the great irritability of the 

 people, a harsh word is often enough, and the pair go apart. But 

 there is usually a more serious cause than this. Children are 

 spoiled. They are allowed to do as they please, and even to resist 

 their parents, without correction. For a parent to chastise a child 

 insures the condemnation of his tribesmen. In sharp contrast to 

 this extreme neglect of their children is the mutual support of 

 one another by adults. A personal assault demands unconditional 

 blood- vengeance ; a scornful word or gesture will not be borne. 

 It is especially dangerous to excite their jealousy in the slightest 

 degree. For this reason intercourse with them is not easy. They 

 are themselves carefully on their guard against hurting the feel- 

 ings of another, and demand that others shall do the same with 

 them. Blood vengeance is a sacred law with the Quianganes. If 

 one plebeian is killed by another, the matter is settled in a simple 

 manner by killing the murderer or some one of his family who is 

 likewise a plebeian. But if a prominent man or noble is killed by 

 a plebeian, vengeance on the murderer, a mere plebeian, is not 

 enough ; the victim of the sin-offering must be an equivalent in 

 rank. Another nobleman must fall for the murdered noble, for 

 their doctrine is, What kind of an equivalent is it to kill some 

 one who is no better than a dog ? Hence the family of the slain 

 noble looks around to see if it can not find a relative of the mur- 

 derer to wreak vengeance upon, who is also a noble ; while the 

 murderer himself is ignored. If no noble can be found among his 

 relatives, the family of the murdered man wait patiently till some 

 one of them is received into the noble's caste ; then the vendetta 

 is prosecuted, although many years may have elapsed. 



When the blood-feud is satisfied a reconciliation of the con- 

 tending factions takes place. In all the feuds the heads of the 

 murdered champions are cut off and taken home, and the head- 

 hunters celebrate the affair festally. The skulls are fixed to the 

 front of the house. 



