6 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 92 



from that which is spoken at the present time, no one, except those 

 mentioned above, understands the meaning of the song and dance ; 

 the others sing and dance but without knowing either what they are 

 saying or what they are doing. I imagine that such songs are in a 

 primitive language, and they preserve them in their feasts, and these 

 songs and dances contain all their religion, usages and customs, and 

 for this reason these songs are not used or sung except in their feasts. 



They also have common songs and dances in their own language, 

 which latter are sung and danced daily, and are understood by all. but 

 these are nothing more than for the purpose of amusing themselves 

 and idling about with one another. 



What I have said above seems to me sufficient for understanding the 

 purpose which has led me to wTite this little work about the belief, 

 usages and customs of these Indians, and if it may seem to some that 

 my bravery has been great, attributing it to arrogance and presumption, 

 since I am a pigmy beside my brethren, they being more illustrious and 

 of greater experience, let it be borne in mind that I have not written it 

 to show myself to be anything more than what I am, but that my pur- 

 pose is that I may free from delusion those who have confided to me 

 their errors, as well as that certain ones may be incited to make public 

 the secrets of the Indians which they have encountered, with the result 

 that with information on record as regards their belief, usages and 

 customs, they can be told what they may follow and what they should 

 put aside ; and for this reason I hope that he who reads this com- 

 position may be pleased to see such information, and if he should find 

 anything which may disagree with the truth which I have proposed to 

 set forth, or any defect to correct, I shall give boundless thanks to him 

 who may show it to me, so that the error may be perceived and cor- 

 rected. And withal I am beseeching God that he grant us his holy 

 erace and benediction. Amen. 



