452 A NATURALIST'S WANDERINGS 



wliich can tlien obtain sepulture. Every liead is invariably 

 forthcoming at such a peace-making, otherwise amicable rela- 

 tions could scarcely be restored, certainly not without a very 

 heavy price for the missing skull. 



The ceremony of bload-brotherhood alluded to above, or the 

 swearing of eternal friendship, is of an interesting nature, and 

 is celebrated often by fearful orgies, especially when friendship 

 is being made between families, or tribes, or kingdoms. The 

 ceremony is the same in substance whether between two 

 individuals or large comjjanies. The contracting parties slash 

 their arms, and collect the blood into a bamboo, into which 

 Itanipa (coarse gin) or laru (palm-wine) is poured. Having 

 provided themselves w^ith a small fig-tree (lialik) they adjourn 

 to some retired spot, taking with them the sw^ord and spear from 

 the Lidi chamber of their own houses if between private indi- 

 viduals, or from the JJma-Luli of their Suku if between large 

 companies. Planting there the fig-tree, flanked by the sacred 

 sword and spear, they hang on it a bamboo-receptacle, into 

 which — after pledging each other in a portion of the mixed 

 blood and gin — the remainder is poured. Then each swears, 

 " If I be false, and be not a true friend, may my blood issue from 

 my mouth, ears, nose, as it does from this bamboo ! " the bottom 

 of the receptacle being pricked at the same moment to allow the 

 blood and gin to escape, Tlie tree remains and grows as a 

 witness of their contract. It is one of their most sacred oaths, and 

 almost never, I am told, violated at least between individuals. 

 If a member of a family of a king marries into that of 

 another, the two kingdoms often sw^ear friendship, and when 

 the one is at war the other is bound to send men to aid him. 

 One brother coming to another brother's house is in every 

 respect regarded as free, and as much at home as its owner. 

 Nothing is withheld from him ; even his friend's wife is not 

 denied him, and a child burn of such an union would be 



recognised by the > husband as his. In speaking of the 

 Greenland Esquimaux, Egede expressly states that they were 



I 



-eputed the best and noblest-tempered, who, without any pain 

 or reluctance, would lend their friends their wives. 



Ascending by a very steep path, bordered with Mitrosacme^ 

 hare-bells, geraniums, wood-sorrel and some liliaceous plants, 

 we reached the top of Eahomali at 4700 feet, whence a 



