THE MAN OF THE FOREST. 57 



favourite resorts for parrots and toucans, and 

 underneath the saouari-nut tree he may look for 

 the footprints of many game animals. By and 

 by he finds out the seasons when nuts and fruit 

 ripen, and in connection with these when he ought 

 to go hunting or fishing in particular localities. 

 Like other boys he has a liking for many wild 

 fruits and nuts, and knows where to look for the 

 fat caterpillars which infest the leaf-buds of so 

 many palms. These he eats with a great relish, as 

 he does also certain chrysalids found in the cassava 

 field, cracking the latter as an English boy would 

 hazel nuts. 



Now he is given a name, which hitherto he had 

 not possessed, nor even yet does it appear that 

 there is any particular use for it as it is carefully 

 suppressed. He will still be called "boy," and 

 later " friend " or " brother," never by his proper 

 appellation, which is a secret to all but his imme- 

 diate relations. It is so difficult to get at these 

 names that travellers who inquire are generally 

 put off with some general term of relationship such 

 as father, wife, or son. The name is so sacred that 

 the Indian becomes sullen when you insist upon 

 learning it, and the only time we ever saw one of 

 them in a passion was after our asking a number 

 of questions in regard to the matter and refusing 



