36-i TROPICAI, \y\\.\) I.II'K IN iUilTISH (il'IANA 



menu, while the iiieaiitious heast tliat eonies within their 

 reach, is a rare toothsome dessert. 



The In(hans, morin'ny- after mornin*;', tind only heads 

 remaining*- in the "ill nets, or, if they are fortunate, a few 

 ))artly mutilated fish. Fishermen, returnino- from a day's 

 sport, tell how there came a second strike, which nearly hroke 

 the line, when their captives were almost to the surface. 

 They found, n])on })ullin<»- in, most of the tail gone, a huge 

 portion taken out just helow the dorsal fin, or, possibly only 

 the head of their catch left. 



The perai war not only upon other fish, hut also upon 

 their own kind. This has been a rather disputed question. 

 Some authorities claim that they will never attack one an- 

 other; but many perai have the webbing nearly gone from 

 their tails and are otherwise scarred about the body. I have 

 cau"ht manv on the flesh and entrails of another. Where 

 food is plenty this may not occur, but it certainly is true on 

 the lower jNIazaruni. If one, freshly killed, be gashed and 

 torn so that the blood flows, it will be set upon and devoured 

 as quickly as if it were a warm-blooded bird. If only wound- 

 ed, however, its sharp teeth and strong jaws protect it until 

 recovery or, worn out by the repeated sallies of others, until 

 it succumbs. 



The taint of blood in the water drives the perai blood- 

 crazy and they become at once raging savage demons, blindlv 

 attacking anything, no matter what, from which comes the 

 flow of blood. Thus the person who wishes to pass through 

 infested waters does so at an increased risk if he has even so 

 much as a small wound that drips blood. He must move 

 quietly for loud splashing attracts, and they rush and strike 

 on an instant. 



The natives near Kalacoon, while they fear these 

 scourges, are not afraid to enter the water, and the children 

 ])lay around the shores waist dee]) near places where the fish 

 abound. They seldom oi- never are assailed, for the fish seem 

 to a^()i(l tiu' bathing spots, though, perha])s a few yards 



