X WAR i8i 



it in broad daylight by forming several compact 

 bodies of about twenty -five men. Each body 

 protects itself with a roof of shields held closely 

 together, and the several parties move quickly in 

 upon the house simultaneously from different points, 

 and attempt to carry it by assault. The defenders 

 of the house would attempt to repel such an attack 

 by hurling heavy bars of iron-wood, sharpened at 

 both ends, in such a way that the bar twirls in the 

 air as it hurtles through it ; and this is one of the 

 few occasions on which the blow-pipe is used as a 

 weapon of defence. 



A village that has been warned of the approach 

 of the foe may send out a party to attempt to 

 ambush the attackers at some difficult passage of 

 the river or the jungle. Scouts are sent out to 

 locate the enemy. Some climb to the tops of tall 

 trees to look for the smoke of the enemy's fires. 

 Having located the enemy, the scouts approach so 

 closely as to be able to count their numbers and 

 observe all their movements ; and, keeping in touch 

 with the party, they send messages to their chief. 

 If the defenders succeed in ambushing the attackers 

 and in killing several of them, the latter usually 

 withdraw discouraged, and may for the time give up 

 the attempt. If the defending party should come 

 upon the enemy struggling against a rapid, and 

 especially if the enemy is in difficulties through the 

 upsetting of some of their boats, or in any other 

 way, they may fall upon them in the open bed of 

 the river, and then ensues the comparatively rare 

 event, a stand-up fight in the open. This resolves 

 itself in the main into hand-to-hand duels between 

 pairs of combatants, as in the heroic age. The 

 warriors select their opponents and approach warily ; 

 they call upon one another by name, hurling taunts 

 and swaggering boastfully in the heroic style. 

 Each abuses the other's parents, and threatens to 



