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place. Next day the visitors stay in the camp while the hosts go 

 hunting to obtain provisions for all. The following day the 

 visitors also go out for that purpose, and usually, all together, 

 after having eaten. Presents are always given to the visitors, 

 such as a spear, ulkuta, or other thing. Something uncommon is 

 preferred, such as a knife, pipe, tobacco, tomahawk, or even the 

 shirt off their backs. They would rather go naked than allow 

 their visitors to depart without a present, especially when they 

 know that a certain article was much coveted. When taking 

 leave invitations to return the visit are given, which are accepted 

 and carried out, unless a murder in the meantime prevents it. 

 For it occurs occasionally that spies mix with the visitors in order 

 to gain information to allow of the execution of a pre-determined 

 vengeance. The rejoicing is then converted into the most bitter 

 grief, and friendship into deadly enmity. 



i. SORCERERS. 



According to their views all serious diseases are produced by 

 demons, or by means of sorcery, and may be counteracted by 

 various performances. These consist almost exclusively in suck- 

 ing. The medicine- or 7iffankara-msin applies his mouth to the 

 affected part, sucks it, and then pretends to have extracted char- 

 coal or other matter that had been inserted by sorcerers or 

 demons. After each sucking, the ngankara goes a few paces 

 aside, and spits it out with various ceremonies, putting his hand 

 to the mouth and pretending to take out something, and to throw 

 it away. Almost all the old or middle-aged men are such 

 ngankara. According to their own account, they become such 

 when they feel pain in the ears by night, pretending, and per- 

 haps believing, that thus they have acquired the power. All the 

 others believe it implicitly, and try to secure their assistance in 

 all diseases. Usually they visit the sick without being specially 

 called, and render their services gratuitously, being satisfied with 

 the honor. If taxed with the deception practised, they look em- 

 barrassed, but find it difiicult to discontinue the practice. In 

 difiiculties men are apt to look for visible and tangible aid ; and 

 others to pose as capable of helping. 



k. GESTICULATIOX. 



The gestures and pantomimic expressions of the natives are 

 highly developed. Tliey can express a great deal by means of 

 most varied motions of the hand, and thus communicate with an- 

 other. 



I. vows OR OATHS. 



Our natives have ceremonies by which they consider themselves 

 bound. As an illustration the following anecdote will serve : — A 

 few years ago they approached us anxiously and in great agita- 



