18 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLKXJY [bul;.. 79 



(in Quichua tunguni), and which will be described in connection 

 with the real wars. The enema takes place every night during 

 the last week before the attack is made. The warriors drink much 

 manioc beer to get strength and smoke much tobacco, partly to ac- 

 quire strength and resistance, partly to ward off evil supernatural 

 influences. On the eve of the day of making the attack they paint 

 their face, breast, arms, and legs black with genipa (in Jibaro called 

 sua^ in Quichua huituc). 



The attack is carried out in different ways, depending on the cir- 

 cumstances. Sometimes the victim is attacked in his bouse at night, 

 sometimes while he is working outside or traveling. In the former 

 case the assault is made a little before dawn, at 4 or 5 o'clock in 

 the morning. The Jibaros begin their day very early, and the 

 family father is the first who gets up. Since it is difficult or impossi- 

 ble to force the entrance, the enemies generally avail themselves of 

 the opportunity when he opens the door to perform his necessary 

 duties. At this moment they rush upon him and kill him with their 

 lances. If they are armed with guns or rifles and the house is not 

 especially fortified they creep along to the wall and through a part- 

 ing in it try to give the sorcerer the death-dealing shot while he 

 is sitting at the fire preparing his tobacco water or his guayusa. 

 Having accomplished the deed, the assassins quickly steal away, 

 leaving the rest of the inhabitants of the house unmolested. 



It is, however, easier to kill the enemy while he is outside the 

 house, working or occasionally wandering in the forest. The con- 

 spirators beforehand carefully inquire about the movements of the 

 intended victim, and ambush at a place along the path where he has 

 to vpass. This place is generally one where appears some natural 

 obstacle, consisting of a small rivulet which the sorcerer has to wade 

 across, or of a swamp where he is obliged to go slowly. Sometimes 

 they also put up along the path some of the secret signs which the 

 Jibaros use as road marks, or to give friends indications as to the 

 direction they ought to take. When the sorcerer arrives here, he 

 stops to examine what the mark means. At this moment the enemies 

 rush forward and pierce him with their lances or shoot him to death. 

 The dead body is left lying on the path or is thrown into the forest. 



It, of course, also occurs that the sorcerer is able successfully to 

 defend himself, nay, even to kill his assailants. The sorcerers are 

 nearly always warriors at the same time — a fact quite natural on 

 account of the danger of their profession — and always go armed, one 

 threatened by his enemies, of course, being especially on the alert. 



On the return from such a feud the avengers have for some time 

 to observe certain rules of precaution with regard to their mode of 

 life. The restrictions laid upon them are, however, much milder than 



