42 BUEEAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 79 



stantly lurking near him,sla3'S him, so that he dies on the spot. Be- 

 sides, since there is supposed to exist an intimate connection between 

 woman and the plants which she cultivates, the consequence of his 

 having intercourse with his wife will be that the manioc and other 

 fruits, recently planted for the feast, wuU not reach ripeness, but 

 will dry awa3^ If the slayer eats some unsuitable and forbidden 

 food the spirit may again through this food operate against him, 

 causing indigestion and death. On the whole, the slayer must ob- 

 serve the principle to live as retired and hidden a life as possible, for 

 in this way he may more easily escape his supernatural enemy. This 

 is also the reason why he must not take part in religious feasts, or 

 wear body painting, eartubes, necklaces, and other magical orna- 

 ments used by those who enter into relation with the spirits, and 

 through which these, 'n'S it were, are challenged. 



Under such circumstances it is easy to understand that the Jibaro 

 warrior conscientiously submits himself to the severe rules imposed 

 upon him by society, and that the feast itself is prepared and cele- 

 brated with all the care which custom and tradition require. 



It may be observed that the practices and rites of the feast numbui- 

 mart'myu and the rules observed afterwards may vary in certain 

 details among different tribes. Thus among the Jibaros of the 

 Pastaza and the Canelos Indians the diet of the slayer after the 

 " washing of the blood " consists mainly of the fruit and the leaves of 

 the plant tnandi (called sangu by the Jibaros). During a whole year 

 the slayer has to abstain from cohabiting with his wife. The lance 

 among these Indians is not washed at the ceremonial bath in the 

 river, but the point of it is roasted in the fire so that the blood is 

 dried or burned. 



The lance or the rifle with which an enemy has been killed is 

 always looked upon with superstitious fear by the Indians, and is 

 never more used in hunting. If, for instance, a wild hog is killed 

 with such a lance or rifle, the flesh of the animal is supposed to get 

 the same taste as human flesh, and would not therefore be eaten by 

 anybody. The Jibaro warrior therefore is anxious to exchange as 

 soon as possible the lance with which he has killed an enemy. The 

 rifle he generally keeps, but no longer uses it in hunting but only 

 in wars. 



Immediately after the feast numbuimartinyu the slayer repairs 

 to a natural waterfall in the forest {paccha or sasa), situated at a 

 distance from his home, and takes some baths to further purify him- 

 self. He remains here alone for three days, fasting and taking 

 tobacco water, sleeping at night in a small ranch and paying par- 

 ticular attention to his dreams. After the lapse of the three days 

 he returns to his home, but passes the first two nights not in his 



