626 ARTS AND CRAFTS OF GUIANA INDIANS [ETH, ANN. 33 
one to the headman of the visitors (PBA, 186). Among the Maiong- 
kong it is customary on the arrival of a stranger at their huts for 
several individuals to offer him their cigars after partly smoking 
them themselves (SeF, 237). The same with the Waiyamara. 
“After having heard what our guides had to say about us,” writes 
Schomburgk, “the captain rolled up a few leaves of tobacco in 
kakaralli bark ... in the form of a cigar, lighted it, and after 
smoking it for a little while, handed it over to me” (SclI*, 219). 
And so among the Apalii of French Guiana, each Indian prepares 
as many cigarettes as there are visitors and offers them after being 
lighted. Crévaux had to take some puffs at each of the long cigars 
which were successively offered him (Cr, 305). On the islands, on 
the reception of those of their own nation who are strangers to them, 
the visitor is presented with a stool and tobacco, and so they leave 
him for a time without speaking until he hath rested himself... . 
Then the cacique comes and asks him whether he be come? The 
other answering “ Yes,” he sits down by him and falls into discourse. 
Afterwards those of the common sort come asking him after the same 
manner, whether he be come? And having therefore brought him 
something to eat they also fall into discourse with him (RO, 514). 
On the mainland all the early travelers seem to have experienced 
lavish hospitality at the hands of the natives. Indeed, when a 
stranger enters the dwelling of an Indian he is sure of being enter- 
tained by him with the best at his command (Br, 347). [Speaking 
of the Arawak] the women, on arrival of the stranger, and par- 
ticularly a European, prepare the pepper pot and bake a hot cake of 
cassava bread. A bowl of cassiri is produced ... and the head 
of the family strives to forestall all his [visitor’s] wants. The 
young men immediately leave their hammocks to hunt and fish. 
Every article of arms or furniture, except the toys of the children, 
is at his disposal, and he is absolutely oppressed with the kindness 
of his welcome (HiC, 230). “After the first ceremonies of reception 
[by the Maiongkong at Mount Maravaca] the women brought us,” 
says Schomburgk, “divers fermented drinks, followed by a whole 
array of little pots filled with sauces, and a number of neatly plaited 
flat baskets containing each a fresh cake of cassava bread” (SeF, 
237). Brown reports that on arriving at the Indian place near the 
Cotinga, called Weynamou, at dusk of that day, the women, as 
usual, placed pepper pot and cassava on a mat in front of the door 
of their houses for us (BB, 126). It is left to Gumilla, however, to 
give us comparatively complete details of this food-distribution 
portion of the salutation ceremony as between an Orinoco chieftain 
and a Mission Father. Presently the cacica and the captains’ wives, 
without speaking a word, place each one near the Father ...a 
