ROTH | SALUTATIONS 629 
soon became acquainted with the Indian women in our train, and, 
inviting them into their huts, no doubt, received as much information 
‘as they desired” (SeT, 59). So, also, in another instance, they [ Wa- 
pishana] looked with great curiosity at the different objects which 
we had brought with us, while their chieftain remained placidly 
sitting at the entrance of my tent, and received the reports of what 
the others saw remarkable among my luggage. It appeared to be 
below his dignity to go and look himself (SeT, 54). This apparent 
indifference, no doubt strict etiquette on the part of the Indian, was 
carried to almost an extreme among the Trio. [Although the visi- 
tors had been fed by the women and greeted by the young men] the 
headman, Langu, did not trouble himself about them the whole day 
long. It was only the next morning that the visitors might converse 
with him. ... On a similar friendly visit paid to Majoli’s vil- 
lage, here again it was only the next day that Majoli first spoke to 
his guests (GO, 24-25). This apparent indifference has not been 
the experience of another traveler who has visited some half dozen 
Trio villages in our own colony (JO). 
813. It evidently depends upon the chieftain’s opinion of his 
visitors’ worth and the object of their coming whether the official 
exchange of credentials, to be next described, is initiated by him as 
an address of welcome or responded to by him as an address in reply. 
If the visitor is his superior, the former is the case; if inferior, the 
latter. The following is the account of a welcome, recorded by 
Gumilla, as extended by an Orinoco chieftain to the visiting Mission 
Father. After the missionary has returned to his hammock the 
cacique gets up and, approaching near, commences his address 
(arenga) which they call mirray. This they learn when little chil- 
dren, and so recite it without a hitch, adding by way of prologue 
or epilogue certain circumstances suitable to the welcome; e. e., 
that the day before he had seen a bird with peculiar feathers and 
colors passing over his house; or that he had dreamed that his lands, 
sown with seed, were very dry and that the rain had fallen just in 
the nick of time. That all this served to give them notice of the 
Father’s advent. The substance of the address consists of the vari- 
ous accidents and incidents that befell their ancestors, and they re- 
late it all in a sad tone, ending up the majority of the statements 
(clasulas) with some expression peculiar to each nation. With the 
Achagua this consists of two words, twice repeated in a very high 
key, “ Yaqueta, nude yaqueta!” which means to say, “ It is true, my 
friend, it is true!” His speech finished, he goes back to where he 
was seated ... It is the business then of the missionary to have 
his say, ete. (G, 1, 311). From Cayenne, Barrére records the open- 
ing speech of welcome, made in this instance by the visitor to the 
