Ror] BIRTH AND CHILDREN 701 
Brett of an experience among the Warrau on the Manawarin, a branch 
of the Moruca River: After we had retired to rest, a child happening 
to ery, one of the women arose from her hammock, and taking a large 
piece of firewood, struck it violently several times as it lay, and then 
suddenly caught it up, ran to the bush and hurled it from her (Br, 
168) 
915. Regard for the children’s property by the parents has been 
noted by two such careful observers as Pinckard and Hilhouse. “At 
Savonette, on the Berbice, I persevered, therefore,” says the former, 
“in my seeming attempts to prevail on the woman to let me have the 
bow and arrow, but she was true to nature; and her child’s happiness 
was the first object of her parent breast. No offer, no inducement, 
could tempt her to barter her son’s peace . . . I displayed to the 
woman my handkerchief and my pocketbook, offered her money, tried 
to soothe her son, and feigned every means of persuasion, but all in 
vain” (Pnk, 1, 501). On the arrival of a stranger at an Arawak 
house . . . besides food, etc., every article of arms or furniture, 
except the toys of the children, is at his disposal (HiC, 230). [A 
similar trait has been reported from the Gran Chaco, where an Indian 
will never give away anything belonging to his wife or children with- 
out asking them first (NOR, 35).] 
