﻿OP TIPRA. I91 



of their proceedings to their families. When any of 

 them sends word that he has cut off the head of an 

 enemy, the people of his family, whatever be their age 

 or sex, express great delight, making caps and orna- 

 ments of red and black ropes ; then filling some large 

 vessels with fermented liquors, and decking them- 

 selves with all the trinkets they possess, they go forth 

 to meet the conqueror, blowing large shells and strik- 

 ing plates of metal, with other rude instruments of 

 music. When both parties are met they show extra- 

 vagant joy, men and women dancing and singing 

 together ; and if a married man has brought an ene- 

 my's head, his wife wears a head-dress with gay orna- 

 ments, the husband and wife alternately pour fer- 

 mented liquor into each other's mouths, and she 

 washes his bloody hands with the same liquor which 

 they are drinking ; thus they go revelling, with exces- 

 sive merriment to their place of abode ; and, havino- 

 piled up the heads of their enemies in the court-yard 

 of their chieftain's house, they sing and dance round 

 the pile ; after which they kill some gay ah and hogs 

 with their spears, and, having boiled the flesh, make 

 a feast of it, and drink the fermented liquor. The 

 richer men of this race fasten the heads of their foes 

 on a bamboo, and fix it on the graves of their parents, 

 by which act they acquire great reputation. He who 

 brings back the head of a slaughtered enemy, receives 

 presents from the wealthy of cattle and spirituous li- 

 quors ; and if any captives are brought alive, it is the 

 prerogative of those chieftains who were not in the 

 campaign, to strike off the heads of the captives. 

 Their weapons are made by particular tribes; for some 

 of them are unable to fabricate instruments of war. 



In regard to their civil institutions, the whole ma- 

 nagement of their household affairs belongs to the 

 women ^ while the men are employed in clearing fo- 



