522 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS [voL. 48 
then he shall be punished. Besides restoring the stolen effects to 
their true owner, he will suffer a heavy fine and even the lash. 
There always exists the danger that should the thief be surprised in 
the very act itself by the owner of the objects taken, then will the 
owner have the legal right to kill the thief, providing always that 
the person robbed can justify himself with proof of the imputed 
deed. 
Another crime which is considered as a minor offence is adultery. 
Among us and according to the new law, adultery is a libelous 
offence, but among the people of this tribe this crime merits no 
such qualification, since the only punishment is a fine payable by 
the adulterer, and the restitution of double the quantity of “ bandi” 
which the husband was obliged.to pay at his marriage. 
This is the case if the woman was very young when she married ; 
but if it be her second marriage then the adulterer need only repay 
the sum given as the price of her marriage and in addition pay a 
fine which is determined by the council. In case of inability 
to pay then shall the woman be restored to the power of the legiti- 
mate husband, the abductor or adulterer suffering a light punish- 
ment which always is a fine (bandi). The amount imposed by the 
council and wronged husband being satisfactory, the new mates 
depart to some other place to spend their honeymoon, leaving the 
husband dispossessed but with his gains and bandi. If the divorced 
pair have any property acquired during their married life the 
tribunal or council decides that the same be divided into equal shares, 
each one taking his own. The children born of this marriage not 
only have the right in the participation of the property, but have 
the liberty to visit their parents at any time and to remain in: the 
power of either one as though nothing scandalous had happened. 
If the guilty woman is easily moved by love and should desire her 
true husband and show earnest longing to return to him and he 
be willing to receive her, the matter can easily be arranged before 
the council of the tribe without any further procedure than the 
payment of the regular fine (bandi) and the restitution of the 
amount of bandi which the second husband had to pay. The result 
is that a woman may marry a number of men without any loss to 
her honor, though there are not lacking women who are faithful to 
their husbands even unto death. 
This tribe recognizes a superior being known as Diwata or Man- 
gindusa who is the creator of earth and of men. His dwelling is in 
the heavens known as Basadcatdibuat. There are two secondary 
