* A TRAMP WITH REDSKINS.” 269 
of one of the steepest hills that it was ever my lot to 
ascend, and that we had to climb this treeless ascent one 
day at noon, when there was not a cloud in the sky to 
veil the rays of the tropical sun, when the breeze had, for 
once, died out, and when since our start at dawn we had 
not passed one place where the long drought had left any 
water to quench our thirst. Such positions as this are 
generally chosen for the more permanent settlements of 
the savannah Redfolk, on account of the splendidly wide 
view afforded. It is not that the Redfolk have any 
sense of the magnificence of the landscape—a sense in 
which these primitive folk are entirely deficient. The 
choice is due to a desire—surviving doubtless from a 
time when hostile attacks were more frequent—-to have 
timely warning of all persons approaching. Even now, 
though a€tual wartare between the tribes has practically 
completely died out, a kind of ‘‘ vendetta,” which, in 
default of any other system of law, survives as a useful 
check on personal aggression, justifies the seleétion of 
these points of observation for the settlements; for the 
kenaima,” the avenger of wrong, has comparatively 
little chance of approaching such places unobserved. 
It might perhaps be thought that the advantage of 
such situations might perhaps be outweighed by the 
faét that, on them, the settlement is raised so far 
above the water supply, especially as these Redfolk 
are the most persistent persons in ‘ washing their 
skins” that could easily be found. The toil involved 
to the women in carrying up the household supply of 
water, and to men and women alike in rnnning down 
and up half a dozen times a day to bathe is just of the 
sort to which the muscles of these peop!e have been 
MM 
