298 TlMEHRI. 



naturally dejected and low spirited, would quite change 

 their opinion did they see thesesame Redmen wildly excited 

 and in the highest of spirits during this game. Suddenly 

 the marching ceases, and the two parties resume their 

 places opposite to each other. Each man gets his shield 

 against that of his opposite foe. Then, now in silence, 

 the two push against each other, each striving might and 

 main, heart and soul, to push his opponent back from 

 the line and if possible to overthrow him. Then follows 

 more marching ; and the whole thing is repeated time 

 after time till all are too weary to do more. Then the 

 thing ends. It would often be difficult for any but the 

 most observant onlooker to tell which side had got the 

 better — but they themselves know, and the vanquished 

 admits their defeat. Forfeit is paid, or arrangement is 

 made to pay the forfeit at some convenient time. Lastly, 

 all separate in the best of tempers. 



An account, written at the time, of a very curious 

 ceremonial feast which I saw held, apparently with 

 strictest and most accurate ceremony, by the Parta- 

 monas, a branch of the Ackawoi tribe, at their village 

 of Araiwaparoo in the neighbourhood of the Ireng river, 

 must bring this paper to a close. In the course of an over- 

 land journey in the iuteriur of this colonv, I, with four 

 of my Pomcroon Indians and a large crowd of Macoosi 

 carriers, arrived at Araiwaparoo before noon on Sunday 

 the 19th of February, 1888, and there found great prepara- 

 tions in hand for a dance that afternoon. We were 

 earnestly invited to stay for it, and as this would make no 

 difference in the number of days which it would take us 

 to reach our journey's end, I consented. A dance called 

 parasheera, seems to be practised especially by the 



