Gabb.] ^^*^ [Aug. 20, 



Cabecar lie visited us twice, and on neither occasion did he speak, except 

 •when spoken to, unless it was to make some remark, in very frw words, 

 and in a low toae of voice, to some of his attendants. His dress consisted 

 of a white shirt, not over clean, a woven cotton breech-cloth, a bright-red 

 handkerchief, tied ia a roll around his head, aiid a magnificent necklace 

 of four strands of large tiger's teeth. He sold me two of the strings for 

 half-a-dollar, and I presented him with some trifles, among which was the 

 rather suggestive article, a bar of soap. He accepted them without any 

 acknowledgment. But then they don't know how to say, "thauk 

 you." 



Next in imf)ortance are the Tsu'-gurs. These are the ordinary priests, 

 and their duties are confined to officiating at the feast for the dead. Like 

 the preceding, they are hereditary ; only members of one or two families 

 can become priests, and these seem to have all descended from a common 

 ancestor. I have already described the performances of the Tsu'-gur at the 

 death-feast of Santiago, and there is nothing to add in that coauection. 

 Other feasts only differ in the less degree of profusion and the shorter 

 time they occupy. But there is one circumstance of which I have said 

 little, and that has always seemed to me mysterious. Unfortunately, from 

 no want of effort on my part, I was not successful in investigating this 

 more thoroughly. The songs of these priests are in a language, dialect, 

 or jargon, whichever it may be called, in great pai't unintelligible to, the 

 uninitiated. Some words used are in the vernacular, but many of the 

 nouns are peculiar. Si-bu, or God, has at least twenty names ; many na- 

 tural objects have names peculiar to the priests, and the diffei'ence is so 

 great that not only I, with my imperfect knowledge of the language, but 

 Mr. l^yon, who speaks it as well as au Indian, could not understand even 

 the purport of the songs. These songs are taught by rote to the young 

 candidates to thei priesthood, and are always rehearsed by the priests 

 apart, before being sung. I made several efforts to obtain a vocabulary, but 

 in each case was defeated, rather by the want of understanding on the part 

 of the priest, than from any unwillingness to impart what they knew. At 

 las-t I made an agreement with the most intelligent and best informed of 

 them. He was to visit me at a certain time and answer all my cxuestions 

 — for a consideration. But a severe attack of rheumatism prevented his 

 coming and lost me the last chance. I have no theory to offer as to the 

 origin of this singular fact. Bat two explanations however, seem pos- 

 sible. Either the whole thing is an invention, which I think hardly proba- 

 ble, or the system is an exotic, and the songs are in the original language 

 of the missionary who introduced it. I can hardly express my regret at 

 failing to obtain some clue to so interesting a problem. 



Finally come the Awas, sorcerers, or doctors. This is an open profes- 

 sion, and since it requires but little preparation, gives certain privileges 

 and standing, and brings occasional emoluments, it is pretty numerously 

 filled. The fellows are an arrant set of quacks, and I do not believe there 

 is a single one who acts in good faith. Nevertheless, the people as a rule 



