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



acquired the title of Awa. When asked by my brother professionals to 

 exhibit my charms, I always gravely produced my little pocket compass, 

 which, by its mysterious movements, never failed to impress them. I 

 never could persuade the boldest to touch it. 



Three kinds of fasts are observed. The first is only when ordered by 

 the U-se'-kara on great public occasions. This is general and simulta- 

 neous over all the country. Sufficient food is prepared beforehand to last 

 for three days, the usual time fixed. During those three days, no fires 

 are lighted ; the food is served and eaten in silence ; no unnecessary 

 conversation is allowed ; the people stay strictly inside their houses, or if 

 they go out during day time, they carefully cover themselves from the 

 light of the sun, believing that exposure to the svm's rays would "turn 

 them black " ; no salt or other condiment is used in the food ; no chocolate 

 is drunk, and even tobacco is forbidden. The second kind is similar, 

 though less rigid than the first, and is voluntary; the same restrictions 

 are observed with reference to fires and food, but the people may talk 

 and go out, avoiding, however, carefully all chance of contact with 

 bu-Jcu-ru'. The third is still more limited, and is the individual fast 

 already referred to for cleansing from bu-ku-ru'. 



The feasts are of two classes ; the death feast already described, and 

 re-unions for labor. In the latter case ; when a person wants to do an 

 extraordinary piece of work, like clearing a piece of forest for a planta- 

 tion, he provides a suitable quantity of food, and especially of chicha. 

 On the day appointed his neighbors unite early at his house, or at the 

 spot designated, and work industriously until about noon. All then re- 

 pair to the house, and, after a good round of chicha drinking, food is 

 served, followed by more chicha. After a while dancing begins, and is 

 kept up as long as the chicha holds out. Sometimes the work is con- 

 tinued for two or three days, but always ends early in the day, the after- 

 noon and evening being devoted to eating and especially to drinking. 



No labor can be accomplished without liberal allowances of chicha, and 

 the man who is the most profuse in this respect is the best fellow. A 

 man will sometimes undertake to make his own clearing, unassisted, but 

 it is very slow work, and drags on at the rate of two or three hours' work 

 a day, with many days of rest. The trees once cut down, the man will 

 burn off the brush, assisted by his sons, or sons-in-law, if he has any, and 

 then plants his crop ; usually corn for making more chicha. After that 

 it has to take care of itself. He goes out occasionally to hunt, fish, or some- 

 times to bring a bunch of plantains. When the corn is nearly ripe, the 

 boys have to watch it to scare oflf the parrots and pigs. If there are no 

 boys in the family, then all hands usually go and occupy a little shed in, 

 or on the edge of the cornfield. They feast on the green and ripening 

 corn until it is too hard to boil, and then collect what has been left to 

 ripen. 



The labor of the women is to bring plantains and vfater, and to cook 

 and wash. They are never required to do work in the plantation, unless 



