226 CURIOUS HOMES AND THEIR TENANTS. 



may seem, it is quite equal to any strain it may 

 have to endure." 



The Rev. Mr. N. H. Brett, who has given an ex- 

 cellent account of the Indian tribes of Guiana, says 

 that, rude and simple as these houses seem to be, 

 the place where one is built is not chosen without con- 

 siderable care and judgment. In the first place, it 

 must be within easy walking distance of a creek or 

 river, not only that the women may with the less 

 labor be able to supply water needed for household 

 purposes, but that the canoes belonging to the owners 

 of the house may be within easy reach for hunting 

 excursions, or for one of the migrations which so fre- 

 quently occur and is liable to happen at any tune 

 among these people. 



It must be in a retired and sheltered spot, where 

 the household will not be likely to be invaded by un- 

 welcome visitors, travelers, and the like, or any sort 

 of strangers ; for the Indian, rude as he is, values 

 domestic privacy, and does not like surprise parties ; 

 and, as a last requisite, it must be upon soil hght and 

 sandy and easy to cultivate. 



The forests inhabited by these people abound in 

 game, and their waters with fish, so that they have the 

 less need to cultivate their lands. In fact, their prin- 

 cipal vegetable food is cassava, which is much the 

 same as tapioca. 



The principal scrarce of supply is a plant called 

 JutropJiia iiKinilidt, the juice of which is so deadly 

 that a very small dose will kill a person. This is 

 true, however, only when the plant is fi-esh. Dried, 



