144 Dwellings, works of art, laws, Sfc. of the Karens. [No. 3, 



They are exceedingly vindictive, and demand heavy damages from 

 those who have injured them ; and are most implacable enemies. The 

 dying charge of a father to his sons, is often for them to avenge his 

 wrongs, real or imaginary, and should they be unable to do so, to 

 transmit the charge to their posterity. A Gaikho chief was put m 

 jail, and I visited him. He was very humble, and promised every 

 thing to get out. I interceded for him and he was released. He was 

 treated by our Karens with all possible kindness, the few days he 

 staid with them. He soon after died in the jungles, and his last 

 words to his family were, that they should avenge his death on the 

 party that had caused his apprehension. 



Natural affection too is weak among them. It is no uncommon 

 thing for a man to curse and strike his mother ; and children, not- 

 withstanding the instructions of the elders, take very little care of 

 their parents. I have stood over an old woman dying alone m ( 

 miserable shed, and tried in vain to induce her children and grand 

 children, close by to come to her help. 



The Gho-kho, a Bghai clan, it is said by those who know them 

 often sell their relations into slavery. If a child is sickly, and th 

 parents think it will not live to advantage, they sell it off, whe: 

 occasions offer, to strangers. They say among themselves; " Thi 

 child will never grow up and become our posterity. It is contmuall : 

 sick, and will never be able to do any thing for us. We had better 

 sell it, and then we shall get its price to eat." In seasons of scarcity, 

 they frequently sell their orphan nephews, and nieces to obtain paddy. 

 Occasionally, when a mother gives annoyance to her children by 

 reproving them ; one will say : " My mother talks excessively. I shall 

 not be happy till she dies. I will sell her, though I do not get 

 more than a gong or five rupees for her." And he sells her. If an 

 uncle dies, they often sell the widow ; and if a brother dies, they 

 demand ten rupees, of the widow as the price of her husband, their 

 brother; and if she has not the means to pay, she is sold into slavery. 

 So also, if a married woman dies, her relatives demand a large price 

 of her husband, which he must either pay or become a slave or fight ; 

 and if he has no money, he usually chooses the last alternative. 



64_67. Administration of the Laws.— -It is instructive to see how 

 different the same act looks when viewed from different stand-points. 



