1868.] Dwellings, ivories of art, laws, Sfc. of the Karens. 155 



king commanded ; < Go call him to my presence.' The messengers 

 went, and in accordance with the king's command, they said to the 

 corpse. ' Arise quickly ! The king calls thee.' He immediately 

 arose to life and went before the king, who said : < Did I not send 

 thee with the Karens' book. Why hast thou returned ?' The Captain 

 replied : ' My Lord, the sailors asked to see the book, and when I 

 refused, they plotted together and unanimously determined to cut off 

 my head and kill me. If your majesty doubts it, please look at my 

 neck.' He showed his neck, and all were convinced of the truth of 

 his statement. The king said : ' Remain here at present. Thou 

 shalt return hereafter.' " 



76. Treaty, Offensive and Defensive. — When two or more villages 

 wish to enter into a condition to support each other against any enemy 

 that may arise against either ; they assemble together, and kill an ox 

 or a buffalo, and make a feast. At the close of the feast, the elders 

 take counsel together and say : " Now we speak to each words of 

 peace. Now our children shall marry together. You shall take wives 

 of us, and we will take wives of you. We are not other peoples, we are 

 brethren. If our enemies come, we will not separate ourselves ; but 

 we will pursue them together till we kill them ; and if we cannot 

 catch them, we will make war upon them, and make reprisals. May 

 we ever support each other, and always be of one heart." 



Mode of Warfare.— The Karens never declare war. The great 

 principle of Karen warfare, is to take their enemy by surprise. Nor 

 is war waged ostensibly between one village and another. There is 

 always an individual at the head of every war, on whose account the 

 war is made, and who acts as the general, but never goes to the fight 

 himself. When he deems it a favourable time for his purpose he 

 kills a hog, or a fowl, and he takes a bit of the heart, and a bit of the 

 liver, and a bit of the entrails ; and after mincing them up with salt 

 he rolls the mixture up in a leaf. This he calls tying the heads of his 

 enemies, and after finishing his preparations, he prays : '^Lord of the 

 heavens, Lord of the earth ; Lord of the mountains ; Lord of the hills, 

 mayest thou put down the inhabitants of that village ! Make them 

 forgetful, make them to forget themselves, help us, we beseech thee." 



He then gives the roll to two men who have been engaged for the 

 service, and says to them ; " I send you to spy out the road, go 



