INDIAN FEAST—DUIDA. 275 
round head, bear a hideous likeness to a child; and 
for this reason such Europeans as are obliged to feed 
upon them separate the head and hands before the 
dish is presented at their tables. The flesh is very 
Jean and dry. 
Among the articles brought by the Indians from 
their expedition were various interesting vegetable 
productions ; fruits of different species, reeds up- 
wards of fifteen feet long, perfectly straight and free 
of knots, and bark used for making shirts. The 
women were employed in serving the men with the 
food already mentioned, fermented liquors,and palm- 
cabbage, but were not permitted to join in the festi- 
vities. Among all the tribes of the Orinoco the fe- 
males live in a sort of slavery, almost the whole labour 
devolving upon them. Polygamy is frequently prac- 
tised, and on the other hand a kind of polyandry is 
established in places where the fair sex are less nu- 
merous. When a native who has several wives be- 
comes a Christian, the missionaries compel him to 
choose her whom he prefers and to dismiss the others. 
_ The summit of Duida is so steep that no person 
has ever ascended it. At the beginning and end of 
the rainy season, small flames, which appear to shift, 
are seen upon if. On this account the mountain 
has been called a voleano, which, however, it is not. 
The granite whereof it is composed is full of veins, 
some of which being partly open, gaseous and in- 
flammable vapours may pass through them ; for it 
is not probable that the flames are caused by light- 
ning, the humidity of the climate being such that 
plants do not readily take fire. | 
The travellers had an opportunity of seeing at 
Esmeralda some of the dwarf and fair Indians, 
