452 



A NATURALIST'S WANDElilNOS 



wkich cau then obtain sepulture. Every head is invariably 

 forthcomiBfT at such a peace-making, otherwise amicaUe rvhi- 

 tions couUi Si^areely be restored, certainly not without a very 

 heavy price for the missing aknll. 



The ceremony of blood- brotherhood alluded to above, or tlic 

 swearing of (fternal fricndiiliip^ is of an interesting nature, atid 

 is celebnvted often by fearful orgies, especially when friendship 

 is being made between families, or tribes, or kingdoms. The 

 ceremony is the same in substance whether between two 

 individuals or large companies- The contracting parties sla^h 

 tlieir arms, and collect the blood into a baml)oo, into whif'h 

 Icampit (e^jflrse gin) or Itiru (palm-wine) is poured. Having 

 provided themselves with a small fig-tree (halik) they adjourn 

 to some retired spot, taking with tliem the sword and spear from 

 the Luli chamber of their own houses if between private indi- 

 viduals, or from the Unm-LuU of their Sukn if between large 

 companies. Planting there the fig-tree, flanked by the saered 

 sword and spean they hang on it a biimboo-receptacle, into 

 which — after jiledging each other in a portion of the mixed 

 blood and gin — the remainder is poured. Then each swears, 

 " If I be false, and be not a true friend, may my blood issue from 

 my month, ears, nose, m it does from this bamboo I " the bottom 

 of the receptacle being pricked at the same moment to allow the 

 blood and gin to escape. The tree remains and grows as a 

 witness of their contract. It is one of their most saered oaths, and 

 almost never, I am told, violated at least between individuals. 



If a member of a family of a king marries into that of 

 another, the two kingdoms often swear friendship, and when 

 the one is at war the other is bound t-o send men to aid him. 

 One brother coming to another brother's house is in every 

 respect regarded as free, and as much at home as its owner. 

 Nothing is withhohl from him ; even his friend's wife is not 

 denied him, and a child born of such an union ivould be 

 recognised by the husband as his. In speaking of the 

 Greenland Esquimaux, Egede expressly states that they were 

 reputed the best and noblest-tempered, who, without any pain 

 or reluctance, would lend their friends their wives. 



Ascending by a veTY steep path, bordered with Mifromcme, 

 hare- bells, geraniums, wood-sorrel and some liliaceous plants, 

 we reached the top of Raborauli at 47t)0 feet, whence a 



