MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 
213 
but he generally divides a large portion of it 
among those who are present. A son of Muna- 
meets lately gave away the whole, retaining only 
the head for his own use, of course his liberality 
was extolled. If dogs pursue an animal, the 
proprietor of the dog, who first seized it, has the 
carcase when killed. 
The women eat with their husbands at home, 
but are not present at the public feasts. No 
woman milks a cow, nor any man a goat ; the 
latter being only milked by young women, who 
are also allowed to drink the milk. 
On coming from their houses in the morning-, 
they ask the first person they meet, " Who has 
killed to-day ? ' (viz. an ox or cow for the use of 
his family.) On being informed, they immediately 
hasten to the spot, and join the surrounding mul- 
titude in begging a portion. As it is boiled and 
cut into pieces, these are distributed among the 
begging mass, according to the will or fancy of 
the owner. In consequence of the number of 
solicitations being so great, many receive nothing, 
but they seldom depart till all be consumed, ex- 
cept the portion that is reserved for the family of 
the proprietor. 
Formerly the Matchappees used no salutation 
on meeting each other, but since the Missionaries 
