i'jBAMEÄED Thieves in the Maize-JFields, 
165 
in large flocks. I had to give credit at least to tlie latter for the cunning 
with which they commence and carry out the plundering of such a field, 
.When they come across a ripe one, sentinels are posted round about on 
the neiglil louring trees : the other^^'ise perpetual noise and screech of 
their rough notes is hushed : only here and therQ can one hear a half- 
smothered gnarring and mumbling] sound. If a suspicious object 
approach the pilfei-iug crowd, tlie sentinel that first notices it will give a 
soft note of Avarning Avhicli is answered by the thieves with a somCAvIiat 
choked croaking to let it know that it has been heard. When the danger 
is more urgent, the scutinel, si) ricking loudly, leaves its ]>ost, and witli 
it the whole gang Avill rise in wild uproar and seek safety in hurried 
flight. Just as keen as the l)ir(ls avq after the maize-fields, so are the 
Indians after the birds, not only on account of their tasty flesh, but also 
for their feather ornaments. 
375. The painful expei-ience of a dearth of Avild game Avas amply 
compensated for by a scaly inhabitant of the Cotinga, the Patha 
(Eydrolycus scomlteroidea Müll. Trosch.) , a very bony fish armed Avitli 
frightful teeth, that the folk brought us in fair number and of a size that 
we had ncA-er previously seen. Fishing for them cost us plenty of hooks 
because they bit through plenty. Their extraordinai-y number in the 
Cotinga, mined with rocks and boulders shows that a river-bed such as 
this must be a favourite spot for them. 
376. All preparations for making a start on mir overland trip being 
now completed the baggage was made up into 50 to (!0 11). loads on account 
of tlie road taking us over steep mountains and along untrodden valleys : 
the many astronomical and magnetic instruments as well as the quantity 
of provisions such as maize, yams, etc., necessitated a following of at 
least a hundred Indians. The same rlifficulty that presented itself in 
recruiting our men at Pirara, was renewed here: the requirements of a 
large number of assembled visitors had heen satisfied by the articles avc 
])ad sold them, and hence .there was but little reason for the natives tn 
consent to our proposals. While arranging with them during Ibe 
evening about the price for accompanying us to Eoraima, they told us 
they could not go, because the way led through the place where the battle, 
nlready mentioned (sect. 286), had taken place only a short time before. 
;md as the bodies had not been Ituried, the sickly stench had di-ivcMi 
everything out of the neighbourhood. Our idea therefore Avas to look 
np again my brother's old path from Torong-Yauwise. But as so much 
opiiosition to this course A\-as sbcAvn by our OAvn men we had to give way 
to their obstinacy, although on this route Ave should have met A\'ith a 
nnmlier of Arekuna settlements and have ncA'^er run short of food. For 
me, the new^s of the fought-out battle and tlie as-yet unburied bodies 
serA^ed as a special attraction, because I could now hope to get a colh^-tion 
of skulls and skeletons in m.y possession. The aversion and su])eruatnral 
fear of the Indians to even distant contact witli tlie remains of (lieii- 
fellow-creatures proved more powerful than all oui- wasted 
remonstrances: yes indeed, for on the very next morning Avhcn coming 
out of our liouses, we could hardly recognise the sui-J'oiiiidings, because 
during the night, at least three-quarters of the people had silently and 
