Indian Humour and Satire. 257 
the European, lie equals the Freneliman in vivacity. Half the day they 
spend in discussing their adventures in the chase, as well as other things. 
A dull stupid fellow can never be a mimic or a humorist, and yet both 
talents are peculiar to almost every native. If a stranger comes amongst 
them, cuwosity compels the Indians in the neighbourhood to come and 
look and make comparisons between him and themselves. With 
sharp and ^critical gaze eacli one notes the new-comer's demeanour, 
Ms every movement, listens to his very words, and now and 
again casts a significant side-glance at the friends standing 
around: no item (>scapes him, but he I'.etrays nothing of the triumph 
which he already inwardly experiences. Accompanied by his companion^ 
he returns to his quarters where, bublding over with fun. judgment is 
passed upon the stranger in the most biting satire, and his portrait 
sketched. "His nose is as long as a tapir's ; he has a mouth like an alliga- 
tor, and he 1)olts Iiis food like a tiger; his legs are as lean and ugly as a 
Tararamu ( Mi/ctrria) and his lielly as shrivelled as a monkey's, etc." 
So also after we had spent the first few weeks among the Macusis, each 
of us got a nickname Avitli which tliey distinguished tlie one from the 
other. Mr. Fryer, on account of Iris size and long feet, was Tararamu: 
Mr. Ooodall, who often read the prayers at service, Domini: Stöckle, on 
account of his fair hair v/hich seemed specially ridiculous to them, 
Arauta (Howler monkey) : Tiedge, on account of his long nose, Iteung 
yaneng (long nose) or Maipuri: while me they called Yariko-papa 
fFlower father) because I was always carrying flowers about. Just as 
the stranger suddenly got a nickname, so also did every one of the Indians 
who at any time had suffered some physical damage or peculiarity: 
Long-hair, Long-head, Pointed-nose, Thick-neck, Bent-leg. If anyone is 
good at climbing, he is known as Tiger cat: if he can run well he is gen- 
erally called Deer, Arrow, or Lightning. As in the case with the uien, so 
also Avith the women: T)iin or Flat-legs, Limpy, r.ig-belly, Red-li]), 
Squint eye, Pi-etty-eye, Long 'un, and Curly, are some of the names that 
I came to know. But tliis only l)y way of example. 
59.'». Equally active are all their intellectual powers l;ut still more 
worthy of admiration are their memory and the ease witli whicli they 
make foreign languages their own. People have reproached tlie Indian 
for being ungrateful, and I myself also thought so at first. To be sure. Iris 
language possesses no name for gratitude: with unchanged countenance 
he mostly accepts a present, Imt he forgets it even as little as the injury 
which one inflicts on bim : years after, it is not too late to show it. What 
their eyes see their hands venture to undertake, their minds grasp for a 
life time: but their mental faculties do not rise above the perceptions of 
their external senses: everything transcendental remains remote from 
them : they are real disciples of knowledge gained by experience. 
594. The Indian is vain, proud and ambitious. Certainly these 
passions are circumscribe d l»y tlie limited circle of ideas in which he 
moves: but give him a wider sphere of action and his ambition will still 
stand the test. His pride at ]irrsent finds satisfaction in the qnalifications 
and adroitness >\'hich arc ^\•ilhin Iiis reach according to his circum- 
g 1. 
