Woman’s Sphere. 
129 
out of the one breast, just as readily and with equal fondness in face 
and feature, would give the other. They were mostly young monkeys, 
opossums, labas, acuris, and the like. 
440. The pride of the women consists mainly in the possession of a 
large number of tame domestic animals. What young mammals they can 
therefore catch, they bring up on the breast, with the result that so 
great an attachment is implanted in the creatures, especially the monk- 
eys, that they will follow at their foster mother's heels. 
441. So long as the child cannot yet run, it is as it were an insep- 
arable portion of the mother’s body : where the mother goes, there will 
the child be, whether it be now carried on her back or on her arms. 
Later on, it leaves her, goes its own way and mixes with those of its own 
age, till the longing for its customary food again leads it back to her 
for a few minutes. 
442. Boys and girls from their earliest youth seem to be adept at 
everything, particularly climbing, swimming etc. : I found little girls 
of from four to five years of age often on the highest trees. The first 
thing that the boy takes to when he arrives at the age of reason, are the 
bow and arrows made for him by his father or elder brother and the 
acme of childish pride is reflected in his sparkling eyes if the arrow 
hits the chosen target, small lizard, grasshopper, etc. He attains so 
much vim, vigour and versatility by tumbling about upon the trees, I 
might almost say by living continually amidst the denizens of the forest, 
that he can soon accompany his father when on the chase and when 
catching fish. 
443. At just an early, if not earlier age, the little girls assisit the 
mother in the duties of the house, help with the baking of the bread, and 
preparing the favourite drink, accompany her to the provision field, and 
carry back to the house loads of cassava root under which a European 
girl of twice the age would sink to the ground. 
444. Though the child is paid really but little attention by tin* 
father, and on the other hand is almost foolishly beloved by the mother, 
both nevertheless equally firmly fight shy of inflicting any corporal 
punishment on their children, and even allow the more serious faults 
and offences to pass unchastised. 
445. The ,tatu-ing, boring of the ears and nasal septum takes place im- 
mediately after birth, and the holes are kept open with little pieces of 
wood. Of all the many games which are otherwise everywhere native 
to children, I did not notice a single one among the Indian boys. Onre 
sees the smaller ones like strapping hobgoblins tumbling around in the 
dirt or else shooting with their little bows and arrows, while the larger 
ones at most strive to, or do actually, take part in the dances of the 
adults. It was curious to note the panicky fright to which we, but par- 
ticularly our Blacks, gave rise. So as noways to come into touch with 
us, they often went a long way round, and if I even stepped unnoticed 
into their houses, it was then nothing else than as if the Evil One had 
got them all by the scruff, when they scampered off shrieking and 
squeaking like chaff before the wind. Even the semblance alone of one 
of us wanting to rush their house was sufficient to drive them to the 
pther side of the provision field , 
