15U 
Wrestling Matches. 
acquainted with their endless stories and unruly dances, but now we 
were to he witness of a new kind of sport. We had often previously 
heard a good deal about their wrestling-matches but had never had an 
opportunity of watching one at close quarters. When therefore we 
learned that a game of this nature was going to be played, we waited for 
it with strained curiosity, but were almost doomed to disappointment 
owing to the Warraus not being accustomed to perform it before night- 
fall when all the invited guests are assembled. Spirits were therefore 
necessary to make them alter their usual practice, it being impossible 
for us to stay on until late because we wanted to reach this very same 
day a Waika settlement on the Manari. What we could not get done 
by asking, what would have been refused us for the most valuable pres- 
ents, was obtained with a few glasses of rum, the charm of which the 
Indians could not resist, although the Paiwari was yet present in quan- 
tity more than enough. 
525. The play-ground consisted of an extensive circle, situate in 
the forest on the farther side of the village and had been carefully clear- 
ed of all bush and grass. The gathering divided into four parties who 
with challenging gestures betook themselves to the place of combat 
where two divisions were opposed against two. On a given signal, the 
individual lighting commenced with the Ha-ha, a sort of shield, with 
which the combatants mutually tried to force one another from off a 
fixed spot within the circle that was held by the victor until he had 
to yield to the greater dexterity or strength of a fresh tighter from the 
opposite side. The two individuals of the opposed main divisions ivlio 
kept their ground within the wrestling place to the last were led amidst 
shouts of rejoicing and triumph as conquerors to the paiwari trough 
where the girls met them with calabashes already filled. Simple as the 
game was, it could not be denied that it must contribute a good deal to 
Pie improvement of the adroitness of the limbs and strengthening of the 
uni scalar powers, and we Europeans followed with the closest attention 
and liveliest interest the snake-like turnings and the extraordinary 
rapidity with which the combatants utilised every favourable situation, 
every advantage that offered, to attain their object. 
520. Amongst the older women who were present at the sports, I 
noticed several with quite a peculiar apron-belt (Masikara) the material 
of which that I first regarded as leather, subsequently proved to be a 
flexible tree-bark. The apron, about a hand’s stretch wide, was bent 
along its upper border over a string that was tied round the body above 
the hips : towards the other end its breadth was reduced more and more 
until the whole thing ran out into a thumb-thick extremity which was 
drawn up between the thighs and fixed again to the string at the back. 
527. The festival appeared to be of importance, for there was not 
only a superabundance of paiwari, but also a considerable supply of a 
rarer drink, the Ite, manufactured by the Indians from the juice of the 
Mauritia flexuosa and which is so sweet that it certainly contained 50 
to 60 per cent, of sugar material. Unfortunately a large number o£ 
the most beautiful nalms have to be sacrificed in its preparation since, 
the tree has to be felled and the sap driven out by fire placed beneath. 
The fully supplied troughs and vessels seemed to possess the same attrac- 
