176 
How the Women Mourn. 
dropsy to a very high degree and was rapidly nearing dissolution, she did 
not betray her sufferings by any sound : I heard her neither moan nor 
groan, which certainly would not have escaped me as she lay quite 
close by. 
59G. A peculiarity worthy of remark in the language of the 
Arawaks appeared to me in that it possesses several words which only 
the men, and others which only the women give expression to: thus 
among the former “yes” is “ehe,” with the women it is “tare.” 
597. I was horrified when Mr. King drew my attention to the men’s 
calves, and saw them covered with scars to such a degree that in some 
cases I could not find a single finger-breadth’s space that was sound. I 
will mention the cause of these wounds subsequently, because I learnt 
it bv personal experience. 
598. Polygamy is indigenous also among the Arawaks, and a chief 
often possesses four to five wives. Amongst (he many friendly females 
I was especially struck by some young women who had not only been 
despoiled of all their finery and ornaments, but even of the generally 
worn print clothing and their beautiful hair. On enquiring the reason 
for this extraordinary appearance, I learnt that their husbands had died 
some while ago and that this was the sign of sorrow over their loss. So 
when the head of the family dies, the nearest relatives of the deceased 
come and crop the hair of his wives who have also to doff their clothes 
during the period of mourning. It is not until the hair has grown to a 
certain length that the women are allowed to resume their garments, or 
to lay aside their widowhood. 
599. Yet it is not only in these peculiarities, but also in their whole 
remaining customs and habits of life, as observed during my subsequent 
stay amongst them, that it became still more manifest that the 
Arawaks differ essentially from all other tribes of British Guiana. Their 
traditions concerning the creation of the world, of a deluge, etc., testified 
plainly that they occupy a higher plane of culture than most other 
natives. The men possess a really rare skill in plaiting what they call 
Pegals, baskets with the most beautiful ancient-Greek patterns: they 
utilise for their manufacture the outer bast-sheath of the stalk of a 
Calathea which they cut in long strips and colour in various 
ways. These baskets and their plaited water-proof trunks, of which 
the latter are made double-lined with the Calathca leaves placed in be- 
tween, constitute a main article of trade with Georgetown, particularly 
the trunks which, on account of their lightness, are especially suitable 
for travelling-cases. Alongside this desirable “trade” manufactured by 
the men, can be placed the less readily bought earthenware pottery of the 
women. The shape of this ware has also much resemblance with that of 
flie old Etruscan, while the large goblets are particularly valued on 
account of their excellent property of generally keeping the water inside 
them cool. The sellers usually spend the proceeds of their sale on 
objects of a more convenient domestic setting. 
GOO. The news of Mr. King’s arrival must have spread itself fairly 
quickly, because by earliest dawn there had already arrived whole pro- 
cessions of Indians from out of the neighbouring settlements to bring 
