Macusi Salutation Ceremonies. 
283 
of cassava bread, etc., already mentioned, and to their very great joy, our 
Indians found a huge trough tilled with paiwaii and many a vessel with 
casiri, to both of which they diligently did justice. The information 
we had received in the previous settlement, according to which the 
Brazilians had made slaves of a number of Macusis, proved to be false; 
we were, however, indeed assured that several soldiers were to be .seen in 
Pirara and that all the former residents, with the exception of two 
families, had withdrawn to the Canuku Range. 
804. The house with which we were accommodated for our residence 
lay immediately upon the summit of the high bank and permitted the 
most unrestricted outlook over the lovely and delightful landscape at 
our feet. By next morning we received a surprise, with a new change in 
the life of our surroundings. Soon after sunrise, that is to say, a 
small fleet of corials manned by Indians, with brilliant feather ornaments, 
came down the stream otherwise so abandoned and lonely, and stopped 
at the Haiowa landing-stage to pay the residents a visit on their way to 
Georgetown, where they intended going with the produce of their 
industry, i.e., spun cotton, hammocks and the like. After getting out of 
the boats and arranging themselves in the usual procession with war- 
clubs, bows and arrows in their hands,— while many yet had stuck a long 
knife under the lap-cloth belt or else had it hanging from a cotton cord 
round the neck like a bandolier, — they clambered up the bank, and, 
without condescending to recognise us, passed on their way to the 
strangers’ house where the chief with his people was already awaiting 
them. The salutation ceremonies, of which T had already been witness 
during my stay among the Warraus and Waikas, were repeated here in 
almost similar fashion, except that here those who were talking did not 
look at one another, but engaged in conversation with faces turned 
aside. When I enquired the reason, T was told that dogs might look at 
one another when they met, but Macusis didn’t. If a Macusi comes into 
ordinary intercourse anywhere with another, lie just says “I come,” to 
which the other replies, “Art thou there?” or “Cornest thou?” But if a 
ceremonial visit is being paid by a foreign tibesman or equal in rank 
the visitor lias to be addressed first ; if there are several, then the same 
questions are repeated, according to tin 1 dignity and age of the stranger. 
The chieftain or housemaster welcomes the solemn and slowly approach- 
ing guests at the front of the house near the door and bids them enter. 
When the strangers have got inside, the mistress of the house brings 
forward a stool or a block of wood and the master says: “Be thou there,” 
whereupon the guest replies “I say, yes,” and the former now adds : 
“There’s a stool, sit down.” The stool will now be described by the 
owner as bad, whereupon the guest continues “It is good,” and adds still 
other encomiums, compliments and greetings which are renewed with 
every visitor. As the wife first of all sets before the visiting chieftain a 
little basket with cassava bread and pepperpot into which the former 
is dipped, the same apologies, the same compliments are repeated. Each 
having eaten, the particular scene is renewed with the calabash full of 
paiwari or casiri. Upon the stranger chieftain finishing his meal he 
assures each of his fellow guests that he is satisfied, an assurance which! 
