21 
R. Schomburgkj Dr. Phil. 
light again, and were expressed in reproaches yon are 
the son of him who killed my father, or has seduced my 
wife ; thou hast poisoned my wife ; thou hast slain my son,^’ 
utterances which would have been avoided with cunning 
precaution, had the Indian been sober. Such reproaches, 
without doubt, would have been followed by taking the most 
sanguinary revenge, had not the prudent and experienced 
wives removed all the weapons at the first shade of intoxi- 
cation. Besides this, they allure their noisy husbands into 
their hammocks, where they were well secured by them. 
Our 'Warraus also, whose talent in drinking I had often had 
the opportunity to admire, had made full use of the occasion, 
and in such a manner, that on the following morning, when 
we intended to leave Manari, they were lying about senseless 
in all directions, and like the Akawais, did not wake up from 
their wild intoxication until late in the afternoon. According 
to the effect caused by that beverage, it must be a great deal 
more stupefying than that caused by spirits. 
A great number of the large snail, Ampullaria urceuSj which 
were prepared and cooked already before daybreak by some 
busy women, showed us pretty clearly that these were con- 
sidered a remedy for the distracted system of ganglions, 
whilst part of the women were busy with the preparation of 
the snails, the others began to put their muscles into motion 
again to prepare fresh paiwari, so that their lords should not 
miss their daily draughts. 
As with the other tribes in Guiana the whole burden of the 
work rests on the poor women, to whom I must give the 
laudable testimony, that whilst I was amongst them I had 
never seen them idle. The work in the provision fields, 
when the men have felled the trees for cleaning, all the 
household work is done by them ; even the firewood for cook- 
ing, and for the fires which are kept under the hammocks, 
was provided for by the women. The husband who helps, 
either has only one wife, or belongs to that scarce genus 
amongst the Indians — a polite husband. 
