19 
R, Schomdurgk, Dr. Phil. 
’ Tis good ; hast thou arrived ? ’’ Guest : Yes, I am here/’ 
As soon as the guest had spoken the last word, the wife of the 
chief of Manari handed him a calabash with paiwari, whilst 
another put a dish with meat before him. After he had drank 
he hands the calabash to his neighbor to the right, and then 
begins to eat of the meat ; when the host excuses himself 
that he is unable to treat him with anything better, an 
excuse which is set aside by the answer it is good/’ 
All the other men were now provided with paiwari and 
meat, whilst the Avomen, AA’^ho are not permitted to eat at the 
same time as the men, cast curious glances towards us. 
As soon as the men had finished eating and drinking they 
approached one or the other of the inhabitants ; not before 
the women were permitted to quench their thirst and satisfy 
their hunger. 
In this manner came one procession after another, and at 
each the forms of reception were repeated. 
At the whole numerous assembly I could not find two in- 
dividuals whose painted figures or faces were similar. 
Every guest provides himself Avith his OAvn hammock, 
Avhich is immediately fetched by the women from their canoes 
and slung in one of the huts, and taken possession of by their 
OAvners, Avho then begun to indulge with his neighbor in 
making Avitty or satirical observations concerning us, our men, 
or our luggage, Avhich are laughed at most heartily by the 
rest of them. The calabashes continually going round en- 
livened, of course, the conversation more and more. 
That the master of ceremonies had a grand day was shown 
by his richly ornamented vestment. Shortly after sundown he 
took in his hand his long bamboo cane, ornamented with 
long strings of seeds of the Thevetia^ which produced a 
rattling noise by every movement of the staff, and with it he 
gave the sign to begin the dance. Several torches, made of 
thick cotton threads dipped repeatedly in melted wax, illumi- 
nated the hut and the trough containing the paiwari. 
On a given sign of the master of ceremonies all the men 
jumped out of their hammocks and placed themselves in a 
circle around the paiwari trough. The master of ceremony 
then moved in a stooped position slowly around the same, 
when he adAnnced tAA^o paces toAvards the trough, and then 
again retreated tAvo steps, which Avas imitated by the whole 
line of dancers, the left hand resting on the right shoulders 
of the next man, not in a stooping position but quite erect. 
