her husband feels himself strong enough, either from personal skill or
from the number of friends he has present, to inflict punishment upon her
paramour, he does it in the most summary manner, throwing as many spears
at his legs as he has an opportunity of doing before others catch hold of
him and prevent his committing farther acts of violence. A good deal of
tact is required under these circumstances to ascertain whether a spear
can safely be thrown at a man or not; but I have remarked as a general
rule that a native, if irritated by another, invariably throws a spear at
him if he has a friend or brother near the offender at the time; the
chances then being that this friend or brother will catch hold of the man
attacked before he can throw a spear in return. As for the poor female no
one takes her part whether she is innocent or guilty; the established and
very equitable law with regard to women being, "If I beat your mother,
then you beat mine: if I beat your wife, then you beat mine," etc. etc.
So that by judiciously conducting arrangements a native can spear one
aggressor himself and get the other speared for him without undergoing
any personal trouble or inconvenience, or without in the least suffering
in her good graces.

DANCES.

Should it be the intention of the natives to have a dance the
arrangements are somewhat different. In this case the young men retire
early in the afternoon to some spot suited to their purpose, where they
paint and deck themselves out in the most grotesque manner. After dark
they return to the encampment near which the dance takes place. At these
entertainments the same rules of etiquette are strictly observed: the
females sit in a group apart, generally behind the old men; the
performers are on the side of the fire opposite to them; in one or two
dances the women take a part in the song, but they never dance
themselves, nor are the young men allowed to approach them. It is all
fair for the dancers to do their utmost, by the arrangement of paint and
ornaments, to show off their personal attractions, and they sometimes
avail themselves of this privilege in the most ludicrous manner; but they
are permitted to hold no converse whatever with any but their mothers and
sisters.

CEREMONIES ON MEETING. CUSTOMS IN MEETING AFTER ABSENCE.

The ceremonies they observe at first meeting one another after absence
are remarkable. When a native and his wives enter an encampment of
friends whom the