manner were in good
condition and appeared to be larger than I had remarked elsewhere, but
with the women no improvement was to be seen. Thin, half-starved and
emaciated they were still made to bear the burden of the work, and while
the men were lounging about their fires, and were laughing and talking,
the women were ceaselessly hammering and pounding to prepare that meat,
of which, from their appearance, so small a proportion fell to their
share. As regards the treatment of their women, however, I think I have
observed that they are subjected to harsher treatment when they are
members of a large tribe than when fewer are congregated together. Both
parents are very fond of and indulgent to their children, and there is no
surer way of gaining the assistance of the father, or of making a
favourable impression on a tribe than by noticing the children.

I think that generally speaking the native women seldom have more than
four children, or if they have, few above that number arrive at the age
of puberty. There are, however, several reasons why the women are not
more prolific; the principal of which is that they suckle their young for
such a length of time, and so severe a task is it with them to rear their
offspring that the child is frequently destroyed at its birth; and
however revolting to us such a custom may be, it is now too notorious a
fact to be disputed.

The voices of the natives, generally speaking, are soft, especially those
of the women. They are also a merry people and sit up laughing and
talking all night long. It is this habit, and the stars so constantly
passing before their eyes, which enables them to know when they are
likely to have rain or cold weather, as they will point to any star and
tell you that when it shall get up higher then the weather will be cold
or hot.

These primitive people have peculiar customs and ceremonies in their
intercourse with strangers, and on first meeting preserve a most painful
silence; whether this arises from diffidence or some other feeling it is
difficult to say, but it is exceedingly awkward; but, however awkward or
embarrassing it may be, there can be no doubt as to the policy and
necessity of respecting it. The natives certainly do not allow strangers
to pass through their territory without permission first obtained, and
their passions and fears are both excited when suddenly intruded upon. To
my early observation of this fact, and to my forbearing any forced
in