abandon their tree-register to follow
their clan to another part of the forest, after the third or fourth
incision they easily forget to keep up the practice.

* * * * *

When as often happens a Sakai has to undertake a journey of more than
three days as in the case of seeking a wife or of making a large
provision of tobacco for all the encampment, both he and those left
behind have recourse to a novel calendar in order to remember how many
days he is absent. They pick up some small stones or little sticks and
dividing them into threes the traveller carries away a half with him
leaving the rest with his family. At the end of every day those at home
and the one who has departed throw away one of these stones or sticks.
When the little stock is finished the Sakai is sure to return because he
knows very well that any further delay would be the cause of grave
apprehensions and anxiety to his dear ones which he is eager to spare
them.

Some of them adopt the same system on this occasion as when counting the
days of traditional ceremonies, that is by the tying and untying of
knots in a strip of _scudiscio_.[13]

* * * * *

Amongst those Oriental peoples not yet civilized the Sakais are the
least known, and yet I firmly believe that they could surpass the others
in intelligence--as they undoubtedly excel them in solid moral
qualities--if they were to be made the object of assiduous care and
benevolent interest.

Once these poor jungle dwellers could be brought to have full confidence
in their white protectors, it seems to me that the best thing which
could be done for them would be to induce them, by degrees, to dedicate
themselves to agriculture.

But their aversion to any kind of labour cannot be overcome by coercive
means or evangelical preaching. They would rebel as much against one as
the other for they wish to be absolute masters of their own will and
their own conscience. And this liberty of thought and action must be
left them whilst very slowly and with great patience, by force of
example and gentle persuasion, they are made to understand that by doing
what we want they are giving us a pleasure which will be largely
compensated with tobacco and with the numerous trifles that are the joy
and vanity of savages.

He who would dream of redeeming them from their present ignorant state
by treating them arbitrarily and thereby hurting their feelings and