urpose quite as well.

There were certain ancient customs which necessitated the possession of
a human head. When any person died, the relatives went into mourning.
They put away their ornaments and finery, and these were tied together
in bundles. At the feast in honour of the dead, these bundles were all
undone, and the men and women were allowed to wear their ornaments
again. Some man cut the string with which they were tied up, but before
he could do such a thing, it was necessary that a human head be brought
into the house, and it was usual for the man who had obtained that head
to take a leading part in the ceremonies and cut open the bundles. It
was also customary to make an offering of a fresh human head to the
spirits when a new village house was to be built.

But these customs are not now universally observed. At the feast in
honour of the dead, the headman of the house generally cuts open the
bundles of finery that have been put away, and at the building of a new
house, the killing of a pig is supposed to satisfy the demands of the
spirits.

It is presumed that a man, who has secured a human head, must
necessarily be brave. But this need not be the case at all, for, as I
have already mentioned, the head may be that of a woman or child. Again,
the heads need not be obtained in open warfare. Very often the head of
an enemy is taken while he is asleep. Nor is it necessary that a man
kill his victim alone with his own hand. Frequently many of his friends
help him to kill some unfortunate man whom they have waylaid.

In the old days an expedition, that one tribe intended to take against
another, was announced at one of their feasts, when the village was
thronged with guests from far and near. Some great chief would advance
his reason for the desired attack. Either some of his people had been
slain and revenge was called for, or else they required a human head to
enable them to put off their mourning. Or perhaps they wished to build a
new house, and required some human heads to offer to the spirits of the
earth. Or, possibly, he himself wished to marry, and wanted a head as a
proof of his valour in the eyes of his lady-love. Among the crowd who
listened, there would be many who wished to follow him on the war-path.
The women would urge their husbands, or lovers, or brothers to go. The
chief would choose a certain number to form a council of war. These
would discuss the matter, and it would be decided when the par