es, and below these several
upright stripes; on various parts of her back and shoulders were
curiously entwined circles, and the form of a snake was depicted in
vermilion down each arm. Unlike the others, she wore no ornament except
a simple necklace of monkeys' teeth. This beauty was particularly
active in manufacturing the intoxicating drink, which is prepared
thus:--

A quantity of maize was pounded in the hollow trunk of a tree, and put
into an earthen pot, where it was boiled in a large quantity of water.
Then the women took the coarsely ground and boiled flour out of the
water, chewed it in their mouths for a little, and put it into the pot
again! By this means the decoction began to ferment and became
intoxicating. It was a very disgusting method, yet it is practised by
many Indian tribes in America; and, strange to say, also by some of the
South Sea islanders, who, of course, could not have learned it from
these Indians.

When this beverage was ready, the chief, a tall, broad-shouldered man,
whose painted costume and ornaments were most elaborate, stepped up to
the pot and began a strange series of incantations, which he accompanied
by rattling a small wooden instrument in his hand; staring all the time
at the earthen pot, as if he half expected it to run away; and dancing
slowly round it as if to prevent such a catastrophe from taking place.
The oftener the song was repeated the more solemn and earnest became the
expression of his face and the tones of his voice. The rest of the
Indians, who were assembled to the number of several hundreds, stood
motionless round the pot, staring at him intently without speaking, and
only now and then, when the voice and actions of the chief became much
excited, they gave vent to a sympathetic howl.

After this had gone on for some time, the chief seized a drinking-cup,
or cuja, which he gravely dipped into the pot and took a sip. Then the
shaking of the rattle and the monotonous song began again. The chief
next took a good pull at the cup and emptied it; after which he
presented it to his companions, who helped themselves at pleasure; and
the dance and monotonous music became more furious and noisy the longer
the cup went round.

When the cup had circulated pretty freely among them, their dances and
music became more lively; but they were by no means attractive. After
he had watched them a short time, Martin left the festive scene with a
feeling of pity for the po