in-law and daughters-in-law love their fathers-in-law and
mothers-in-law well enough and _viceversa_, and they all respect each
other and can live peaceably together, but no one can impose his own
will without determining a strike.

They put into practice the same simple remedy when there is not very
good harmony in the conjugal state. A man and woman cannot exactly agree
as husband and wife? They cheerfully divorce themselves instead of
poisoning their existence by continual altercations and the reluctance
they both feel at doing what the other wishes.

How much regarding the human spirit civilized people have yet to learn
from savages! Do you not think so, kind reader?

* * * * *

The Sakai is commonly believed to be lazy by nature. This is an error,
for their so-called laziness is nothing but the result of the
circumstances amidst which they live.

Once their daily food is provided and they have prepared a good supply
of poisons and darts what remains for them to do in the depth of the
forest, where there is no thirst for riches (because unknown to them),
for honours (of which they have no idea at all), or for power (which
their individual independence repudiates)?

[Illustration: Manufacturing poisoned arrows.

_p._ 123.]

There is no race for wealth, position or fame in their parts, no
struggle for life which amongst us is the inexhaustible source of
progress as well as the incentive to crime and corruption.

The desire expressed by Henry IV that each one of his subjects might
boil his own fowl in his own pot is more than realized amongst the
Sakais.

They do not cook their fowls because they are only reared as a means of
barter, but it seldom happens that they cannot enjoy a choice bit of
monkey, snake, deer or wild boar, which they like much better. If (a
very strange case) somebody should be without, he goes to the nearest
hut, enters without speaking, and sits down without being greeted. Some
food is placed before him that he devours without being invited to do so
and then departs as he came without any one saying a word beyond perhaps
(in an excess of courtesy) a muttered "_abor_" (meaning "very good" and
used as "good-bye" by the Sakais), from the visitor as he leaves.

The Sakai does not understand the reason of working when there seems to
be no need, but what he finds strictly necessary he does with alacrity
and good will. Whatever they have to do they all work to