Theyareamostcourteouspeopleamongeachother。Thesalutationsarefrequent——onenteringahouse,onleavingit,onmeetingontheroad,onreceivinganythingfromthehandofanother,andonreceivingakindorcomplimentaryspeech。Theydonotmakeanyacknowledgmentsofthiskindtothewomen,however。Thecommonsalutationconsistsinextendingthehandsandwavingtheminwards,onceoroftener,andstrokingthebeard;theformaloneinraisingthehandswithaninwardcurvetotheleveloftheheadtwoorthreetimes,loweringthem,andrubbingthemtogether;theceremonyconcludingwithstrokingthebeardseveraltimes。Thelatterandmoreformalmodeofsalutationisofferedtothechief,andbytheyoungtotheoldmen。Thewomenhaveno“manners!“
Theyhaveno“medicinemen,“and,thoughtheyareawareoftheexistenceofhealingherbs,theydonotknowtheirspecialvirtuesorthemannerofusingthem。Driedandpoundedbear’sliveristheirspecific,andtheyplacemuchrelianceonitincolicandotherpains。Theyareahealthyrace。Inthisvillageof300
souls,therearenochronicallyailingpeople;nothingbutonecaseofbronchitis,andsomecutaneousmaladiesamongchildren。NeitheristhereanycaseofdeformityinthisandfiveotherlargevillageswhichIhavevisited,exceptthatofagirl,whohasonelegslightlyshorterthantheother。
Theyfermentakindofintoxicatingliquorfromtherootofatree,andalsofromtheirownmilletandJapaneserice,butJapanesesakeistheonethingthattheycareabout。Theyspendalltheirgainsuponit,anddrinkitinenormousquantities。Itrepresentstothemallthegoodofwhichtheyknow,orcanconceive。Beastlyintoxicationisthehighesthappinesstowhichthesepoorsavagesaspire,andtheconditionissanctifiedtothemunderthefictionof“drinkingtothegods。“Menandwomenalikeindulgeinthisvice。Afew,however,likePipichari,abstainfromittotally,takingthebowlintheirhands,makingthelibationstothegods,andthenpassingiton。IaskedPipichariwhyhedidnottakesake,andherepliedwithatruthfulterseness,“Becauseitmakesmenlikedogs。“
Exceptthechief,whohastwohorses,theyhavenodomesticanimalsexceptverylarge,yellowdogs,whichareusedinhunting,butareneveradmittedwithinthehouses。