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it upon the bare ground； nor wet their feet； nor walk on a beaten path if they could help it； when they had no choice but to walk on a path； they sought to counteract the ill effect of doing so by doctoring their legs with certain medicines or charms which they carried with them for the purpose。 No member of the party was permitted to step over the legs； hands； or body of any other member who chanced to be sitting or lying on the ground； and it was equally forbidden to step over his blanket； gun； tomahawk； or anything that belonged to him。 If this rule was inadvertently broken； it became the duty of the member whose person or property had been stepped over to knock the other member down； and it was similarly the duty of that other to be knocked down peaceably and without resistance。 The vessels out of which the warriors ate their food were commonly small bowls of wood or birch bark； with marks to distinguish the two sides； in marching from home the Indians invariably drank out of one side of the bowl； and in returning they drank out of the other。 When on their way home they came within a day's march of the village； they hung up all their bowls on trees； or threw them away on the prairie； doubtless to prevent their sanctity or defilement from being communicated with disastrous effects to their friends； just as we have seen that the vessels and clothes of the sacred Mikado； of women at childbirth and menstruation； and of persons defiled by contact with the dead are destroyed or laid aside for a similar reason。 The first four times that an Apache Indian goes out on the war…path； he is bound to refrain from scratching his head with his fingers and from letting water touch his lips。 Hence he scratches his head with a stick； and drinks through a hollow reed or cane。 Stick and reed are attached to the warrior's belt and to each other by a leathern thong。 The rule not to scratch their heads with their fingers； but to use a stick for the purpose instead； was regularly observed by Ojebways on the war…path。
With regard to the Creek Indians and kindred tribes we are told they will not cohabit with women while they are out at war； they religiously abstain from every kind of intercourse even with their own wives； for the space of three days and nights before they go to war； and so after they return home； because they are to sanctify themselves。 Among the Ba…Pedi and Ba…Thonga tribes of South Africa not only have the warriors to abstain from women； but the people left behind in the villages are also bound to continence； they think that any incontinence on their part would cause thorns to grow on the ground traversed by the warriors； and that success would not attend the expedition。
Why exactly many savages have made it a rule to refrain from women in time of war； we cannot say for certain； but we may conjecture that their motive was a superstitious fear lest； on the principles of sympathetic magic； close contact with women should infect them with feminine weakness and cowardice。 Similarly some savages imagine that contact with a woman in childbed enervates warriors and enfeebles their weapons。 Indeed the Kayans of Central Borneo go so far as to hold that to touch a loom or women's clothes would so weaken a man that he would have no success in hunting； fishing； and war。 Hence it is not merely sexual intercourse with women that the savage warrior sometimes shuns； he is careful to avoid the sex altogether。 Thus among the hill tribes of Assam； not only are men forbidden to cohabit with their wives during or after a raid； but they may not eat food cooked by a woman； nay； they should not address a word even to their own wives。 Once a woman； who unwittingly broke the rule by speaking to her husband while he was under the war taboo； sickened and died when she learned the awful crime she had committed。
5。 Manslayers tabooed。
IF THE READER still doubts whether the rules of conduct which we have just been considering are based on superstitious fears or dictated by a rational prudence； his doubts will probably be dissipated when he learns that rules of the same sort are often imposed even more stringently on warriors after the victory has been won and when all fear of the living corporeal foe is at an end。 In such cases one motive for the inconvenient restrictions laid on the victors in their hour of triumph is probably a dread of the angry ghosts of the slain； and that the fear of the vengeful ghosts does influence the behaviour of the slayers is often expressly affirmed。 The general effect of the taboos laid on sacred chiefs； mourners； women at childbirth； men on the war…path； and so on； is to seclude or isolate the tabooed persons from ordinary society； this effect being attained by a variety of rules； which oblige the men or women to live in separate huts or in the open air； to shun the commerce of the sexes； to avoid the use of vessels employed by others； and so forth。 Now the same effect is produced by similar means in the case of victorious warriors； particularly such as have actually shed the blood of their enemies。 In the island of Timor； when a warlike expedition has returned in triumph bringing the heads of the vanquished foe； the leader of the expedition is forbidden by religion and custom to return at once to his own house。 A special hut is prepared for him； in which he has to reside for two months； undergoing bodily and spiritual purification。 During this time he may not go to his wife nor feed himself； the food must be put into his mouth by another person。 That these observances are dictated by fear of the ghosts of the slain seems certain； for from another account of the ceremonies performed on the return of a successful head…hunter in the same island we learn that sacrifices are offered on this occasion to appease the soul of the man whose head has been taken； the people think that some misfortune would befall the victor were such offerings omitted。 Moreover； a part of the ceremony consists of a dance accompanied by a song； in which the death of the slain man is lamented and his forgiveness is entreated。 Be not angry； they say； because your head is here with us； had we been less lucky； our heads might now have been exposed in your village。 We have offered the sacrifice to appease you。 Your spirit may now rest and leave us at peace。 Why were you our enemy？ Would it not have been better that we should remain friends？ Then your blood would not have been spilt and your head would not have been cut off。 The people of Paloo in Central Celebes take the heads of their enemies in war and afterwards propitiate the souls of the slain in the temple。
Among the tribes at the mouth of the Wanigela River； in New Guinea； a man who has taken life is considered to be impure until he has undergone certain ceremonies： as soon as possible after the deed he cleanses himself and his weapon。 This satisfactorily accomplished； he repairs to his village and seats himself on the logs of sacrificial staging。 No one approaches him or takes any notice whatever of him。 A house is prepared for him which is put in charge of two or three small boys as servants。 He may eat only toasted bananas； and only the centre portion of themthe ends being thrown away。 On th