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18.
can hammer his son to his heart's content for abducting etc the gin, or daughter of any friend of his : indeed, he can punish his son, prior to the initiation ceremony, for any infringement whatsoever of the unwritten tribal laws - he may do it subsequently, though the punish-ment [punishment] is then generally meted out by the culprits' mother's brothers. The rules of etiquette so to speak all tend to protect the family first, the community afterwards. Anything may be done to a non-tribesman, unless he is known as, or comes to see, a friend : in the camp latter is held responsible for his good conduct. They reckon that all who are not friends (tou-án) must be enemies (koo-lí-búg-gá) : the latter word also means any brutal or cruel person. They are very hospitable to their new friends. Gluttony, gool-loon, or carried to its fullest extent, joom-boon, is a trait most despised. Laziness, bí-joor, is also considered a despicable characteristic : it may be noted here that in their natural state, the aboriginals are not really faulty in this respect - to get even a day's food for her family, a woman has to bring no inconsiderable amount of physical exertion into play. Tale-bearing of a trivial nature is considered "low form" : but if in con-nection [connection] with something serious, e.g. the hatching of a plot etc. - it would be considered a duty on the part of the relatives to acquaint the intended victim with of it. There is a general reverence for the aged until the latter get very old and useless, when they may be asked when they are going to die : though this would probably ^only be done if the enquirer were in a bad temper. The rule of chastity is confined to the knowledge that men must not interfere with women who have not been betrothed to them : if they do, they have to answer for it to the one to whom the gin is betrothed. Cowardice (yí-níl) and as well as selfishness, like gluttony, are both despised.