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I have been waiting to finish it until I could get some brains, but it has been a long time since any one has brought in big game," said Macana. "Yes," answered Sholoc, "you shall have them. Payuchi, hand me my elk-horn ax so that I can split open the head, and you can take the brains to the jacal." Soon not a piece of meat, a bit of skin, tendon, or bone, was left.
The children watched the game until Gesnip said that they must go on, for their mother would be home and want them. When they returned, Macana was warming herself by the fire where the men were sitting. "See our tule; is it not a great deal?" asked the children, showing their bundles. "Yes, but not enough," replied their mother. "You will have to go out another day."
"Mother," said Gesnip, coming into the jacal, "they have brought in the elk. Don't you want something from them?" "Yes," replied Macana, "I will go and see about it. I want one of the skins to make your father a warm hunting dress."
They asked them in the Haiti language their name; and the Indians, thinking that the question of the strangers related to their harpoons, which were formed of the hard and heavy wood of the Macana palm, answered guaike, guaike, which signifies pointed pole.
They were met at the foot of the grade by a crowd which surrounded them, all chattering at once. Sholoc told of the elk, and a number of men started off on the run to bring in the big game. As the visitors entered camp, Macana, a kind-faced woman, better dressed than most of her tribe, came forward. She placed her hand on Sholoc's shoulder, her face lighting up with love and happiness.
"You are welcome, brother," she said. "The sight of you is good to my eyes, sister," an answered Sholoc. That was all the greeting, although the two loved each other well. Macana took the basket from Payuchi's back. "Come," she called to Gesnip, "and help me wash the mussels."
For a long while the children watched in silence the patient fingers at their work; then Gesnip asked, "Is it true, mother, that when you were a little child your father and mother and many of your tribe died of hunger?" "It is true," replied Macana, sadly, "but who told you?" "Old Cotopacnic, but I thought it was one of his dreams. Why were you all so hungry?" asked the girl.
We crossed the beach which separates the suburb of the Guayqueria Indians from the embarcadero. I heard some one walking behind us, and on turning, I saw a tall man of the colour of the Zambos, naked to the waist. He held almost over my head a macana, which is a great stick of palm-tree wood, enlarged to the end like a club.
Then, as she saw the younger girl shivering as she crouched over the fire, "Cleeta, you need not be cold any longer; your rabbit skin dress is done. Go into the jacal and put it on." Cleeta obeyed with dancing eyes. Gesnip followed her mother to the stream. "Take this," said Macana, handing her an openwork net or bag, "and hold it while I empty in some of the mussels.
The Indians who had gone after the elk had skinned and cut them up where they lay, as they were so large that the burden had to be distributed among a number of carriers. Macana found Sholoc busy portioning out parts of the elk. As he had a fine seal-skin suit himself, he gladly gave her the skin of the deer which he had shot. "Isn't that a big one?" said Payuchi.
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