When the other men are absent from camp, one of them, as a rule, stays behind. The one who remains behind is responsible for anything that may eventuate in camp, as well as for all property that is left lying around. If a stranger enters the camp during that time, and wants to make a fire with some of the wood brought in by other men or women, or wants to make bread from some of the seed that may be on hand, the camp-supervisor dauadauana intervenes 'to prevent' this. It is, of course, an express principle that nobody may walk into the camp of another person while the latter is absent. If anyone fails to observe this rule of etiquette, he gives rise to [serious] trouble. However, the camp supervisor is the first [person] to be taken to task. If he can say:
ngato ninaia bulu dauadauana warai
I tried to restrain him
he has saved his reputation, for he is not in the position to start a fight on his own. Often, therefore, the intruder
Reuther has inadvertently written "Eilindringlich" for Eindringling.
must pay the 'penalty' with his life. At times one can observe a 'native' hanging his net-bag on a tree, in order to keep it safe for the time of his return, since it may have got too heavy for him to carry about. It would not occur to anyone simply to examine the contents of the net-bag, much less to take something out of it, for serious punishment would await him [if he did], since the culprit could be easily detected by his footprints.