that each one lavished expense, on his own account, on feasts and assemblies, and he who spent the greater sum they considered the more powerful and honorable.  From these debaucheries and gatherings sometimes resulted wars between them.  If either one of the two was the most considerable chief of the province, three or four, chosen by the rest, judged the case.  In case the injurious words were said by a timagua to a chief, if the said timagua had nothing wherewith to pay the penalty imposed—­which was very excessive—­he was made a slave; and if the insulted party were a great chief, the timagua’s wife and children were made slaves.  If the chief applied insulting words to any timagua, the penalty was very light, and many times nothing.

16.  Their marriage custom was to have one wife—­from whom they would separate and marry another, on any occasion or change of feeling—­and to have three or four other women.  They always considered that one the legitimate wife with whom they naturally cohabited.  The man always gave the dowry, and this, together with certain gatherings in which they drank, was considered marriage.  If the man separated from his wife, he lost the dowry which he had given her.  If she separated from the man, she returned double the dowry which she had received, even though she had children.  The property acquired during marriage, they always divided equally.  They never disinherited the children in life or death, even though they were born of many women, if they had been married to these.  The other children, born of other women, whom we call bastards, they called asiao yndepat.  These did not inherit, but they always gave them something.  Even if any one had no legitimate child at his death, the bastard could not inherit at all, but the property went to the nearest relatives of the deceased.

17.  They were not accustomed to will more to any child, except in small sums, as three or four taes, or small pieces of land of the like value.

18.  When anyone became a widower and no children had been born to the husband and wife, the whole dowry was returned.  But if any sons or daughters had been born to them, even though these were dead at the time of bereavement, not more than half the dowry was returned.

19.  If any child were living at the time of the death of the father or mother, all the property of the deceased was inherited by the child or children.  If they were not old enough to administer it, the parents of the deceased kept and used it, and not the surviving father or mother of the minors.  If the minor died afterward, neither the father nor the mother inherited it, but the minor’s grandparents, or the nearest relatives of the deceased from whom the minor had inherited the property.