The Tarkar village was situated many miles inland. Poleete, one of the old survivors, says it was “many days from the water,” meaning thereby the sea. They were a peace-loving, agricultural people, raising hogs, sheep, and cows, and planting corn, beans, and yams. Their chief industry was the production of palm oil. Nature had been lavish--the lands were wonderfully fertile, requiring little work and no fertilizer; the fragrance of ripening fruits filled the forests. The Tarkar dwellings were of superior quality and had the advantage of withstanding fire. They were built of mud; the process of construction has been described by two of the survivors--Poleete and Kazoola. First a circular trench was dug and a wall of mud four feet high and a foot and a half thick laid; this was left until thoroughly dry. Another four feet was laid upon this, which was also left to dry. Then a third layer of four feet was laid making their dwellings about twelve feet high. When thoroughly dry, branches were cut, the roof thatched and covered with mud. The Tarkars were not without laws, and had a sort of court of justice over which the King presided. Each of the old survivors lays especial stress upon honesty as a tribal characteristic. Stealing was almost unknown; all worked and had what was needed; houses were never locked and possessions seldom disturbed. All an individual’s wealth “might be hung upon a tree or accidentally left--others of the tribe knew they had not put it there--that it was not theirs--so disturbed it not.” “Suppose I had left my purse in town in the public square. To-day I have not the time to go for it--nor to-morrow--am I worried? No, for I know when I go I will find it where I left it. Could you do that in America?” (Kazoola). As there was no reason or excuse for stealing, when one among them committed a theft, it was more through a spirit of braggadocio. The culprit would be taken before the King who would say, “You are strong--you have two arms to work--you suffer for nothing--why have you stolen?” The defendant would be imprisoned, and the Tarkars say that if he lived to get out he would steal no more. Death was always meted to the murderer--rank having no weight with justice. Poleete explained that if the King’s son committed murder, death would fall to him as to the commoner. “Money don’t plea you there” (Poleete). The manner of execution was decapitation--the implement a sword. To illustrate the inexorable nature of their laws, the following was narrated by Kazoola: “The Law in Tarkar. If it would be my son. He kills a man. I have money--I want to buy my son. I go before the King, and say ‘Oh, King, my son has killed, but I have money.’ The King would reply, ‘Here is the Law, read.’ I read and say, ‘Yes, King, the Law says Death.’ And the King would answer, ‘That is the Law, and I am the King. Shut your eyes, give up your son--money cannot buy.’”