No, natives did not do that way, except now and then to their enemies.

The professor always made threats he would do so to them if they ran away from him, or disobeyed, or misbehaved.

Certainly they believed him! Why should they not believe him?
Did not Germans always keep their word when they talked of punishment?
We decided after that to let Schillingschen lie bound, whether or not the iron wire cut his wrists.

We did not trouble to go back to inquire whether he needed drink, but let him wait for that until supper-time.
The remainder of that afternoon we spent discussing who should have the disagreeable and not too easy task of taking the professor to the lake and sending him on his way.

We sat with our backs against a rock, with the firearms beside us and a good view of all the countryside, very much puzzled as to whether to leave Coutlass behind in camp (with Brown and the whisky) or send him (with or without Brown) and one or two of us on the errand.