DOWN THE AMAZONS. 373 
mon among the Indians ; they are not unwilling to give up 
their children, if they can secure a maintenance for them, 
and perhaps some advantages of education besides. On the 
day of departure, the mother and father and two sisters 
accompanied the child to the steamer, but I think, as the 
sequel showed, rather for the sake of seeing the ship, and 
having a day of amusement, than from any sentiment about 
parting with the child. When the moment of separation 
came, the mother, with an air of perfect indifference, gave the 
little boy her hand to kiss. The father seemed to be going 
off without remembering his son at all ; but the little fellow 
ran after him, took his hand and kissed it, and then stood 
crying and broken-hearted on the deck, while the whole 
family put off in the canoe, talking and laughing gayly, 
without showing him the least sympathy. Such traits are 
said to be very characteristic of the Indians. They are 
cold in their family affections ; and though the mothers are 
very fond of their babies, they seem comparatively indiffer- 
ent to them as they grow up. It is, indeed, impossible to 
rely upon the affection of an Indian, even though isolated 
cases of remarkable fidelity have been known among them. 
But I have been told over and over again, by those who 
have had personal experience in the matter, that you may 
take an Indian child, bring him up, treat him with every 
kindness, educate him, clothe him, and find him to be a 
useful and seemingly faithful member of the household ; one 
day he is gone, you know not where, and in every proba- 
bility you will never hear of him again. Theft is not one 
of their vices. On the contrary, such an Indian, if he 
deserts the friend who has reared him and taken care of 
him, is very likely to leave behind him all his clothes, except 
those he has on, and any presents he may have received. 
