EXCURSION TO MAUHES AND ITS NEIGHBORHOOD. 301 
CHAPTER X. 
EXCURSION TO MAUHES AND ITS NEIGHBORHOOD. 
LEAVE MANAOS. ON BOARD THE " IBICUHY." NAVIGATION OF THE RIVER 
RAMOS. ASPECT OF THE BANKS. ARRIVAL AT MAUHES. SITUATION OF 
MAUHES. TUPINAMBARANAS. CHARACTER OF POPULATION. APPEAR- 
ANCE OF THE VILLAGES OF MAUHES. BOLIVIAN INDIANS GUARANA. 
EXCURSION TO MUCAJA-TUBA. MUNDURUCU INDIANS ASPECT OF VILLAGE. 
CHURCH. DISTRIBUTION OF PRF.SENTS. GENEROSITY OF THE INDIANS. 
THEIR INDIFFERENCE. VISIT TO ANOTHER SETTLEMENT. RETURN TO 
MAUHES. - - ARRIVAL OF MUNDURUCUS IN THE VILLAGE. DESCRIPTION OF 
TATTOOING. COLLECTION. BOTO. INDIAN SUPERSTITIONS. PALM COL- 
LECTION. -- WALK IN THE FOREST.-*- LEAVE MAUHES. MUNDURUCU INDIAN 
AND HIS WIFE. THEIR MANNERS AND APPEARANCE. INDIAN TRADITION. 
DISTINCTIONS OF CASTE. 
December 12th. We left Manaos, according to our in- 
tention, on Sunday evening (the 10th), raising the anchor 
with military exactness at five o'clock, the very moment 
appointed, somewhat to the disappointment of a boatful 
of officials from the National Guard, who were just on 
their way to pay their parting compliments to the Presi- 
dent, at the hour fixed for his departure. In Brazil it 
may safely be assumed that things will always be a little 
behind time ; on this occasion, however, our punctuality 
was absolute, and the officers were forced to wave their 
adieux as we proceeded on our way, leaving their canoe 
behind. The hour was of good omen, a cool breeze, the 
one blessing for which the traveller sighs in these latitudes, 
blowing up the Amazons ; and as we left the Rio Negro, 
it lay behind us, a golden pathway to the setting sun, which 
was going down in a blaze of glory. We were received on 
board with all possible hospitality by the commander, Cap- 
