306 RECOLLECTIONS OF li 



often occupied by more than one family thus in every one of them 

 there are, in different parts of the floor, hearths for the several fami- 

 lies residing in it. Hammocks, made of grass or of cotton threads, 

 which at once supply the place of beds and tables, suspended from 

 posts round the huts, about a foot from the ground, are the chief ar- 

 ticles of furniture. Some earthen pots, some baskets of polen leaves, 

 filled with micho or farenhade mandirea drinking vessels, pots con- 

 taining the genepopa dye, and a hollow trunk of a tree, for pounding 

 milho in, constitute their household furniture. The walls are gener- 

 ally covered with the different weapons for war or the chase ; the 

 latter, with his pipe and hammock, are in fact the only objects which 

 can strictly be reputed as the real property of an individual. Theft is 

 almost unknown among them. The death of a relation leaves to his 

 family the use of all he possessed, but the idea of accumulating 

 property, or in fact of any thing whatever beyond a provision for 

 their most immediate and prf ssing wants, never enters into the head 

 of an Indian. Objects of a particular utility, or ornaments of extra- 

 ordinary beauty, have alone the power of tempting the Brazilian 

 to steal. Should he be taken in the fact, he is obliged to restore the 

 objects purloined, and is punished with stripes. On these occasions, 

 the chief often takes a prominent part in the infliction of the punish- 

 ment. Ornaments, principally trophies of skill or bravery, are the 

 most prized, and the most seductive offers would not induce a Mu- 

 ranei to part with a necklace of Jaquaar's teeth, the monument of his 

 skill and bravery in the chase. However, these precious objects are 

 sometimes deposited as pledges for the fulfilment of a promise, and a 

 chaplet of human teeth, the cranium of an enemy slain in battle, or 

 the stone, or round piece of wood inserted, by way of ornament, in 

 the ears or lower lip, are sometimes left as guarantees by a Brazilian 

 chief whenever he wishes to convince his ally of his firm resolution 

 of fulfilling an engagement. 



These Indians are acquainted with no other mode of traffic than 

 that of barter, but those who have most intercourse with the Euro- 

 peans, are beginning to form stores of the articles most in request. 

 The Manhe manufactures bows of red wood (pas d'arco) and pre- 

 pares the quarari paste, of which their utensils are made ; the Man- 

 dracu fabricates various ornaments, with feathers of different colours ; 

 the Murania women make, from the fibres of the palm-tree, hammocks 

 which are sent for sale down to Surinam, and Essequibo ; in fact, the 

 major part of the Indian tribes on the Amazon and its tributaries, 

 carry on a trade in the Farinha de Mandioca. Several kind of beans 

 serve as a circulating medium. Loans and deposits are the only sort 

 of engagements of which they have any notion. Provisions are some- 

 times though rarely borrowed, and security given for the payment. 

 When they are disposed to traffic with one another, they lay aside 

 their arms, and on striking a bargain, each contracting party proceeds, 

 with measured steps, to regain his arms, putting on a fierce look, in 

 order to shew that they are ready to have recourse to arms to enforce, 

 if necessary, the conditions of the treaty; this is not the only symbolical 

 act observed by them, for when they wish to corroborate an oath 

 they thrust one hand into their hair, or hold it up above their heads. 



