THE AMAZON DISTRICT. 313 



attentions. Once he came to us with a doleful countenance, 

 telling us, he thought the bats meant to eat him up quite, for, 

 having covered up his hands and feet in a blanket, they had 

 descended beneath his hammock of open network, and, attack- 

 ing the most prominent part of his person, had bitten him 

 through a hole in his trousers ! We could not help laughing 

 at the catastrophe, but to him it was no laughing matter. 



Senhor Brandao, of Manaquery, informed me that he had 

 once an Indian girl in his house, who was much subject to the 

 attacks of the bats. She was at length so much weakened by 

 loss of blood, that fears were entertained of her life, if they 

 continued their attacks ; and it was found necessary to send 

 her to a distance, where these bloodthirsty animals did not 

 abound. 



The wound made by them is very difficult to heal, especially 

 in its usual locality the tip of the great toe, as it generally 

 renders a shoe unbearable for a day or two, and forces one to 

 the conclusion that, after the first time, for the curiosity of the 

 thing, to be bitten by a bat is very disagreeable. They will, 

 however, very rarely enter a lighted room, and for this reason 

 the practice of burning a lamp all night is almost universal. 



Tapirus Americanus. The Tapir is common over the whole 

 Amazon district, but is nowhere very abundant. It feeds on 

 leaves and a great many different kinds of fruits, and some- 

 times does much injury in the mandiocca-fields of the Indians. 

 Its flesh is very good eating, and is considered very wholesome, 

 and is even said to be a remedy for the ague. It is a very shy 

 and timid animal, wandering about principally at night. When 

 the Indian discovers a feeding-place, he builds a stage between 

 two trees, about eight feet above the ground, and there stations 

 himself soon after dusk, armed with a gun, or with his bow and 

 arrow. Though such a heavy animal, the tapir steps as lightly 

 as a cat, and can only be heard approaching by the gentle 

 rustling of the bushes ; the slightest sound or smell will alarm 

 it, and the Indian lies still as death for hours, till the animal 

 approaches sufficiently near to be shot, or until, scenting its 

 enemy, it makes off in another direction. I have accom- 

 panied the Indians on these expeditions, but always without 

 success. 



Coassus nemorivagus. 



C. rufus, These are the small white and red deer of the 



