RETURN TO MANAOS. 261 



" Make no ceremony, and don't be ashamed ; eat with 

 your lingers as your 're accustomed to do, and then you '11 

 find your appetites and enjoy your dinner." His advice 

 was followed, and I must say they seemed much more 

 comfortable in consequence, and did more justice to the 

 good fare. Although the Indians who live in the neigh- 

 borhood of the towns have seen too much of the conven- 

 tionalities of life not to understand the use of a knife and 

 fork, no Indian will eat with one if he can help it. 



When the dinner was over, the room was cleared of the 

 tables and swept ; the music, consisting of a viola, flute, and 

 violin, was called in, and the ball was opened. The forest 

 belles were rather shy at first in the presence of strangers ; 

 but they soon warmed up and began to dance with more 

 animation. They were all dressed in calico or muslin 

 skirts, with loose, cotton waists, finished around the neck 

 with a kind of lace they make themselves by drawing the 

 threads from cotton or muslin, so as to form an open 

 pattern, sewing those which remain over and over to se- 

 cure them. Some of this lace is quite elaborate and very 

 fine. Many of the women had their hair dressed either 



* 



with white jessamine or with roses stuck into their round 

 combs, and several wore gold beads and ear-rings. The 

 dances were different from those I saw in Esperanga's 

 cottage, and much more animated ; but the women pre- 

 served the same air of quiet indifference which I noticed 

 there. Indeed, in all the Indian dances I have seen the 

 man makes the advances, while the woman is coy and 

 retiring, her movements being very languid. Her partner 

 throws himself at her feet, but does not elicit a smile or 

 a gesture ; he stoops and pretends to be fishing ; making 

 motions as if he were drawing her in with a line, he 



