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 PRESENTS. 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 12^. 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- 



