98 INTRODUCTION. 



on the wooded banks of the river. Every one 

 of oiir canoemen knew his duty : scarcely had the 

 boat touched the selected spot, when all was life 

 and bustle; some were seen running to cut the 

 necessary poles for pitching the tent; others un- 

 loaded the utensils wanted for our night-quarters 

 and for that important personage the cook, whose 

 indispensable qualities and skill are only fully 

 acknowledged, when, after a long day's journey, 

 the minutes appear hours to the murmuring sto- 

 mach which can scarcely, brook delay. The gun 

 on the shoulder, the hunters dive into the thick 

 woods, attracted by the noise of the cooing pauis 

 (Crax alector)^ or a herd of monkeys. The smaller 

 crafts are unloaded, and some of the more skilful 

 archers paddle away from the noisy camp to see 

 whether they are fortunate enough to shoot, with 

 bow and arrow, some luganani or other fish. 



Fires are seen in all directions, with the sim- 

 mering earthen pot or aina on them, and the squaw 

 watching with anxiety the bubbles which com- 

 mence to rise on the surface of the water. This 

 contained a guana ; the other, part of a monkey ; a 

 third, some fish; but all seasoned with capsicum, 

 the indispensable condiment of the Indian s cookery. 

 The tents are now finished : if the weather pro- 

 mises fair, the Indian satisfies himself with putting 

 a few poles in the ground, from which he suspends 

 his hammocks ; but if it threaten to rain, and palms 

 or the gigantic leaves of the wild plantain (urania) 

 are in the vicinity, then he constructs, in an inore- 



