CHAPTER: V, 
CARIPI AND THE BAY OF MARAJO. 
River Para and Bay of Marajo—Journey to Caripi—Negro observance of Christmas— 
A German Family—Bats—Ant-eaters—Humming-birds—Excursion to the Muru- 
cupi—Domestic Life of the Inhabitants—Hunting Excursion with Indians— 
Natural History of the Paca and Cutia—Insects. 
Tuart part of the Para river which lies in front of the city, as I have 
already explained, forms a narrow channel; being separated from the 
main waters of the estuary by a cluster of islands. This channel is 
about two miles broad, and constitutes part of the minor estuary of 
Goajara, into which the three rivers Guama, Moju, and Acard discharge 
their waters. The main channel of the Para lies ten miles away from 
the city, directly across the river; at that point, after. getting clear of 
the islands, a great expanse of water is beheld, ten to twelve miles in 
width ; the opposite shore—the island of Marajé—being visible only in 
clear weather as a line of tree-tops dotting the horizon. A little farther 
upwards, that is, to the south-west, the mainland on the right or eastern 
shore appears ; this is called Carnapijé ; it is rocky, covered with the 
never-ending forest, and the coast, which is fringed with broad sandy 
beaches, describes a gentle curve inwards. The broad reach of the 
Para in front of this coast is called the Bahia, or Bay of Marajé. The 
coast and the interior of the land are peopled by civilised Indians and 
mamelucos, with a mixture of free negroes and mulattos. They are 
poor, for the waters are not abundant in fish, and they are dependent 
for a livelihood solely on their small plantations, and the scanty supply 
of game found inthe woods. The district was originally peopled by 
various tribes of Indians, of whom the principal were the Tupinambas 
and Nhengahibas. Like all the coast tribes, whether inhabiting the 
banks of the Amazons or the sea-shore between Parad and Bahia, they 
were far more advanced in civilisation than the hordes scattered through 
the interior of the country, some of which still remain in the wild state, 
between the Amazons and the Plata. There are three villages on the 
coast of Carnapijd, and several planters’ houses, formerly the centres of 
flourishing estates, which have now relapsed into forest in consequence 
of the scarcity of labour and diminished enterprise. One of the largest 
of these establishments is called Caripi: at the time of which I am 
speaking it belonged to a Scotch gentleman, Mr. Campbell, who had 
married the daughter of a large Brazilian proprietor. Most of the occa- 
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