146 LOWER AMAZONS—OBYDOS TO MANAOS. Cuap. VIL. 
and alarmed the rest, so that I got only one bird out of the tumultuous 
flocks which passed over our heads. Passing towards the farther end 
of the pool, I saw, resting on the surface of the water, a number of large 
round leaves, turned up at their edges; they belonged to the Victoria 
water-lily. ‘The leaves were just beginning to expand (December 3rd), 
some were still under water, and the largest of those which had reached 
the surface measured not quite three feet in diameter. We found a 
montaria with a paddle in it, drawn up on the bank, which I took leave 
to borrow of the unknown owner, and Luco paddled me amongst the 
noble plants to search for flowers, meeting, however, with no success. 
I learnt afterwards that the plant is common in nearly all the lakes of 
this neighbourhood. The natives call it the furno do Piosoca, or oven 
of the Jacana, the shape of the leaves being like that of the ovens on 
which mandioca meal is roasted. Wesaw many kinds of hawks and 
eagles, one of which, a black species, the Caracdra-i (Milvago nudicollis), 
sat on the top of a tall naked stump, uttering its hypocritical whining 
notes. This eagle is considered a bird of ill omen by the Indians; it 
often perches on the tops of trees in the neighbourhood of their huts, 
and is then said to bring a warning of death to some member of the 
household. Others say that its whining cry 1s intended to attract other 
defenceless birds within its reach. ‘The little courageous flycatcher 
Bem-ti-vi (Saurophagus sulphuratus) assembles in companies of four or 
five, and attacks it boldly, driving it from the perch where it would 
otherwise sit for hours. I shot three hawks of as many different 
species ; and these, with a Magoary stork, two beautiful gilded-green 
jacamars (Galbula chalcocephala), and half a dozen leaves of the water- 
lily, made a heavy load, with which we trudged off back to the canoe. 
A few years after this visit—namely, in 1854-5—I passed eight months 
at Villa Nova. The district of which it is the chief town is very extensive, 
for it has about forty miles of linear extent along the banks of the 
river: but the whole does not contain more than 4ooo inhabitants. 
More than half of these are pure-blood Indians, who live in a semi- 
civilised condition on the banks of the numerous channels and lakes. 
The trade of the place is chiefly in indiarubber, balsam of copaiba 
(which are collected on the banks of the Madeira and the numerous 
rivers that enter the Canoma channel), and salt fish prepared in the 
dry season, nearer home. These articles are sent to Pard in exchange 
for European goods. The few Indian and half-breed families who 
reside in the town, are many shades inferior in personal qualities and 
social condition to those I lived amongst near Para and Cameta. They 
live in wretched dilapidated mud-hovels; the women cultivate small 
patches of mandioca; the men spend most of their time in fishing, 
selling what they do not require themselves, and getting drunk with the 
most exemplary regularity on casha¢a, purchased with the proceeds. 
The configuration of the district of country in which Villa Nova is 
situated, is remarkable. Abouta mile inland, there commences a chain 
of lakes of greater or lesser extent, which are connected together by 
narrow channels, and extend to the interior by-water of the Ramos. 
This latter communicates with the channel of Canomé, already men- 
