Cuap. XI. VISIT TO A PASSE FAMILY. 293 
on the mainland. The dell contracts gradually towards the head of the 
rivulet, and the forest then becomes denser; the water-path also 
diminishes in width, and becomes more winding on account of the 
closer growth of the trees. The boughs of some are stretched forth at 
no great height over one’s head, and are seen to be loaded with 
epiphytes ; one orchid I noticed particularly, on account of its bright 
yellow flowers growing at the end of flower-stems several feet long. 
Some of the trunks, especially those of palms, close beneath their 
crowns, were clothed with a thick mass of glossy shield-shaped Pothos 
plants, mingled with ferns. Arrived at this part we were, in fact, in the 
heart of the virgin forest. We heard no noises of animals in the trees, 
and saw only one bird, the sky-blue chatterer, sitting alone on a high 
branch. For some distance the lower vegetation was so dense that the 
road runs under an arcade of foliage, the branches having been cut 
away only sufficiently to admit of the passage of a small canoe. ‘These 
thickets are formed chiefly of bamboos, whose slender foliage and 
curving stems arrange themselves in elegant feathery bowers : but other 
social plants, slender green climbers with tendrils so eager in aspiring to 
grasp the higher boughs that they seem to be endowed almost with 
animal energy, and certain low trees having large elegantly-veined 
leaves, contribute also to the jungly masses. Occasionally we came 
upon an uprooted tree lying across the path, its voluminous crown still 
held up by thick cables of sipd, connecting it with standing trees: a wide 
circuit had to be made in these cases, and it was sometimes difficult to 
find the right path again. 
At length we arrived at our journey’s end. We were then in a very 
dense and gloomy part of the forest: we could see, however, the dry 
land on both sides of the creek, and to our right a small sunny opening 
appeared, the landing-place to the native dwellings. The water was 
deep close to the bank, and a clean pathway ascended from the shady 
port to the buildings, which were about a furlong distant. My friend 
Cardozo was godfather to a grandchild of Pedro-uassu, whose daughter 
had married an Indian settler in Ega. He had sent word to the old 
man that he intended to visit him: we were therefore expected. 
As we landed, Pedro-uasst' himself came down to the port to receive 
us ; our arrival having been announced by the barking of dogs. He 
was a tall and thin old man, with a serious but benignant expression of 
countenance, and a manner much freer from shyness and distrust than is 
usual with Indians. He was clad in a shirt of coarse cotton cloth, dyed 
with murishi, and trousers of the same material turned up to the knee. 
His features were sharply delineated—more so than in any Indian face 
I had yet seen; the lips thin and the nose rather high and compressed. 
A large, square, blue-black tattooed patch occupied the middle of his 
face, which, as weli as the other exposed parts of his body, was of a 
light reddish-tan colour, instead of the usual coppery-brown hue. He 
walked with an upright, slow gait, and on reaching us saluted Cardozo 
with the air of a man who wished it to be understood that he was 
dealing with an equal. My friend introduced me, and I was welcomed 
in the same grave, ceremonious manner. He seemed to have many 
questions to ask: but they were chiefly about Senhora Felippa, Car- 
