376 EXCURSIONS BEYOND EGA. Cuap. XIII. 
these, with the swarm of large aquatic birds, storks, herons, ducks, waders, 
and spoon-bills, which lined their margins in certain places, made the 
river view much more varied and animated than it is in the season of 
the flood. Alligators of large size were common near the shores, lazily 
floating, and heedless of the passing steamer. The passengers amused 
themselves by shooting at them from the deck with a double-barrelled 
rifle we had on board. The sign of a mortal hit was the monster turning 
suddenly over, and remaining floating, with its white belly upwards. 
Lieutenant Nunes wished to have one of the dead animals on board, 
for the purpose of opening the abdomen, and, if a male, extracting a part 
which is held in great estimation amongst Brazilians as a ‘‘remedio,” 
charm or medicine. The steamer was stopped, and a boat sent, 
with four strong men, to embark the beast ; the body, however, was found 
too heavy to be lifted into the boat ; so arope was passed round it, and 
the hideous creature towed alongside, and hoisted on deck by means of 
the crane, which was rigged for the purpose. It had still some sparks 
of life, and when the knife was applied, lashed its tail, and opened its 
enormous jaws, sending the crowd of bystanders flying in all directions. 
A blow with a hatchet, on the crown of the head, gave him his quietus 
at last. The length of the animal was fifteen feet; but this statement 
can give but an imperfect idea of its immense bulk and weight. The 
numbers of turtles which were seen swimming in quiet shoaly bays 
passed on the road, also gave us much amusement. They were seen 
by dozens ahead, with their snouts peering above the surface of the 
water, and, on the steamer approaching, turning round to stare, 
but not losing confidence till the vessel had nearly passed, when they 
appeared to be suddenly smitten with distrust, diving like ducks under 
the stream. 
We had on board, amongst our deck-passengers, a middle-aged 
Indian, of the Juri tribe ; a short, thick-set man, with features resembling 
much those of the late Daniel O’Connell. His name was Caracara-i 
(Black Eagle), and his countenance seemed permanently twisted into a 
grim smile, the effect of which was heightened by the tattooed marks— 
a blue rim to the mouth, with a diagonal pointed streak from each 
corner towards the ear. He was dressed in European style—black hat, 
coat, and trousers—looking very uncomfortable in the dreadful heat 
which, it is unnecessary to say, exists on board a steamer, under a 
vertical sun, during mid-day hours. This Indian was a man of steady 
resolution, ambitious and enterprising ; very rare qualities in the race to 
which he belonged, weakness of resolution being one of the fundamental 
defects in the Indian character. He was now on his return home to the 
banks of the Iss4 from Para, whither he had been to sella large quantity 
of salsaparilla that he had collected, with the help of a number of 
Indians, whom he induces, or forces, to work for him. One naturally 
feels inclined to know what ideas such a favourable specimen of the 
Indian race may have acquired after so much experience amongst 
civilised scenes. On conversing with our fellow-passenger, I was 
greatly disappointed in him; he had seen nothing, and thought of 
nothing, beyond what concerned his little trading speculation, his 
mind being, evidently, what it had been before, with regard to all 
_— eee 
