CiiAP. Y. HUNTING EXCURSION. 195 



which a few unmusical notes were produced, and the 

 tabor was a broad hoop with a skin stretched over each 

 end. A deformed young man played both the instni- 

 ments. Senhor Raimvmdo received them with the quiet 

 politeness, which comes so naturally to the Indian when 

 occupying the position of host. The visitors, who had 

 come from the Villa de Conde, five miles through the 

 forest, were invited to rest. Raimundo then took the 

 image of St. Thome from one of the party, and placed 

 it by the side of Nossa Senhora in his own oratorio, a 

 little decorated box in which every family keeps its 

 household gods ; finally lighting a couple of wax 

 candles before it. Shortly afterwards a cloth was laid 

 on a mat, and all the guests were invited to supper. 

 The fare was very scanty ; a boiled fowl with rice, a 

 slice of roasted pirarucii, farinha, and bananas. Each 

 one partook very sparingly, some of the young men 

 contenting themselves with a plateful of rice. One of 

 the apprentices stood behind with a bowl of water and 

 a towel, with which each guest washed his fingers and 

 rinsed his mouth after the meal. They stayed all night : 

 the large open shed was filled with hammocks, which 

 were slung from pole to pole ; and on retiring, Rai- 

 mundo gave orders for their breakfast in the morning. 



Raimundo called me at two o'clock, when we em- 

 barked, he, his older apprentice Joaquim, and myself, in 

 a shady place where it was so dark that I could see 

 neither canoe nor water, taking with us five dogs. We 

 glided down a winding creek where huge trunks of trees 

 slanted across close overhead, and presently emerged 

 into the Murucupi. A few yards further on we entered 



