108 VOYAGE UP THE TAPAJOS. Chap. II. 



taken ; there being sufficient for the whole party, includ- 

 ing several children, two old men from a neighbouring 

 hut, and my Indians. I made our good-natured enter- 

 tainers a small present of needles and sewing-cotton, 

 articles very much prized, and soon after we re-em- 

 barked, and again crossed the river to Aveyros. 



August 2nd. — Left Aveyros ; having resolved to 

 ascend a branch river, the Cupari, which enters the Tapa- 

 jos about eight miles above this village, instead of going 

 forward along the main stream. I should have liked 

 to visit the' settlements of the Mundurucu. tribe which 

 lie beyond the first cataract of the Tapajos, if it had 

 been compatible with the other objects I had in view. 

 But to perform this journey a lighter canoe than mine 

 would have been necessary, and six or, eight Indian 

 paddlers, which in my case it was utterly impossible 

 to obtain. There would be, however, an opportunity of 

 seeing this fine race of people on the Cupari, as a horde 

 was located towards the head waters of this stream. The 

 distance from Aveyros to the last civilised settlement 

 on the Tapajos, Itaituba, is about forty miles. The 

 falls commence a short distance beyond this place. Ten 

 formidable cataracts or rapids then succeed each other 

 at intervals of a few miles : the chief of which are 

 the Coaita, the Bubure, the Salto Grande about thirty 

 feet high, and the Montanha. The canoes of Cuyaba 

 tradesmen which descend annually to Santarem are 

 obliged to be unloaded at each of these, and the cargoes 

 carried by land on the backs of Indians, whilst the 

 empty vessels are dragged by ropes ove$ the obstruc- 

 tions. The Cupari was described to me as flowing 



