Chap. III. CAPTIVE CHILDREN". 193 



tanned by foreign travel. One of them, a charming 

 young girl named Isabel, was quite a blonde, having 

 gray eyes, light brown hair, and fair complexion ; yet 

 her grandmother was a tattooed Indian of the Tuciina 

 tribe. 



Many of the Ega Indians, including all the domestic 

 servants, are savages who have been brought from the 

 neighbouring rivers ; the Japura, the Issa, and the 

 Solimoens. I saw here individuals of at least sixteen 

 different tribes ; most of whom had been bought, when 

 children, of the native chiefs. This species of slave 

 dealing, although forbidden by the laws of Brazil, is 

 winked at by the authorities, because, without it, there 

 would be no means of obtaining servants. They all be- 

 come their own masters when they grow up, and never 

 show the slightest inclination to return to utter savage 

 life. But the boys generally run away and embark on 

 the canoes of traders ; and the girls are often badly 

 treated by their mistresses, the jealous, passionate, and 

 ill-educated Brazilian women. Nearly all the enmi- 

 ties which arise amongst residents at Ega and other 

 places, are caused by disputes about Indian servants. 

 No one who has lived only in old settled countries, 

 where service can be readily bought, can imagine the 

 difficulties and annoyances of a land where the servant 

 class are ignorant of the value of money, and hands 

 cannot be obtained except by coaxing them from the 

 employ of other masters. 



Great mortality takes place amongst the poor captive 

 children on their arrival at Ega. It is a singular cir- 

 cumstance, that the Indians residing on the Japura 



VOL. II. 



