292 THE MAOO INDIANS. 



Orinoco pass the cataract, which were bound for the 

 harvest of turtles' eggs, and eight boats laden with mer- 

 chandize. 



About eleven on the morning of the 17th of April we 

 reached our boat. Father Zea caused to be embarked, with 

 our instruments, the small store of provisions he had been 

 able to procure for the voyage, on which he was to accom- 

 pany us ; these provisions consisted of a few bunches of 

 plantains, some cassava, and fowls. Leaving the embar- 

 cadero, we immediately passed the mouth of the Cataniapo, 

 a small river, the banks of which are inhabited by the 

 Macos, or Piaroas, who belong to the great family of the 

 Salive nations. 



Besides the Piaroas of Cataniapo, who pierce their ears, 

 and wear as ear-ornaments the teeth of caymans and pec- 

 caries, three other tribes of Macos are known : one, on the 

 Ventuari, above the Bio Mariata; the second, on the 

 Padamo, north of the mountains of Maraguaca; and the 

 third, near the Guaharibos, towards the sources of the 

 Orinoco, above the Bio Gehette. This last tribe bears the 

 name of Macos-Macos. I collected the following words from 

 a young Maco of the banks of the Cataniapo, whom we 

 met near the embarcadero, and who wore in his ears, instead 

 of a tusk of the peccary, a large wooden cylinder.* 



Plantain, Paruru (in Tamanac also, parwu) . 



Cassava, Elente (in Maco, cahig). 



Maize, Niarne. 



The sun, Jama (in Salive, mume-seke-cocco). 



The moon, Jama (in Salive, vexio). 



Water, Ahia (in Salive, cagua). 



One, Nianti. 



Two, Tajus. 



Three, PercotaTiuja. 



Four, Imontegroa. 



The young man could not reckon as far as five, which cer - 

 tainly is no proof that the word five does not exist in the 

 Maco tongue. I know not whether this tongue be a dialect 

 of the Salive, as is pretty generally asserted; for idioms 



* This custom is observed among the Cabres, the Maypures, and the 

 Pevas of the Amazon. These last, described by La Condamine, stretch 

 their ears by weights of a considerable size. 



