130 UP THE OKINOCO. 



that iu convoi'sation, even among themselves, they desig- 

 nated the time of day at which any event would occur by 

 simply pointing toward the heavens ; to denote noon, the 

 linger Avas directed toward the zenith ; to express three 

 o'clock in the afternoon, the hand would be inclined tow- 

 ard the Avest at an angle of forty-five degrees. The dis- 

 persion of gathered clouds threatening rain Avas indicated 

 by a broad sweep of the hand from the mouth outward, 

 the movement being accompanied with an expulsion of 

 the breath. From this was to be understood that a wind 

 would arise, the force of which was to be inferred from 

 the strength of the breath ; and the direction in Avhich the 

 clouds would be driven was shown by the movement of 

 the arm. 



In the morning, some time before day, we departed 

 from these children of the forest, envying them not their 

 simple and untoilsome life. Toward noon we came upon 

 another small company of the same tribe, who were roast- 

 ing whole, with simply the entrails removed, two large 

 chiquires, or water-hogs, the stench of which kept us at a 

 respectful distance. The Lidians Avere armed with bows 

 and arrows, and the faces of their naked persons were 

 painted red with the coloring matter extracted from the 

 crushed seeds of annotto [Bixa orellana). Bargaining 

 Avith them for tortugas, which were to be brought lis at 

 Santa Barbara, Avliere we proposed remaining a fcAV days, 

 Ave hastened from the spot, glad to escape from the odor 

 of their savory chiquires. 



At 1 p. M. Ave reached the above-mentioned tOAvn, 

 where, upon the beach, we partook of our first meal for 

 the day ; regaling ourseU'^es on monkey-steak, Avhich we 

 had secured with our guns by the Avay. This Spanish 

 pueblo^ or town, Avas a collection of a dozen houses scat- 

 tered along the river for three-quarters of a mile. A strip 

 of land, fifty yards in breadth, had been cleared from the 



