1850.] "COCA'S OF THE ROCK." 151 



which ran at the lower end of the cave, to be skinned and 

 prepared for cooking. 



The animal was very like a domestic pig, but with a higher 

 back, coarser and longer bristles, and a most penetrating 

 odour. This I found proceeded from a gland situated on the 

 back, about six inches above the root of the tail : it was a 

 swelling, with a large pore in the centre, from which exuded 

 an oily matter, producing a most intense and unbearable pig- 

 sty smell, of which the domestic animal can convey but a faint 

 idea. The first operation of the Indians was to cut out this 

 part completely, and the skin and flesh for some inches all 

 round it, and throw the piece away. If this were not done, they 

 say, the " pitiu " (catinga, Port.), or bad smell, would render all 

 the meat uneatable. The animal was then skinned, cut up into 

 pieces, some of which were put into an earthen pot to stew, 

 while the legs and shoulders were kept to smoke over the fire 

 till they wove thoroughly dry, as they can thus be preserved 

 several weeks without salt. 



The greater number of the party had not yet arrived, so we 

 ate our suppers, expecting to see them soon after sunset. 

 However, as they did not appear, we made up our fires, put 

 the meat on the " moqueen," or smoking stage, and turned 

 comfortably into our redes. The next morning, while we were 

 preparing breakfast, they all arrived, with the produce of their 

 hunting expedition. They had killed three hogs, but as it was 

 late and they were a long way off, they encamped for the night, 

 cut up the animals, and partially smoked all the prime pieces, 

 which they now brought with them carefully packed up in palm- 

 leaves. The party had no bows and arrows, but had killed the 

 game with their blow-pipes, and little poisoned arrows about 

 ten inches long. 



After breakfast was over we prepared for an attack upon the 

 "Gallos." We divided into three parties, going in different 

 directions. The party which I accompanied went to ascend 

 the Serra itself as far as practicable. We started out at the 

 back of our cave, which was, as I have stated, formed by the 

 base of the mountain itself. We immediately commenced the 

 ascent up rocky gorges, over huge fragments, and through 

 gloomy caverns, all mixed together in the most extraordinary 

 confusion. Sometimes we had to climb up precipices by roots 

 and creepers, then to crawl over a surface formed by angular 



