202 TRAVELS ON THE RIO NEGRO. [June, 



other, and presented a neat pattern in black and red all over 

 their bodies, some circles and curved lines occurring on their 

 hips and breasts, while on their faces round spots of a bright 

 vermilion seemed to be the prevailing fashion. The juice of 

 a fruit which stains of a fine purplish-black is often poured on 

 the back of the head and neck, and, trickling all down the 

 back, produces what they, no doubt, consider a very elegant 

 dishabille. These spotted beauties were now engaged in 

 performing the same operation for their husbands and sweet- 

 hearts, some standing, others sitting, and directing the fair 

 artists how to dispose the lines and tints to their liking. 



We prepared our supper rather early, and about sunset, just 

 as we had finished, a messenger came to notify to us that the 

 dance had begun, and that the Tushaua had sent to request 

 our company. We accordingly at once proceeded to the 

 malocca, and entering the private apartment at the circular 

 end, were politely received by the Tushaua, who was dressed in 

 his shirt and trousers only, and requested us to be seated in 

 maqueiras. After a few minutes' conversation I turned to look 

 at the dancing, which was taking place in the body of the 

 house, in a large clear space round the two central columns. 

 A party of about fifteen or twenty middle-aged men were 

 dancing ; they formed a semicircle, each with his left hand on 

 his neighbour's right shoulder. They were all completely 

 furnished with their feather ornaments, and I now saw for the 

 first time the head-dress, or acangatara, which they value highly. 

 This consists of a coronet of red and yellow feathers disposed 

 in regular rows, and firmly attached to a strong woven or plaited 

 band. The feathers are entirely from the shoulders of the 

 great red macaw, but they are not those that the bird naturally 

 possesses, for these Indians have a curious art by which they 

 change the colours of the feathers of many birds. 



They pluck out those they wish to paint, and in the fresh 

 wound inoculate with the milky secretion from the skin of a 

 small frog or toad. When the feathers grow again they are of 

 a brilliant yellow or orange colour, without any mixture of blue 

 or green, as in the natural state of the bird ; and on the new 

 plumage being again plucked out, it is said always to come of 

 the same colour without any fresh operation. The feathers 

 are renewed but slowly, and it requires a great number of them 

 to make a coronet, so we see the reason why the owner esteems 



