CHAPTER XVII. 



ON THE ABORIGINES OF THE AMAZON. 



Comparing the accounts given by other travellers with my 

 own obervations, the Indians of the Amazon valley appear to 

 be much superior, both physically and intellectually, to those 

 of South Brazil and of most other parts of South America ; 

 they more closely resemble the intelligent and noble races 

 inhabiting the western prairies of North America. This view 

 is confirmed by Prince Adalbert of Prussia, who first saw the 

 uncivilised Indians of South Brazil, and afterwards those of 

 the Amazon ; and records his surprise and admiration at the 

 vast superiority of the latter in strength and beauty of body, 

 and in gentleness of disposition. 



I have myself had opportunities of observing the Aborigines 

 of the interior, in places where they retain all their native 

 customs and peculiarities. These truly uncivilised Indians are 

 seen by few travellers, and can only be found by going far 

 beyond the dwellings of white men, and out of the ordinary 

 track of trade. In the neighbourhood of civilisation the 

 Indian loses many of his peculiar customs, — changes his mode 

 of life, his house, his costume, and his language, — becomes 

 imbued with the prejudices of civilisation, and adopts the 

 forms and ceremonies of the Roman Catholic religion. In 

 this state he is a different being from the true denizen of 

 the forests, and it may be doubted, where his civilisation goes 

 no further than this, if he is not a degenerate and degraded 

 one ; but it is in this state alone that he is met with by most 

 travellers in Brazil, on the banks of the Amazon, in Venezuela, 

 and in Peru. 



I do not remember a single circumstance in my travels so 

 striking and new, or that so well fulfilled all previous expec- 



