About and Above the Great Falls. 121 



on very good terms in spite of the bearded face which 

 seemed to be the chief objeftionable feature. 



A very considerable number of tame birds were to be 

 seen about the different parts of the settlement, but they 

 were chiefly parrots, though a few bluesackies (Tanagra 

 episcopus) and two or three species of woodpeckers were 

 noticed. Here also was the most grotesque-looking bird 

 that it has ever been my lot to see. This was a green- 

 winged, blue and red macaw (A. chloroptera) , whose 

 feet, whether from injury, paralysis or rheumatism, were 

 perfe6llv useless to it, and the bird lay with one side on 

 the ground, moving forwards by hooking its beak in the 

 earth and pulling therewith, and helped on by its wings 

 which it used as crutches. Now and then, from the more 

 powerful stroke of one wing, it rolled from one side 

 to the other, this being accompanied by a series of hoarse 

 caws, as though it were chuckling at its awkwardness. 

 Its futile attempts to keep pace with, and to accompany 

 a blue and yellow macaw (A. ararauna) that waddled, 

 and climbed about the place, were really astonishing. 



The spirit of hospitality with which we were received 

 when we entered the first house, where some of the 

 women had betaken themselves, was certainly note- 

 worthy. One woman busied herself in reaching and 

 placing on the ground before us large pieces of cassava 

 bread in a basket and the pepper pot ; while another 

 procured casirie which she held out to each one in turn, if 

 it were not passed round. This had been the case also 

 at the lower settlement of the Accawois atSarabaroo and 

 of the Macoosis at Ichiderie ; but lower down, more 

 within the reach of civilisation, nothing had been brouoht 

 out unless one of the party had asked for it. At all the 



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