484 Foreign Notices : — South America. 



The anecdotes of horticultural improvement in the vicinity of London, and 

 of the importers of foreign trees into England, in your Arboretum Britannicum, 

 interested me particularly. Your country owes much to Peter Collinson. I 

 had for some time in my possession, and still have at my command, nearly a 

 ream of letters from the English coiTCspondents of John Bartram ; and among 

 them there are very many from the excellent Peter. He was the commission- 

 merchant or agent through whom the orders for trees and plants to Bartram 

 were sent. I recollect that the Dukes of Northumberland and Richmond, 

 and Lord Petre, were constant customers. He mourns the death of the latter 

 with parental feeling. I shall revere the memory of Collinson more than ever, 

 now that I know, through your Arboretum, that the world is indebted to him 

 for Catesby's Natural History. I knew that he was supported in his travels 

 by several patrons ; but it appears that their pecuniai'y supplies ceased when 

 he returned home, and that, had it not been for Collinson, the generous 

 patriotic " haberdasher of small wares," the work might not have seen the 

 light ; or, at least, not to the profit of the laborious naturalist. I regret very 

 much that there is no line of packets to London from this port, nor even a 

 regular trader. If I go to New York, as I intend to do shortly, I will take 

 the stuffed black squirrel from the forest of Mercer county, and try to send it 

 to you. — J. M. 



SOUTH AMERICA. 



Manitfacture of Meal from the Cassava Root, and of the Indian Drink Pie- 

 iiiarrie. — Notwithstanding the long intercourse between Europeans and the 

 aboriginal Indians of British Guiana (an intercourse which subsisted for many 

 years under the Dutch government, before Guiana became annexed to the 

 crown of England), the latter have as yet made no advances to civilisation ; 

 nor have they even assumed the ordinary decencies of European dress; and, 

 with the exception of the national sash, worn by the males, and the small 

 freemason-like apron, composed of beads, which, suspended by a string passed 

 above the hip, adorns the softer sex, their bodies are quite uncovered. 



The Indians, both male and female, are generally well made, though small 

 and slight. Their hair is long, black, and glossy. They possess, with very 

 few exceptions, not even an apology for a beard : their bodies are fat, sleek, 

 and hairless, varying in colour from a light copper to a dark brown. The 

 physical strength of the Indian is much inferior to that of the European or 

 negro ; yet, wlien they hire themselves out to work, they pursue all day the 

 laborious occupation of paddling, apparently with slight fatigue. This may, 

 perhaps, be accounted for on the score of habit ; the Indian boy being pro- 

 vided with a small paddle as soon as he is able to wield it ; the paddle being 

 proportionately increased as he increases in size and strength. Thus, the 

 muscles of the arm of an Indian become accustomed to the motion, which 

 would weary an European in a few hours. It also sometimes happens that 

 Indians engage themselves as woodcutters : and it is invariably observed that 

 their allotted share of work in squaring timber is finished in less time, and in a 

 superior manner to that of the best negro. 



The males are, at home, extremely indolent, contenting themselves with 

 fishing or hunting for a few hours in the morning, and remaining all the rest 

 of the da}' listlessly swinging in their hammocks, from which they will scarcely 

 arise for the purpose of eating their food. 



I have never observed, nor have I heard of, any traces of religion existing 

 among the Indians of Guiana ; but they are subjected, in some degree, to 

 superstition respecting birds, animals, and other subjects. 1 will mention one 

 instance among several which came under my own observation. While pur- 

 suing our course up the river Masseroni, we entered a kind of bay formed by 

 the river, and I soon perceived, by the quick stealthy paddling of the Indians, 

 that something unusual was affecting them : upon enquiry, I was informed 

 that, in the recesses of the bay, under water, lived a terrible monster, which, 



