110 AMAZONIA AND LA PLATA. 



Rio Negro and Thombetas Tribes. 



On the Uaupes branch of the Rio Negro dwell the Uaupes, a group of 21 

 tribes speaking 15 different dialects, and according to Coudreau of diverse origin. 

 Some, such as the dominant Tarianas, are undoubtedly Caribs, while the Macus, 

 who roam the forests from the Andes to Manaos, would seem to be akin to the 

 Witotos of the Upper Japura, though these also are stated to be true Caribs. 



Most of the Uaupes differ in dress and usages as well as in speech, and their 

 common religion appears to be the chief bond of union between them. Despite 

 the zeal of the Catholic missionaries, they still preserve a national cult, in which 

 are intermingled Pagan and Christian rites, the latter derived from the teachings 

 of the Jesuits during^ the eighteenth century. Tapan, a great traveller, and author 

 of the numerous drawings c irved on the granite rocks about the cataracts, repre- 

 sents the God of the Christians. Jurupari, the native god, born of Virgin Mary, 

 is an evil genius, who encourages drink, murder, and other vices amongst his 

 people. In his honour are celebrated great feasts, dances, flagellations, and orgies ; 

 but he receives a secret worship, from which the women are jealously excluded. 

 But all the Uaupes are disappearing, and in the Rio Negro basin civilised and 

 savaire together had been reduced to 8,000 in 1884. 



On the other hand the Macusi, dominant on the southern slopes of the moun- 

 tains drained by the Rio Branco, appear to have greatly increased since the 

 eighteenth century, when they acquired the ascendancy over the Wapisianas. 

 The Macusi, probably of Tupi stock, form two main groups, one in the east on the 

 rivers Mahu and Takutu, the other in the west towards the Upper Uraricuera 

 basin. Formerly much dreaded on account of their poisonous arrows, they have 

 ceased to prepare the curare poison, and now use firearms. Their savannas being 

 traversed by the natural highway between the Essequibo and the Amazons, 

 they have recently taken to trade, and already begin to speak a little broken 

 English. 



Next to these the most powerful tribe are the Wayewe of the Upper Mapuerro, 

 which flows to the Amazons under the name of Urubu. The Wayewe, that is, 

 " Whites," are probably pure Caribs, men of splendid physique, noble features, 

 fair complexion, and very industrious. The kindred Japii are "the finest 

 Indians " met by Coudreau during his ten years' explorations in Guiana. This 

 observer was surprised to find light hair and blue eyes amongst the Japii, while 

 their northern neighbours, the Tucins, were distinguished by prominent cheek- 

 bones and oblique Mongol eyes. 



Except the ]Macusi, Wayewes, and Piangotos, all the independent tribes of 

 the Rio Branco, Urubu, Yamunda, and Trombetas rivers appear to be decreasing. 

 Several have even disappeared altogether, amongst others the Paravilhanas, 

 " Bowmen," who were very powerful in the fifteenth century. Of the twenty- 

 two groups recorded in 1787 only nine survive, and one of these, the Crichanas 

 of the Rio Jauapery, at constant war with the whites, were threatened with 

 extinction, when Barbosa Rodrigues succeeded in establishing peace between the 



