186 AMAZONIA AND LA PLATA. 



Flora and Fauna. 



The flora and fauna also, originally analogous to those of the neighbouring 

 State of Espitito Santo, have already been greatly modified, at least in the district 

 surrounding the capital. Here the primeval forests have everywhere disappeared 

 except on the unhealthy parts of the plains, or in the less accessible scarps of the 

 mountains. Most of the large animals have also vanished. Tapirs are no longer 

 met anywhere, and jaguars only in the remoter parts of the backwoods. The 

 former herds of peccaries and other porcos do motto, " forest swine," are reduced to 

 a few rare bands on the verge of the outlying settlements, and even some of the 

 bird species have diminished in number. But on the other hand as many as 800 

 species of butterflies and over 2,000 of insects may still be found in a narrow radius 

 round about the bay. 



Inhabitants. 



Like the animals, the aborigines have all disappeared within the limits of the 

 State, nor can even the half-caste descendants of the old Tamoyo (Tamoi, A'iam) 

 race be any longer recognised. As friends of the French, these were hostile to 

 the Pcrô (Portuguese), who sought allies amongst the Mbarancayas (" Cats") of 

 Espirito Santo, and by their aid got the better both of the French and of the 

 Tamo^'os. These were mostly exterminated, while the rest escaped, and are now 

 said to be represented by the Tupinambas, or Tupinambaranas, of the large island 

 of that name below the Madeira confluence. 



The Paulistas, who hunted down the aborigines to supply the mines and 

 plantations with slaves, also contributed to the destruction of the Tamoyos, who 

 were of pure Tupi stock and speech. They were also cannibals, at least to the 

 extent of eating the enemy slain in battle. The early European travellers, such 

 as Hans Staden, Jean de Ijéry and Magalhanes de Gandavo, all agree in their des- 

 criptions of the usages of these maritime Tupi tribes, and their statements are in 

 nearly complete agreement with tho>-e of Yves of Evreux and Claude of Abbeville 

 respecting the Indians of Maranhâo, who belong to the same widely diffused 

 ethnical family. All alike painted their bodies with the red rucu dye, and black 

 with genapa ; they also disfigured themselves to a far greater extent than did the 

 Botocudos by the insertion of various objects in the lips, ear lobes and other parts 

 of the face. They pierced the under lip of the children, gradually enlarging the 

 aperture until it was wide enough to receive a wooden disk or some stone orna- 

 ment. They also pierced the cheeks for the insertion of pieces of crystal, and 

 took pride in covering the face with artificial protuberances, and plastering their 

 bodies with feathers and thorns. Yet all were robust and healthy, and amongst 

 them there were scarcely any lame or halt, maimed or distorted. 



These Tupi tribes lived in large cabins sometimes 150 or 160 feet long, with 

 as many fire-places as there were separate family groups. All had their ham- 

 mocks disposed along the whole length of the common corridors, the vast dor- 



