TRAVELS IN BRAZIL. 259 



ment of the Portuguese, till which time they killed 

 fish with arrows or long harpoons. When they 

 have taken some small animals or one large one, 

 their hunting is over for that day, and the woman 

 carries home the game in the bag which is fas- 

 tened to her forehead by bass (embira, generally of 

 Cecropia peltata). The cooking of the dinner, as 

 well as keeping in the fire is the business of the 

 men. Pigs are singed ; other hairy animals are 

 spitted with the skin and hair on and put to the 

 fire ; birds are slightly plucked, and then drawn. 

 The body is spitted on sticks, either whole or in 

 pieces, roasted at the fire or put into the pot with 

 water. If the Indian intends to preserve a part 

 of the flesh, it is laid over the fire in muquem, i. e. 

 a kind of wicker-work, and exposed to the heat 

 and smoke, till it becomes as dry as wood. As a 

 particular delicacy, they also roast the entrails, 

 after having drawn them over sticks. Salt is not 

 used in their simple cookery. The Indian prefers 

 roast meat, especially when very fresh, to boiled. 

 The tapir, monkeys, pigs, armadilloes, pacas, and 

 agoutis, are his favourite dishes ; but he readily 

 eats coati, deer, birds, turtles, and fish, and in 

 case of need, contents himself with serpents,^ 

 toads, and larvae of large insects roasted. They 

 generally dine after the chase, about four o'clock. 

 The inhabitants of the hut, or any neighbour or 

 individual of the same tribe, who happens to be 

 present, takes part in the meal ; every one with- 



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