THE BOTOCUDOS. 139 



other Tapouyas. They are mostly of the middle stature, with broad shoulders, 

 large chests, and delicate hands and feet. Their eyes are mostly small, black and 

 piercing ; the nose is short, straight and expanded at the nostrils. The whole 

 face is large, and occasionally somewhat flattened. Their color is a reddish 

 brown, much darker in some instances than others, and in some examples almost 

 white. In other respects these people resemble the other nations of the American 

 continent. But they have, in common with several tribes of Paraguay, the 

 horrible custom of slitting the lower lip, and wearing in the opening thus made 

 a round or oval piece of wood, which gives their physiognomy a frightful 

 expression, which is heightened by the almost constant flow of saliva from the 

 aperture. 



With respect to the moral character of the Botocudos, there is little, perhaps 

 nothing, to admire. "Being in no degree guided by the moral principle, and 

 uncontrolled by the laws which restrict civilised man within the limits of social 

 order, these barbarians follow the impulses of sense and instinct like the jaguars 

 of the forest. The outbreakings of their demoniac passions, and especially their 

 revenge and jealousy, are as terrible as they are sudden and unexpected." The 

 most trifling incident is sufficient to excite their anger, which can never be 

 appeased except by the death of the offender. 



It will be of course inferred that their wars are constant and sanguinary. 

 They contend with all the surrounding nations, whether of the European or 

 Indian race, and their hatred to some adjacent tribes is so implacable, that they 

 never spare man, woman or child. Though now nearly exterminated, they 

 remain, as a nation, unconquered and unconquerable. 



Nevertheless, unlike their neighbors, the Charruas, the Botocudos have their 

 hours of mirth, and enliven their indolence with songs and dances : and with all 

 their savage attributes it is due to them to state, that they have in some instances 

 shown lasting gratitude to those who have befriended them.* 



PLATE XV. 



BOTOCUDO OF BRAZIL. 



Being extremely desirous to obtain a drawing of one of the skulls of these 

 singular people, I wrote for that purpose to his Highness, Maximilian Prince de 

 Wied-Nieuwied, celebrated for his scientific researches in both Americas. My 



* See Voyage au Bresil, par S. A. S. Maximilien, Prince de Wied-Nieuwied, T. II, p. 207, &c. 



