102 THROUGH THE BRAZILIAN WILDERNESS 



in a shallow place in the river was a scaffolding on which 

 the Indians stood to spear fish. The Indians were friendly, 

 peaceable souls, for the most part dressed like the poorer 

 classes among the Brazilians. 



Next morning there was to have been a great rodeo, or 

 round-up, and we determined to have a hunt first, as there 

 were still several kinds of beasts of the chase, notably tapirs 

 and peccaries, of which the naturalists desired specimens. 

 Dom Joao, our host, and his son accompanied us. Theirs is 

 a noteworthy family. Born in Matto Grosso, in the trop- 

 ics, our host had the look of a northerner and, although a 

 grandfather, he possessed an abounding vigor and energy 

 such as very few men of any climate or surroundings do 

 possess. All of his sons are doing well. The son who was 

 with us was a stalwart, powerful man, a pleasant compan- 

 ion, an able public servant, a finished horseman, and a 

 skilled hunter. He carried a sharp spear, not a rifle, for 

 in Matto Grosso it is the custom in hunting the jaguar for 

 riflemen and spearmen to go in at him together when he 

 turns at bay, the spearman holding him off if the first 

 shot fails to stop him, so that another shot can be put 

 in. Altogether, our host and his son reminded one of the 

 best type of American ranchmen and planters, of those 

 planters and ranchmen who are adepts in bold and manly 

 field sports, who are capital men of business, and who also 

 often supply to the state skilled and faithful public ser- 

 vants. The hospitality the father and son extended to us 

 was patriarchal : neither, for instance, would sit at table with 

 their guests at the beginning of the formal meals; instead 

 they exercised a close personal supervision over the feast. 

 Our charming hostess, however, sat at the head of the table. 



