THE PARECIS INDIANS 183 



tributary to an industrial civilization seated on these 

 highlands. A telegraph-line has been built to and 

 across them. A railroad should follow. Such a line 

 could be easily built, for there are no serious natural 

 obstacles. In advance of its construction a trolley-line 

 could be run from Cuyaba to the falls, using the power 

 furnished by the latter. Once this is done the land will 

 offer extraordinary opportunities to settlers of the right 

 kind: to home-makers and to enterprising business 

 men of foresight, coolness, and sagacity who are 

 willing to work with the settlers, the immigrants, 

 the home-makers, for an advantage which shall be 

 mutual. 



The Parecis Indians, whom we met here, were exceed- 

 ingly interesting. They were to all appearance an un- 

 usually cheerful, good-humoured, pleasant - natured 

 people. Their teeth were bad ; otherwise they appeared 

 strong and vigorous, and there were plenty of children. 

 The colonel was received as a valued friend and as a 

 leader who was to be followed and obeyed. He is 

 raising them by degrees — the only way by which to 

 make the rise permanent. In this village he has got 

 them to substitute for the flimsy Indian cabins houses 

 of the type usual among the poorer field labourers and 

 back-country dwellers in Brazil. These houses have 

 roofs of palm thatch, steeply pitched. They are usually 

 open at the sides, consisting merely of a framework of 

 timbers, with a wall at the back ; but some have the 

 ordinary four walls, of erect palm-logs. The hammocks 

 are slung in the houses, and the cooking is also done in 

 them, with pots placed on small open fires, or occasionally 

 in a kind of clay oven. The big gourds for water, and 

 the wicker baskets, are placed on the ground, or hung 

 on the poles. 



