288 MY LIFE 



has a population of over twenty millions ; and as the eastern 

 half of the island has a much drier climate, where there are 

 forests of teak and much more open country, it is certain 

 that this enormous variety of species is found in a wonder- 

 fully small area, probably little larger than Wales. I have 

 no doubt that the forests of the Amazon valley are equally 

 rich, while there are not improbably certain portions of their 

 vast extent which are still richer. 



The second feature, that I can never think of without 

 delight, is the wonderful variety and exquisite beauty of the 

 butterflies and birds, a variety and charm which grow upon 

 one month after month and year after year, as ever new and 

 beautiful, strange and even mysterious, forms are continually 

 met with. Even now I can hardly recall them without a 

 thrill of admiration and wonder. 



The third and most unexpected sensation of surprise and 

 delight was my first meeting and living with a man in a state 

 of nature — with absolute uncontaminated savages ! This was 

 on the Uaupes river, and the surprise of it was that I did not 

 in the least expect to be so surprised. I had already been 

 two years in the country always among Indians of many 

 tribes ; but these were all what are called tame Indians, they 

 wore at least trousers and shirt; they had been (nominally) 

 converted to Christianity, and were under the government of 

 the nearest authorities; and all of them spoke either Portu- 

 guese or the common language, called " Lingoa-Geral." 



But these true wild Indians of the Uaupes were at once 

 seen to be something totally different. They had nothing 

 that we call clothes ; they had peculiar ornaments, tribal 

 marks, etc. ; they all carried weapons or tools of their own 

 manufacture ; they are living in a large house, many 

 families together, quite unlike the hut of the tame Indians; 

 but, more than all, their whole aspect and manner were dif- 

 ferent — they were all going about their own work or pleasure 

 which had nothing to do with white men or their ways ; they 

 walked with the free step of the independent forest-dweller, 

 and, except the few that were known to my companion, paid 

 no attention whatever to us, mere strangers of an alien race. 



