310 The Aborigines of Brazil. 



most intelligent. When I asked him one evening how he 

 cured his patients, he made an indecent gesture and grinned. 

 Not satisfied with this symbol, I desired further information 

 from him ; he then drew, to my no small astonishment, a cir- 

 cle in the sand, and in it a lingam, and said solemnly, " All 

 Magic comes from lust or from hate, and by means of them 

 also do we cure. 55 



This speech gave me much to think of. If I do not err, 

 it points in reality at the source of all magic, as well as 

 of the medicine of the Indians.* Their practice is a blind use 

 of unknown hidden powers of nature, at present devoid of every 

 particle of scientific knowledge, and in many Pajes united 

 without doubt with a confused idea that they have procured 

 this crude simple knowledge by unlawful means. For I 

 must not conceal, that the knowledge of the Pajes, whether 

 male or female, is often imparted to their pupils only as the 

 price of prostitution. 



Thus, secret arts, lust, and unnatural crimes are connected 

 together : by such means is magic propagated, and by such 

 vvill it continue to be so among uncivilized tribes, until they 

 become chaste. 



The pupil usually retires into the desert with the Paje for 

 some time ; and when an adept, receives some substance, such 

 as a root, a piece of animal or vegetable charcoal, the claw of 

 an animal, &c. as a sign of being initiated. This he always 

 carries about with him as an amulet, and he expects from 

 it direct aid in cases of sickness. But the pupil does not 

 always receive it directly from his master. He is some- 

 times informed of it by a dream or a vision. The Indians 

 attach great weight to many dreams, and to visions. They 

 not only boast of having seen the evil spirit, but of having had 

 converse with him. I need scarcely remark that a belief in 

 the existence of such a spirit is at the bottom of all these 



* We can scarcely agree with our author. — Tr. 



