314 



The Aborigines of Brazil. 



Physics. 



The pervading idea of all the Indians' knowledge of physical 

 phenomena, is that of the unity of nature. All terrestrial 

 things hang together, every individual thing is connected 

 with another. In accordance with this belief is the con- 

 viction that there is something mysterious in the mutual 

 action of bodies, and one step more brings us to the belief 

 that every thing terrestrial is in intimate connexion with 

 something supernatural. However savage or sensual the 

 Indian may be, this belief is always found in him ; but it 

 assumes the character of a blind superstition, because the 

 individual facts want connecting links. Nor has the Paje 

 applied it to any generalisation of facts ; besides his rela- 

 tion to the multitude is in reality esoteric. 



According to the views of the Indian all the works of 

 nature, and the actions of the elements are supposed to aid 

 or to injure each other. Hence he deduces the idea of a good 

 and beneficent, and of an injurious principle. He sees 

 these principles everywhere, he embodies them, and peo- 

 ples woods and deserts with evil unfriendly natures. Thus 

 he becomes a spirit- seer, and all inimical powers, especially 

 poisonous and rapacious animals, are to him only manifesta- 

 tions of the evil principle. These again he tries to counter- 

 act by other friendly powers, and thus he is led to the use of 

 specifics. Indeed he knows of no remedies, but special ones. 

 He has not got the length of any large or general views 

 of the nature of their action ; as he recognises a dualism 

 between what is friendly, and what is inimical, so also 

 does he believe the sexes to be antagonistic in their 

 effects. Thus he considers woman to be injurious and poi- 

 sonous to man. Under certain circumstances a woman is 

 positive poison : for instance, he avoids the vicinity of a wo- 

 man during the catamenial period, especially if he has been 

 wounded or bitten by a poisonous animal, or if he has 



