~ 268 THE ANCIENT INDIAN POTTERY OF MARAJO, BRAZIL. 
graved lines, and with ears representing animals’ heads or human 
In Fig. 72, n, is represented a fragment of what may have been 
aladle. The fragment is slightly concavo-convex and three and 
one-half inches long. Both sides were scraped down to a very 
smooth surface, which received a very thin coat of cream-colored 
clay, giving it a glazed look. The convex or outer side is traced 
with a rather elegant line-pattern in dark red, not engraved, which 
appears exceedingly well in contrast with the light background. 
Near the pointed extremity is a hole, showing wear, doubtless in- 
tended for a string. A shallow dish, of which I have a fragment, 
is painted inside very much in the same way as that just de- 
scribed, while another has a coarse figure drawn in dark umber on 
a light ground. I may remind the reader, that the variegated 
clays of the Amazonian deposits furnish very vivid tints, as reds, 
purples, browns, blues and yellows.* With these colors, the In- 
dian women of Monte Alegre and elsewhere paint elegant designs 
on drinking cups of gourd (cuias), upon a background of Cumati 
(‘‘ Apocynea vel Asclepidea follicularis ?” Mart.). I have observed 
no trace of the use of the resin of the Yutahy-sica (Hymenee 
sp.) extensively used to-day on the Amazonas, for glazing vessels 
intended for use over the fire. 
The Indians of the Amazonas use`an earthen utensil for broil- 
ing or smoking various articles of food. It is like a large, deep, 
heavy basin somewhat wider at the mouth than at the base but 
with no bottom. This is inverted over a slow fire, the food to be 
cooked being laid on green stems of taboca (Bambusa), placed 
across the opening. This utensil the Brazilians call a muqueador. t 
A broken one ornamented with human features in high relief, was 
found at the liha das Pacovas. 
There is a little cup in the collection about an inch and a half 
in height, ornamented with the design, e, fig. 72. In the engrav- 
ing it is placed horizontally, but on the cup it is upright. The cup 
* The iri clay is called Tauá, the white, taud tinga or white taud. The Portu- 
guese form is Tabatinga. 
+The aa is muquear. This is one of the few Portuguese verbs derived from the 
Tupi. The same process is carried out by making a framework of green sticks sup- 
ported on ee se stakes, On this, mie turtle’s eggs, etc., are smoked and half 
cooke 
n the 
apparatus is pam muquem. L Stade and the old writers give the word bucan. 
Many words now pronounced with an initial m or b had originally an initial mb. Thus 
on the Amazonas one finds to-day mboia, and boia (boa constrictor). 
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