276 HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY. 



Iguassu and Rio Xipoto. {PL 36, jig. 1, dance of the Puris ; jig. 6, duel of 

 the sanne.) 



The Coroados are still living in the forests of Rio Xipoto in the province 

 of Minas Geraes, and as yet in a condition of semi-barbarism. The most 

 civilized of those found between the rivers Macahe and Cabapuana are the 

 tribe called Goitacas. {Fig. 2, drinking frolic of Coroados.) The Coropos 

 dwell beside the Coroados, along the Rio Xipoto, in the Presidio de San 

 Joao Baptista. The Macuanis are at present settled in part on the coast 

 at Caravellas, partly in the neighborhood of the Quartel of Alto dos Boys, in 

 Minas Novas. 



The Botocudos or Aymoris, who call themselves Engecrakenong, dwelt 

 in the sixteenth century in the Captaincy of Ilheos, extending as far as 

 Porto Seguro, where they carried on a cruel war with the .Portuguese 

 colonists ; but are now found in the interior, upon a section of country 

 running parallel to the Atlantic coast, and between the Rio Doce and the 

 Rio Pardo, lying between 18° and 20° south latitude, mainly upon the Sierra 

 dos Aimores. Their number amounts to about 4,000. 



The Botocudos received their name from the Portuguese, from the fact of 

 their wearing in the under lip and lobe of the ear pieces of wood resembling 

 the bung of a cask (Portuguese, botoque or hatoque). They live by hunting 

 and fishing. A singular custom is the one just alluded to, that of piercing 

 the under lip and ear lobe, and placing in the openings thick, round disks of 

 wood. From time to time, when the apertures have become enlarged, the 

 blocks are replaced by larger pieces, as it is considered a great beauty 

 among them in case the wooden stoppers are very large. At last the 

 under lip projects so far horizontally that it can no longer be moved 

 upwards, nor the mouth closed. The ear lobes hang down so much that 

 w^hen the wooden stoppers are removed they almost touch the shoulders. 

 In their native country, the complexion of the Botocudos is brown ; it pro- 

 bably becomes darker by reason of the rubbing with oil and clay practised 

 amongst them. The Botocudos appear to be even tempered, and at the 

 same time timid. They have remained independent even until the present 

 time, and are divided into different tribes, some of which evince a desire 

 of cultivating friendly relations with the whites, and do not eat human 

 flesh; whilst the principal tribe, which is addicted to this barbarous 

 custom, is distinguished for cruelty and implacable hatred towards the 

 European settlers ; and, rendered sufficiently sagacious by misfortune, 

 has, in spite of exertions and sacrifices on the part of the government, 

 known how to maintain its freedom in the forests, and keep its original 

 ground. How shamefully Indians are dealt with, is shown in the treatment 

 of the Botocudos. The whites were not satisfied with shooting them down 

 wherever they met them, but employed also the most disgraceful means in 

 order to surprise them in their dwellings, and massacre them without mercy. 

 Under assurances of friendship they enticed them to draw near, gave them 

 food, and murdered them whilst they were eating. Indeed, they went so 

 far as to hang up in the forests clothes of persons ill with the small pox, so 

 that they might be found and put on by the Botocudos, and thus commnni- 

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