206 



INDIANS OF THE UCAYALI. 



marina, and turtle's eggs. They have settlements on the banks of the 

 river ; but many of them live in their canoes, making huts of reeds and 

 palms upon the beaches in bad weather. I could never ascertain that 

 they worshipped anything, or had any ideas of a future state. Many 

 have two or three wives ; they marry young and have many children, 

 but do not raise more than half of them. They seem docile and tract- 

 able, though lazy and faithless. They will not trust the white man, for 

 which they have probably good cause ; and the white man would not 

 trust them if he could help it ; but the Indian will do nothing unless he 

 is paid in advance. 



Finally, the Mayorunas occupy the right bank of the Ucayali, near its 

 mouth, and extend along the southern borders of the Amazon as far as 

 the Yavari. Very little is known of this tribe. They are said to be 

 whiter than the other tribes, to wear their beards, and to go naked. 

 They attack any person who comes into their territory ; and our Nauta 

 boatmen were careful not to camp on their side of the river. 



When I left Nauta I intended to ascend the Ucayali, if possible, as far 

 as Chanchamayo, and also to examine the Pachitea. On arriving at 

 Sarayacu I consulted Father Calvo on the subject. He at first spoke 

 discouraging! y ; said that the larger part of the population of his village 

 were away fishing, and that I would have great difficulty in recruiting a 

 sufficient number of men for the expedition ; for that Padre Cimini, year 

 before last, with a complement of or/e hundred and fifty men, had been 

 beaten back by the Campas when within one day of Jesus Maria, at the 

 confluence of the Pangoa and Perene, and had declared it was folly to 

 attempt it with a less number, and these well armed. Father Calvo 

 also said that, could he raise the men by contributions from Tierra Blanca 

 and Sta. Catalina, he could not possibly furnish provisions for half that 

 number. I told him I was ready to start with twenty-five men : fifteen 

 for my own boat, and ten for a lighter canoe, to act as an advanced 

 guard, and to depend upon the river itself for support ; that I had no 

 idea of invading the Infidel country, or forcing a passage ; and that the 

 moment I met with resistance, or want of provisions, I would return. 



Upon this reasoning the padre said he would do his best, and sent 

 off expresses to Fathers Bregati and Lorente with instructions to recruit 

 men in Tierra Blanca and Sta. Catalina, and send them, with what 

 provisions could be mustered, to Sarayacu. In the mean time we com- 

 menced beating up recruits, and gave orders to make farinha, gather 

 barbasco for fishing on the route, and distil aguadiente. 



We found, however, although I offered double pay, that we could not 

 get more than eight men in Sarayacu who were willing to go at this 



