312 



VOYAGE ON THE TAPAJOS. 



is made to carry to the field women and children ? It is a war canoe, 

 and not a boat to bring thee farinha.' 



"This same colonel revenged himself for this refusal by calumniating 

 'to the Emperor the conduct of the brave Mundmcu ; and on that 

 representation the court objected to recompense him. He remained 

 poor as an Indian, when, according to the example of the Brazilian offi- 

 cers, he could have amassed wealth. He is old now, and has no heir, 

 because he has only daughters. 



" The next day he came to see me, and begged me to cure his nephew, 

 a young Indian of eighteen or twenty years, whom he dearly loved, and 

 whom he would have had inherit his courage and his titles ; but the 

 poor devil had nothing of the warrior, and every day, for several hours, 

 had an epileptic attack. I again had recourse to the phial of salts ; 

 gave him some for the sick man to smell at the time of the attacks ; and 

 also directed that he should drink some drops weakened with water. 



" The remedy had a good effect; The attacks became less frequent 

 and long ; and during the three days I remained in the neighborhood of 

 the Malocca the old Tuchao came every day to thank me ; pressed my 

 hands with affection, and brought me each time different small presents — 

 fruits, birds, or spoils taken heretofore from an enemy. 



" From Santa Ana, where I crossed the river, I determined to enter 

 the forests, and not to descend by the cataracts. Six Indians went back 

 with the boat to Itaituba ; the three others remained to accompany me 

 to the Mahues Indians, whom no European traveller had visited, and 

 whom I much desired to know. 



" The Indian hunter, to whom I gave one of my guns, carried my 

 hammock and walked in front. I followed him, loaded with a gun and 

 a sack, (which contained ammunition,) my compass, paper, pencils, 

 and some pieces of guarana. The other two Indians walked behind 

 carrying a little manioc flour, travelling necessaries, and a small press to? 

 dry the rare plants that I might collect on my journey. 



" We followed a narrow pathway, sometimes across forests, uneven, 

 and muddy, broken by small pebbly rivulets, the water of which is 

 occasionally very cold ; sometimes climbing steep mountains, through 

 running vines and thorny palm-trees. I was covered with a cold and 

 heavy sweat, which forced me to throw off my garment, preferring to 

 endure the stings of myriads of insects to the touch of a garment 

 that perspiration and the humidity of the forest had chilled. 



" Towards five o'clock we stopped near a rivulet ; for in these forests 

 it soon becomes night. The Indians made a fire and roasted the birds 



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