184 



NAUTA. 



We called on the governor general of the Missions of Mainas, Don 

 Jose Maria Arebalo, who received us with some formality, and gave us 

 lodgings in one of the houses of the village — I suspect, turning out the 

 inhabitants for that purpose. My companion, Ijurra, was not sure of a 

 cordial reception ; for, when sub-prefect of the province, he had caused 

 Arebalo to be arrested and carried prisoner from Balza Puerto to Moyo- 

 bamba. But our friend was much too magnanimous to remember old 

 feuds; and he and Ijurra soon became boon companions. 



Nauta is a fishing village of one thousand inhabitants, mostly Indians 

 of the Cocama tribe, which is distinct from that of the Cocamillas of 

 Lagttna. It has a few white residents engaged in trading with the 

 Indians for salt fish, wax, and sarsaparilla, which are obtained from the 

 Ucayali. Don Bernardino Cauper, an old Portuguese, does most of the 

 business of the place. He sends parties of Indians to fish or gather 

 sarsaparilla upon the Napo and Ucayali ; and he has two or three boats 

 (called in this part of the country garreteas) trading down the river as 

 far as Egas. He supplies all the country above with foreign articles 

 from Brazil, and receives consignments from the upper country, which he 

 sends to Egas. 



Don Bernardino lives in a sort of comfort. He has plenty of meat, 

 (calling turtle, salt fish, and fowls meat,) with farinha from below, and 

 beans and onions from his little garden. There is good tobacco from 

 above to smoke, and wholesome, though fiery, Lisbon wine to drink. 

 I have been frequently struck during my journey with the comparative 

 value of things. The richest man of a village of one thousand inhab- 

 itants, in the United States, would think Bernardino's table poorly sup- 

 plied, and would turn up his nose at a grass hammock slung between 

 two hooks in the shop for a bed-place. Yet these things were regal 

 luxuries to us; and, doubtless, being the best that are to be had, Don 

 Bernardino is perfectly contented, and desires nothing better. 



The old gentleman is very pious. The Cura of Pebas was at this 

 time in Nauta, attending to the repairs of the church; and we celebrated 

 a nine-days service (Novena) in honor of our Lady of Mercy, the 

 patroness of the arms of Peru. The expenses of the service (being a 

 fee for the padre and the lighting of the church with wax) were borne 

 by individuals. The padre gave the first day; then Senhor Cauper; 

 then his wife, his wife's sister, his son, his pretty Brazilian niece, 

 Donna Candida; then came Arebalo; then Ijurra and I; the priest 

 winding up on Sunday. But my old friend was not contented with 

 this ; and when I shoved off on Monday for the Ucayali, I left him en- 

 gaged in another church service, setting off rockets, and filing, from 



