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PARED AO FALLS. 



row channel by the ropes. The landing-place was in the rapid current ; 

 they missed it, and the boat ran away with them through the rocks- — 

 they were carried at a frightful rate,; Titto shouting to the negroes at the 

 top of his voice to pull for their lives, so that he might steer them safely, 

 which he fortunately did. They were all so much frightened that it 

 brought them to their working powers. The sight was an interesting 

 one for me, as the smallest rock in their way would have dashed the 

 boat to pieces. As I turned to go down I found myself surrounded by 

 a party of savage women and children, who had come up behind me. 

 There were eight women, ten children, and two unarmed men, all, from 

 external appearances, savages of the purest water. On taking out my 

 handkerchief, the women and children all laughed ! One of the men 

 stepped before me, and putting his hand into my pocket, took all 

 the fish-hooks out, and appropriated them to his own use, by handing 

 them to a homely woman who bore a sucking baby, and then coolly 

 inquired whether I had a knife to give him. He was a short, thick- 

 framed man, quite fat and hearty ; the women were all ugly ; the boys 

 were the most cheerful, manly-looking Indians we ever met with. At 

 my suggestion, they walked to the boat with me. Their chief u Capitan 

 Tupe," as they call him, was absent on a hunting excursion. Their huts 

 were some distance from the falls, so that we missed seeing their houses. 

 They were quite friendly with us. Some of the men who came after- 

 wards, left their bows and arrows behind the rocks, and walked up un- 

 armed. The women carried their babies under the arm, seated in bark 

 cloth straps, slung over the opposite shoulder. The infants appeared 

 terribly frightened at the sight of a white man ; one of them screamed 

 out when Pedro milked the mother into a tin pot, for the benefit of 

 Richards' ear, which still troubled him. The woman evidently under- 

 stood what was wanted with it, and stood still for Pedro to milk her as 

 much as he chose. The boys are remarkable for large bellies, as the 

 sketch of " Matua " and his brother " Manu" will show. The older ones 

 express a willingness to go away from their mothers ; Manu was asked, 

 by signs, if he would go with me ; he shook his head, no ; when he 

 was made to understand that he could get a pair of trousers and some- 

 thing to eat, he then nodded his head, yes. Pedro tells me they swell 

 themselves up by eating earth, which Indian children all do. One of 

 the Caripunas got into the boat and examined the baggage ; he soon 

 found a knife, which he took, and came out with it in his hand, before 

 everybody. It belonged to one of the negroes, who took it from the 

 Indian. The savage appeared disappointed; he was then told if he 

 would bring yuca or other provisions for the men, he should have a knife. 



