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INDIAN TOWN PIRARUCU FISH. 



Soundings vary from seven to twenty-one and a half fathoms. At 3 

 p. m., thermometer, 92°; water, 86° ; calm. 



October 8. — During the night we had heavy rain, sharp lightning, and 

 thunder from northeast. At 9 a. m , thermometer, 83°; water, 85°. At 

 3 p. m., thermometer, 88°; water, 86°. The rest at Crato has refreshed 

 us all ; the men pull stoutly ; they are now civil and attentive, showing 

 a desire to behave themselves well, though we find a free negro the 

 most difficult character to control. The Indian attends to his duty 

 without being told to do so. The negroes begin to fear a difficulty with 

 us, and are coming round, not only to their daily work, with more 

 spirit, but are particular to show us respect. "We would decline an 

 offer of a boat's crew of free negroes on another such expedition. We 

 have felt that had these men not been aware we were well on our 

 guard since they shot our dog, they would have murdered us without 

 the least hesitation. They disputed our authority and wanted to let 

 us know it. 



In the afternoon, as a black cloud comes from the northeast, the wind 

 turns up the sand on the beach and islands above the deep green foliage. 

 As the thunder roars and lightning flashes, we leave the troubled waters 

 of mid-channel and seek a safe little inlet in the bank, and secure the boat 

 till the raging storm passes. On the west bank was a small town of the 

 Muras Indians, built of palmetto wood, and thatched with the wild palm 

 leaf; it appeared to be deserted. The banks were forty feet high, of 

 red clay, and perpendicular. On the east side of the river there were 

 patches of maize. The forest trees are of less height as we descend ; 

 long islands stretch from three to five miles, dividing the river in twain. 

 At the mouth of a small, clear, green water stream, we met a party of 

 Indians fishing in a log canoe. The men were naked, and the women 

 dressed in frocks. On one of the sand islands was their temporary hut. 



October 12, — At 9 a. m., thermometer, 83°; water, 86°. For the last 

 three days we have passed through an uninhabited region, without 

 meeting with obstructions to steamboat navigation. The current one 

 mile per hour, and river in some places one mile wide. We met with 

 a fishing " cuberta," at anchor. This vessel is an Amazon craft, used 

 for trading up and down these rivers under sail, or polled, or towed 

 along the bank when the river is low. We went alongside and pur- 

 chased a dried " pirarucu " fish, which we all fancied the taste of at 

 once ; it was new both to us and to the Cuyaba negroes. Pirarucus are 

 taken by the arrow, as they swim near the surface of the water ; it has 

 a small head and thick body, covered with scales; they are found here 

 from six to eight feet long. After it is salted and dried in the sun, the 



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