VILLA NOVA 



189 



under water, and the largest of those which had reached 

 the surface measured not quite three feet in diameter. 

 We found a montaria with a paddle in it, drawn up on 

 the bank, which I took leave to borrow of the unknown 

 owner, and Luco paddled me amongst the noble plants to 

 search for flowers, meeting, however, with no success. I 

 learnt afterwards that the plant is common in nearly all 

 the lakes of this neighbourhood. The natives call it the 

 furno do Piosoca, or oven of the Jacana, the shape of 

 the leaves being like that of the ovens on which Man- 

 dioca meal is roasted. We saw many kinds of hawks and 

 eagles, one of which, a black species, the Caracara-i (Mil- 

 vago nudicollis), sat on the top of a tall naked stump, 

 uttering its hypocritical whining notes. This eagle is 

 considered a bird of ill omen by the Indians ; it often 

 perches on the tops of trees in the neighbourhood of 

 their huts, and is then said to bring a warning of death 

 to some member of the household. Others say that its 

 whining cry is intended to attract other defenceless birds 

 within its reach. The little courageous fly-catcher Bem- 

 ti-vi (Saurophagus sulphuratus) assembles in companies 

 of four or five, and attacks it boldly, driving it from the 

 perch where it would otherwise sit for hours. I shot 

 three hawks of as many different species ; and these, 

 with a Magoary stork, two beautiful gilded-green jacamars 

 (Galbula chalcocephala), and half-a-dozen leaves of the 

 water-lily made a heavy load, with which we trudged off 

 back to the canoe. 



A few years after this visit, namely, in 1854-5, I passed 

 eight months at Villa Nova. The district of which it is 

 the chief town is very extensive, for it has about forty 

 miles of linear extent along the banks of the river ; but 

 the whole does not contain more than 4000 inhabitants. 

 More than half of these are pure-blood Indians, who live 

 in a semi-civilized condition on the banks of the numerous 

 channels and lakes. The trade of the place is chiefly in 

 India-rubber, balsam of Copaiba (which are collected on 

 the banks of the Madeira and the numerous rivers that 

 enter the Canoma channel), and salt fish, prepared in the 

 dry season, nearer home. These articles are sent to Para 

 in exchange for European goods. The few Indian and 

 half-breed families who reside in the town, are many 

 shades inferior in personal qualities and social condition 



