PARICA SNUFF 



221 



in the scale of culture than others, yet the numerous 

 tribes in this respect form a graduated link from the 

 lowest to the highest. The same customs reappear in 

 tribes who are strongly contrasted in other respects and 

 live very wide apart. The Mauhes, who live in the 

 neighbourhood of the Mundurucus and Muras, have much 

 in common with both ; but, according to tradition, they 

 once formed part of the Mundurucu nation. The language 

 of the Muras is entirely different from that of the tribes 

 mentioned ; but language is not a sure guide in the 

 filiation of Brazilian tribes ; seven or eight different 

 languages being sometimes spoken on the same river, 

 within a distance of 200 or 300 miles. There are certain 

 peculiarities in Indian habits which lead to a quick 

 corruption of language and segregation of dialects. When 

 Indians, men or women, are conversing amongst them- 

 selves, they seem to take pleasure in inventing new 

 modes of pronunciation, or in distorting words. It is 

 amusing to notice how the whole party will laugh when 

 the wit of the circle perpetrates a new slang term, and 

 these new words are very often retained. I have noticed 

 this during long voyages made with Indian crews. When 

 such alterations occur amongst a family or horde, which 

 often live many years without communication with the 

 rest of their tribe, the local corruption of language be- 

 comes perpetuated. Single hordes belonging to the same 

 tribe and inhabiting the banks of the same river thus 

 become, in the course of many years' isolation, unin- 

 telligible to other hordes, as happens with the CoUinas 

 on the Jurua. I think it, therefore, very probable that 

 the disposition to invent new words and new modes of 

 pronunciation, added to the small population and habits 

 of isolation of hordes and tribes, are the causes of the 

 wonderful diversity of languages in South America. 



There is one curious custom of the Muras which re- 

 quires noticing before concluding this digression ; this is 

 the practice of snuff-taking with peculiar ceremonies. 

 The snuff is called Parica, and is a highly stimulating 

 powder, made from the seeds of a species of Inga, belong- 

 ing to the Leguminous order of plants. The seeds are 

 dried in the sun, pounded in wooden mortars, and kept 

 in bamboo tubes. When they are ripe, and the snuff- 

 making season sets in, they have a fuddling-bout, lasting 

 many days, which the Brazilians call a Quarentena, and 



