CORPS OF TRABALHADORES 297 



had become silted up. The island of Capitari and another 

 group of islets succeeding it, called Jacare, on the opposite 

 side, helped also to contract at this point the breadth of 

 the river, which was now not more than about three miles. 

 The little cuberta almost flew along this coast, there being 

 no perceptible current, past extensive swamps, margined 

 with thick floating grasses. At length, on rounding a 

 low point, higher land again appeared on the right bank 

 of the river, and the village of Aveyros hove in sight, in 

 the port of which we cast anchor late in the afternoon. 



Aveyros is a small settlem.ent, containing onl}^ fourteen 

 or fifteen houses besides the church ; but it is the place of 

 residence of the authorities of a large district ; the priest, 

 Juiz de Paz, the subdelegado of police, and the Captain 

 of the Trabalhadores. The district includes Pinhel, 

 which we passed about twenty miles lower down on the 

 left bank of the river. Five miles beyond Aveyros, and 

 also on the left bank, is the missionary village of Santa 

 Cruz, comprising thirty or forty families of baptised 

 Mundurucu Indians, who are at present under the manage- 

 ment of a Capuchin Friar, and are independent of the 

 Captain of Trabalhadores of Aveyros. The river view 

 from this point towards the south was very grand ; the 

 stream is from two to three miles broad, with green islets 

 resting on its surface, and on each side a chain of hills 

 stretches away in long perspective. I resolved to stay 

 here for a few weeks to make collections. On landing, 

 my first care was to obtain a house or room that I might 

 live ashore. This was soon arranged ; the head man 

 of the place. Captain Antonio, having received notice of 

 my coming, so that before night all the chests and appar- 

 atus I required were housed and put in order for working. 



I here dismissed Pinto, who again got drunk and 

 quarrelsome a few hours after he came ashore. He left 

 the next day to my great relief in a small trading canoe 

 that touched at the place on its way to Santarem. The 

 Indian Manoel took his leave at the same time, having 

 engaged to accompany me only as far as Aveyros ; I was 

 then dependent on Captain Antonio for fresh hands.. The 

 captains of Trabalhadores are appointed by the Brazilian 

 Government, to embody the scattered Indian labourers 

 and canoe-men of their respective districts, to the end 

 that they may supply passing travellers with men when 

 required. A semi-military organization is given to the 



